In a big game for both Bees, it was only fitting that Alec Ponder and Tre Jenkins connected on the game-winning touchdown pass on Homecoming Weekend.

Ponder threw for 302 yards and five touchdowns and Jenkins accumulated 159 yards from scrimmage. But none of it was more important than their 9-yard touchdown pass on a 4th-and-6 play that gave St. Ambrose a 37-36 lead with five seconds remaining in the game.

The touchdown capped a 12-play, 65-yard drive that chewed up 1:46 and followed a touchdown from Graceland (2-4, 0-3 Heart) that had given the Yellowjackets a 36-31 lead inside the final two minutes.

The defense didn't allow a miracle finish as DJ Twymon Jr. picked up a last-ditch lateral and returned it 30 yards on the game's final play to seal the 43-36 victory Saturday and Jack and Pat Bush Stadium.

St. Ambrose (2-5, 1-1 Heart) converted a pair of fourth downs on that final game-winning drive. The first came when Jenkins narrowly pushed for a single yard on a 4th-and-1 play from the SAU 44-yard line. On the next play, Ponder found Jenkins who juked his way for 31 yards to the Graceland 24-yard line. Completions to Braden Downs and Jenkins gave the Bees a first down at the Yellowjacket 13-yard line with 24 seconds left.

After a short four-yard pass to Downs, Ponder threw back-to-back incompletions intended for Kameron Bohnsack before coming back to Jenkins, who snuck inside the pylon setting off a Homecoming celebration.

It was the 21st completion and fifth touchdown pass of the game for Ponder, who tossed two scores to Joseph Spaulding (53 yards, 28 yards) and one 10-yarder each to Jaylen Brazzle and Downs.

Jenkins carried the ball 28 times for 95 yards and also caught four passes for 64 yards. Spaulding totaled 95 yards on his four receptions.

The offensive explosion was enough to hold off a Graceland team that faked a kick to run in a two-point conversion on its first touchdown of the game and opened the second half with an onside kick the Yellowjackets recovered and capitalized on with a touchdown to pull to within 24-22 early in the third quarter.

Spaulding's second touchdown reception followed to build a 31-22 lead in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. The final five minutes of the game featured 26 points as Graceland scored two straight touchdowns before St. Ambrose scored two in the last five seconds.

The Bees allowed 566 yards of total offense, including 463 yards through the air, but the defense came up big several times. CJ Resto and Grant Macke each had an interception in the end zone to thwart a Yellowjacket drive. Colin Gudella recovered a fumble in Graceland territory that set up Brazzle's touchdown catch that gave SAU a 17-15 lead in the second quarter.

Harvey Doleman booted a 32-yard field goal earlier in the second quarter to account for the other Bee points.

Nolan Obert had a big day for the defense, totaling 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks among his eight total tackles.

Gudella finished with seven tackles, including 1.5 for loss. Caden McDermott and Emmanuel Howard were each in on six tackles. Macke, Alex Hartmann, Kye Krofta and Anthony Spivey each recorded five total tackles. Jon Grant and Rolando Sepulveda registered two stops apiece.

The Bees posted nine tackles behind the line of scrimmage, including five sacks.

St. Ambrose will visit Culver-Stockton next Saturday.