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UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The 18th-ranked UIndy football team opened the season with a 24-10 region win at Saginaw Valley State Saturday night in a match-up of 2013 playoff teams.  With 7,850 fans in attendance at Wickes Stadium, the Greyhounds (1-0) limited the host Cardinals (0-1) to just 273 total yards on the night while getting a 100-yard game from senior running back Matt Ripp.
 
Saturday's match-up rekindled an old GLIAC rivalry.  The two faced off as conference foes 20 times in a 22-year span, with the last meeting ending in a 29-20 UIndy win Oct. 15, 2011.
 
Division II's leader in points allowed a season ago, the Greyhounds limited the host Cardinals to just 10 points, including a mere field goal in the final 42 minutes of play.
 
After battling to a scoreless tie after the first quarter, the Cardinals struck first with a five-yard touchdown catch by sophomore Leonte Degraffenreid early in the second.  The play was set up by a 64-yard reception by senior tight end Andrew Dillon.
 
The Hounds answered back on the ensuing drive with Matt Ripp and Reece Horn getting all the touches on the 10-play series.  Horn hauled in a 46-yard catch before catching a 10-yard TD on 3rd & Goal.
 
UIndy took its first lead late in the half by capping a lengthy drive with a 30-yard field goal by senior Scott Miller.
 
In his first-ever collegiate game, freshman Tuwan Payton made perhaps the play of the night, taking the third-quarter kickoff 94 yards to the house.  The New Albany, Ind., native parlayed a few good blocks with just as many good cuts to record UIndy's first kickoff return TD since 2011.
 
Later in the third, SVSU quarterback Keith Moore went down with an injury, giving way to redshirt-freshman Tyler Palka.  With his team facing a deficit, the young QB was forced the throw the ball.  The swarming Greyhound defense capitalized with a pair of fourth-quarter interceptions, as senior DBs Andre Smith and John Strickland both earned a pick to help seal the win.
 
Meanwhile, Ripp punctuated the scoring with a one-yard TD plunge to terminate an 86-yard drive early in the fourth quarter.
 
Ripp finished with 123 yards on the ground.  Horn racked up 111 receiving yards, while quarterback Connor Barthel finished 17-of-23 passing for 170 yards, one TD and zero picks.
 
Strickland notched 10 total tackles to go with his INT.  Five other Hounds had at least six stops, while freshman Dillon Dallas was credited with the game's only sack.
 
The Greyhounds continue non-conference play when they travel to NAIA-power Saint Xavier next weekend.  UIndy downed the Cougars, 51-20, at home last season.  Kickoff this Saturday is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
 
 
Notes:  Saginaw Valley received votes in the AFCA D-II Preseason Coaches' Poll and was ranked No. 20 in the D2Football.com Preseason Media Poll … UIndy is now 3-1 versus the GLIAC since moving to the GLVC in 2012 … The win snapped the Cardinals' nine-game home winning streak; their last defeat at Wickes Stadium came Sep. 15, 2012 – a 29-27 final versus Findlay … UIndy has now won 19 consecutive regular season games versus Division II opponents and are 21-3 overall is its last 24 games.