LINCOLN — If one believes the old coaching adage that one would never judge an opponent by their won-lost record, Mortimer Jordan’s 40-37 comeback victory over Lincoln on Friday is proof of that belief.

The Blue Devils needed two touchdowns in the last four minutes, and then had to hold their collective breath as the Golden Bears tried to win the game on a last-second Hail Mary pass that came up just short — and under some controversy at that.

Jordan quarterback Duncan Hodges came through with a pair of touchdown passes for the win. The first went to Trey Peters for a 22-yard score with 3:56 left in the game, and the crucial second score came on a 15-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Dean with just 16 seconds left on the clock.

But Lincoln quarterback Zavian Caldwell, who had scored three rushing touchdowns already — including his team’s last two scores to take back the lead in the fourth quarter — tried to steal back the victory on the last play of the game. From his own 37-yard line, Caldwell connected with Montrell Johnson at the Devils’ 9. But Kyle Elsberry forced Johnson out of bounds at the 2-yard line as time expired, even though there was a difference of opinion among the officiating crew — the back judge called the play a touchdown, but the side judge ruled that Montrell had stepped on the sideline.

Other than that, it was a high-scoring contest that has become typical for Jordan this season. The Devils have scored fewer than 40 points just once this season, and that was in their 39-36 loss to Alexandria.

The two teams traded touchdowns most of the way, with the Bears gaining a slight advantage because of Jordan’s problems with conversions after touchdowns.

Steven Pope kicked a 27-yard field goal for Lincoln five minutes into the game, but the Devils’ Spencer Brown answered with a 3-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter.

Caldwell scored the first of his three touchdowns on a 20-yard run a minute later, but Brown responded in kind with a 7-yard scoring dash. Hodges then capped off a drive that ended the first half on a 1-yard sneak with 39 seconds before halftime.

Lincoln cut the deficit in the third quarter on Hodges’ only big mistake of the night — an interception that was returned 98 yards by Devonte Whiteside. Later in the period, the Bears took a 1-point lead when Lejephryes Carmichael scored from nine yards out.

Colby Moon’s 7-yard touchdown run on the first play of the final period gave the lead back to Jordan, before Caldwell took it right back with his last two touchdown runs.

Hodges excelled both in passing and running, completing 18-of-29 for 209 yards and two touchdowns while adding 134 rushing yards and another score.

Brown ran for 110 yards en route to his two touchdowns, and Dean gained 122 yards on pass receptions, most importantly his final catch for the winning touchdown.

Jordan gained a season-high 533 yards in total offense for the night, but allowed 443 total yards by the Bears, the most allowed by the Devils defense this season. Jordan also tallied 31 first downs.