LINCOLN, Neb. – The Illinois Wesleyan football team rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to officially open its 2016 season with a 17-13 win over Nebraska Wesleyan on Saturday, Sept. 10, at Abel Stadium in Lincoln, Neb.
The Titans, who scored 14 unanswered second half points, are 1-0 this season while the Prairie Wolves are now 1-1. Illinois Wesleyan is 19-11 in season openers under head coach
Norm Eash and has won nine straight season-opening games.
IWU's only first half scoring came from a 21-yard field goal by senior
Adam Muellers with 14:07 to play in the second quarter. The Titans, who trailed 13-3 at intermission, were held to only 104 yards of total offense in the first half and limited to just 32 of those rushing.
IWU opened the second half with a message, going 72 yards on eight plays to get a touchdown on the board. With 10:46 to play in the third quarter, junior quarterback
Jack Donegan found senior wide receiver
Austin Wagner for an 8-yard touchdown pass and get the Titans within three at 13-10. Donegan's 12-yard TD pass to senior running back
Austin Harrell with 14:53 to play in the game, along with Muellers' extra point, gave the Titans a 17-13 lead.
The Titans finished with 343 total yards (125 rush, 218 pass) compared to 264 for the Prairie Wolves (87 rush, 177 pass).
Donegan completed 19 of 28 passes for 218 yards. IWU was led on the ground by senior running back
Maurice Shoemaker-Gilmore with 120 yards on 25 carries.
Defensively, Illinois Wesleyan was paced by senior linebackers
Luke Roth and
Tyler Fahey with nine total tackles with senior defensive end
Kyle Venhuizen adding seven and senior linebacker
Sean Garvey making six.
Nebraska Wesleyan quarterback Ben Green, who played hurt most of the second half, completed 14 of 19 passes for 177 yards. Running back Joel Weidel had 73 yards on 22 carries.
What's Next?
Illinois Wesleyan opens its College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin schedule with a 6 p.m. game at Tucci Stadium next Saturday, Sept. 17 … North Central is ranked No. 9 in this week's D3football.com poll and was No. 16 in the preseason Lindy's Magazine and No. 23 in The Sporting News Annual. The Cardinals were second in the CCIW preseason poll and IWU is third.
