BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – A defensive stop on the final play secured a 21-17 victory over Augustana College for the Illinois Wesleyan University football team Saturday afternoon, Sept. 28, at Tucci Stadium. With the Vikings in the redzone with three seconds to play, the Titan defense held strong to seal the four-point win in their home opener.
 
Illinois Wesleyan improved to 1-2 on the season and 1-1 in College of Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play, while IWU handed Augustana (2-1, 1-1 CCIW) its first loss of the season.
 
Seniors Keenan Scott (Evanston, Ill.-Riverside-Brookfield HS), Ryan Swift (Brookfield, Ill.-Riverside-Brookfield HS), Dave Lux (New Lenox, Ill.-Lincoln-Way North HS), and Francis Urbanski (North Riverside, Ill.-Riverside-Brookfield HS) all finished with double-digit tackles to lead the way for the Titans. Scott notched a season-best 13 tackles, including two for loss. Swift tied Scott for the team-lead with a career-high 13 stops, one of which was for loss. Lux and Urbanski added 11 tackles each, while Mike Murphy (Orland Park, Ill.-Carl Sandburg HS) accounted for all three of IWU's sacks.
 
Sophomore Christopher Kosinski (Coal City, Ill.-Joliet Catholic Academy) blocked a punt and fellow sophomore Robert Neidballa (Winfield, Ill.-Wheaton North HS) returned it for a touchdown in the third quarter to highlight IWU's special teams play. It was the first blocked punt returned for a touchdown the Titans since Oct. 21, 2017, when they accomplished the feat against Carthage.
 
Senior Brandon Bauer (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East HS) went 22-of-38 for 247 yards and two scores, while also adding 42 rushing yards on eight carries. Bauer connected with six different receivers, with Zach Walsh (Lombard, Ill.-Glenbard East HS) grabbing a team-high six receptions for a team-best 82 yards. Seniors Jack Healy (Northfield, Ill.-Glenbrook South HS) and Dean Zigulich (Riverside, Ill.-Riverside-Brookfield HS) each hauled in touchdown passes.
 
IWU struck first on an eight-play, 59-yard drive in the opening period to take the lead as Bauer found Healy for a 21-yard score.
 
Augustana responded with a score of its own to even the game before Bauer found Zigulich for a 12-yard touchdown to put the Titans back in front by seven, 14-7. The Vikings added a field goal just before the half to cut IWU's lead to 14-10 at the break.
 
After forcing a three-and-out on Augustana's first drive of the second half, Kosinski blocked the Viking punt and Niedballa took it 20-yards for the score to put IWU ahead 21-10.
 
Augustana cut into the IWU lead with a 21-yard touchdown in the third quarter to send the game to the final stanza with IWU leading, 21-17.
 
After getting the ball back with just over two minutes to play, the Vikings converted on fourth-and-10 from the IWU 28 with three seconds remaining to keep the game alive but the Titan defense held strong to wrap up the 21-17 win.

Illinois Wesleyan is back in action next Saturday, Oct. 5, when the Titans host Carroll College in CCIW play for Homecoming. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Tucci Stadium.