Box Score

AURORA, Ill. - In his first start since suffering a knee injury and undergoing surgery last season, senior quarterback Rob Gallik completed 20 of 24 passes for 349 yards and five touchdowns as Illinois Wesleyan opened its 2013 season with a 48-21 nonconference win at Aurora on Saturday, Sept. 7.

Gallik's .833 pass completion percentage is the second best in an IWU game, behind Lon Erickson's record of .871 (27 of 31) against Millikin in 1996. The 349 passing yards is 10th best in a game and the five TD passes is tied for fourth most in an IWU game.

Gallik found sophomore wide receiver Artie Checchin on seven passes for 102 yards and one touchdown and hooked up with senior Tate Musselman for 93 yards and two touchdowns on four receptions. Senior Alex Garvey caught four passes for 91 yards and a TD and Devonte Jones made two catches for 36 yards and a score. Jones also rushed for 135 yards on 13 carries.

Illinois Wesleyan gained 584 yards of total offense with 360 coming in the air and 224 on the ground. The Spartans were limited to 270 total yards with 183 coming via the pass and 87 by rushing.

Defensively, senior linebacker Chris Simms led Illinois Wesleyan with 10 total tackles while junior Connor Klein and senior Stephen McGinnis each had six total tackles and senior cornerback Juan Gomez-Velez added five stops.

The Titans held a 28-14 lead at halftime and scored 14 unanswered points in the third quarter to extend the lead to 42-14 and put it out of reach.

IWU won its sixth straight season opener and head coach Norm Eash is now 16-11 in his 27 years of season-opening games. The Titans have won 16 straight nonconference wins and have won 18 straight games in September (dating back to 2007).

What's Next?
The Titans play at Alma (Mich.) at 12 p.m. Central time next Saturday.