BLOOMINGTON, Ill - With more than half the season complete, Illinois Wesleyan University's football team will welcome Carthage College to Tucci Stadium Saturday, Oct. 22, for the Titans' seventh game of the season. Kickoff between the Titans and Firebirds is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Illinois Wesleyan enters the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin clash on the heels of a come-from-behind home win over North Park University, Oct. 15. The Titans moved to 4-2 overall and 3-2 in the league with a 43-34 triumph after trailing by as many as 20. Meanwhile, Carthage is coming off a 59-24 setback at the hands of nationally ranked Wheaton College, Oct. 15. The Firebirds, who have won two of their past three games, sit at 2-4 overall and 2-3 in conference play. All four of Carthage's losses have come to top-25 competition (No. 20 Albion, 62-0; No. 1 North Central, 59-7; No. 23 WashU, 45-16; No. 15 Wheaton, 59-24).
Fans can tune into a video broadcast with Eric Stock calling the action on the field alongside Joel Swanson, while live stats will also be available for the contest. Links can be found on the football schedule page of iwusports.com.
CLASHES WITH CARTHAGE: The Titans have faced the Firebirds 63 times previously ahead of Saturday's showdown at Tucci Stadium. The series, which began in 1926, has seen IWU compile a 44-19 edge against Carthage all-time since winning the initial meeting, 6-0.
Illinois Wesleyan has won 10 of the past 12 meetings, but it was Carthage that claimed the most recent bout between the two conference foes. The Firebirds stunned the Titans, 62-35, in Kenosha Sept. 25, 2021. Carthage jolted out to a 48-7 lead after three quarters and never looked back as the Firebirds handed the Green and White its third straight loss to open the 2021 season.
TITANS IN OCTOBER: The Titans have compiled a 101-53 (.656) record in the month of October under Norm Eash. More recently, in the past five seasons, IWU is 24-6 in October.
GAME BALL GOES TO ROTI: Sophomore linebacker Frank Roti was a bright spot for the Titan defense against North Park, Oct. 15, helping swing momentum back in favor of the Green and White. Roti put together a huge game to lead IWU's comeback, including forcing a fumble, returning an interception 70 yards for a touchdown, and racking up a team-high eight tackles. For his outstanding play, Roti received Pat Coleman's "game ball" on the Oct. 17 edition of D3football.com's Around the Nation podcast and was also named to D3football's Week 7 Team of the Week.
CHUCK LOVES CHEESE?: The last time the Titans tangled with the Firebirds, Carthage had no answer for IWU wide receiver Charlie Hamilton. The Springfield, Ill. native put up career numbers in Kenosha, Sept. 25, 2021, finishing with eight catches for a career-high 178 yards. Hamilton hauled in three touchdown passes in the game, a career-high for the 6-foot-2 wide out.
Throughout his IWU career, Hamilton has fared well against Wisconsin-based competition. In three games, he is averaging eight catches, 133.7 yards, and 1.7 touchdown passes per contest. Overall, he has tallied 24 catches for 401 yards and five scores against teams from Wisconsin.
TITANS GO FOR TWO: In IWU's comeback victory Saturday, Oct. 15, against North Park, Jay Lemenager connected with Kevin Graham for a two-point conversion to extend Illinois Wesleyan's lead to nine, 43-34. The play marked IWU's first two-point conversion since Oct. 9, 2021 when the Titans ran the ball in for two in the fourth quarter against WashU.
DOWN, NOT OUT: The Titans have shown a flair for the dramatic in their wins this season, highlighted by a pair of 20-point comebacks. IWU overcame a 21-point deficit to knock off Carroll, 26-21, Sept. 24. The comeback marked the largest in the lifetime of a majority of the current Titan football players. In fact, the three-touchdown comeback is the largest on record dating back to 1997.
The Titans secured their second 20-point comeback of the year this past Saturday, Oct. 15. Trailing 27-7 in the second quarter, IWU used a 22-point fourth quarter to take down North Park, 43-34.
Prior to this season, Illinois Wesleyan had not dug its way out of a hole of 20-or-more points since Nov. 1, 2003 when the Titans defeated Carthage, 21-20. After trailing 20-0 at halftime, Illinois Wesleyan's Steve Lucas connected with Eric White for an eight-yard touchdown with 52 seconds remaining to complete the comeback and secure the one-point win.
A WIN IS A WIN: Illinois Wesleyan secured its fourth win of the season Saturday, Oct. 15, albeit in dramatic fashion. With IWU's 43-34 win, the Titans surpassed their win total from a season ago. With four games to play, the Green and White are two wins shy of its 2019 mark (6-4).
HOME COOKING: The Titans are 124-49 (.718) at home since Norm Eash became head coach in 1987. IWU has won 23 of its past 28 home games dating back to the 2016 season. In fact, Illinois Wesleyan has posted a winning record at home in each of the past five seasons dating back to the 2017 campaign.
NO FLY ZONE: Illinois Wesleyan sophomore Artist Benjamin finds himself amid a breakout season for the Titans in the secondary. Benjamin has already set career-highs in just about every statistical category with four games remaining. Nationally, Benjamin is fourth in passes defended, averaging 2.0 breakups per game.
BEHIND ENEMY LINES: The Titans are the only team in the CCIW with four players in the top-15 in the tackles for the loss category. Zach McNees ranks third in the conference with an average of 1.92 TFLs per game, while Josh Klein ranks sixth with 1.33 per game. Joshua Hlavacek sits tied for seventh with 1.25 tackles for loss per contest and Fernando Chavez is slotted tied for 12th at 1.00 per game.
WHY HAVE ONE, WHEN YOU CAN HAVE TWO?: Illinois Wesleyan is the only team in the CCIW with two receivers ranked inside the league's top-five in receiving yards. Charlie Hamilton ranks second in the CCIW with 93.8 yards per game, with Myles Kee coming in third with 92.2 yards per contest. The Titan duo is tied atop the team standings with 7.0 catches per game each, a mark that ranks 16th nationally. Hamilton is tied for fourth in the conference with five touchdown receptions, while Kee sits sixth with four.
ON THE HORIZON: Illinois Wesleyan will hit the road next weekend, Oct. 29, for a CCIW clash at Augustana College. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
