In a recent match, the Illinois Wesleyan University football team, with a record of 0-3 overall and 0-2 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW), faced off against Millikin University. The game took place at Frank M. Lindsay Field and kicked off at 1 p.m.
Millikin University, also standing at 0-3 overall and 0-2 in the CCIW, had previously faced a tough 38-0 shutout loss against North Park on September 23. Similarly, Illinois Wesleyan (IWU) had encountered a challenging 70-23 loss to Carroll University on the same date.
For those interested in watching the game, a video broadcast with Eric Stock providing play-by-play commentary alongside Joel Swanson was made available. Live statistics for the game could also be accessed via links conveniently located on the football schedule page of iwusports.com.
Historically, this game held significance as it was a rare instance where both Illinois Wesleyan and Millikin faced each other without a win. The last time this occurred for IWU was in 1988, resulting in a win for Millikin. Additionally, the weekend’s game marked the first time these two teams had faced off winless since the 1946 season when Illinois Wesleyan secured their first win of the year with a 12-7 victory.
A standout player to watch was junior defensive end Zach McNees, who led the league in tackles for loss with 6.0 and was tied for third with 2.5 sacks. McNees also ranked 21st nationally in tackles for loss and 64th in sacks. Freshman Dermot Smyth also made an impactful collegiate debut against Carroll, completing 7-of-11 passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to gaining 21 yards from rushing.
In a notable achievement, freshman Kaden Junge kicked a career-long field goal from 37 yards against Carroll, marking the longest field goal by an IWU player since 2022.
In their previous game, Illinois Wesleyan’s trio of quarterbacks displayed balanced passing, with 10 different receivers making catches. This was a rare occurrence since October 2, 2021.
Head Coach Norm Eash, with over 200 career wins, remained among the top coaches in NCAA Division III. His impressive tenure spanned 36 seasons at Illinois Wesleyan, making him one of the longest-tenured head coaches in all of college football across the NCAA.
Looking ahead, the Titans are set to return to Tucci Stadium for a Homecoming matchup against Washington University of St. Louis on October 7, with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m.