Box Score ELMHURST, Ill. - Illinois Wesleyan scored 14 points off three second half turnovers en route to a 20-7 football win at Elmhurst College on Saturday, Oct. 24.

The Titans improved to 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin as the Bluejays slip to 4-3 overall and 1-3 in CCIW competition. 

The first half was a defensive struggle with the Titans scoring the only points on a blocked punt. Elmhurst had the ball for more than 22 minutes in the first half, limiting IWU to only 7:27 of possession and merely 27 total offense yards in the first half. The Titans led 6-0 at the half as a result of freshman Mike Kraft scooping up an Elmhurst punt blocked by #P.J. Cummings# and taking it into the end zone for a score. The extra point kick was not good.

Both teams had first half scoring chances. Illinois Wesleyan's Michael Fenger missed a 33-yard field goal on the opening drive of the game and Elmhurst missed a 50-yard attempt late in the first quarter. The Bluejays put together a 14-play drive early in the second quarter, marching to the Titans' 13-yard line, but a 30-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Max Brooks.

The Titans took advantage of an Elmhurst turnover early in the third quarter. After Cummings intercepted Elmhurst quarterback Joe Furco, the Titans drove 62 yards in 13 plays and junior quarterback Brien Rooney capped the drive with a four-yard touchdown run. Rooney then passed to Travis Brubaker for the two-point conversion to give IWU a 14-0 lead advantage.

The Titans' lead was cut to 14-7 with 4:50 to play in the game when Furco found Blake Veldhuis on a 12 yard touchdown pass to complete a 49 yard drive in six plays.

Titan punter Dennis Zic had a punt blocked by Elmhurst's Nick Herrera and the Bluejays took over with 2:46 to play at the IWU 44-yard line. Furco hit Mitch Holmer for 16 yards on the first play of the drive to advance to the Titans' 28-yard line but senior Roman Hunter intercepted Furco's next pass to get the ball back for IWU.

Rooney then found daylight and scampered 75 yards for a touchdown to ensure the win.

Elmhurst finished with 271 yards of total offense while Illinois Wesleyan recorded 258 yards, 237 of them from Rooney. He completed 15-of-31 passes for 167 yards and rushed 14 times for 70 yards (he was sacked five times) and a pair of touchdowns. Joseph Driver was the Titan's top receiver, catching seven passes for 64 yards.

Scottie Williams led Elmhurst's rishing with 70 yards on 17 carries while Furco was 17-of-37 for 164 yards with one TD and two interceptions. Holmer and Veldhuis each caught four passes for the Bluejays.

Cummings and senior linebacker Nick Nikolich totaled eight tackles each to lead the Titans' defense. 

Illinois Wesleyan will host North Central at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at Wilder Field. The Cardinals (6-1 overall, 4-0 and in first place in the CCIW) were 27-7 winners over Wheaton on Oct. 24.