BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University football team used a strong second half to escape with a 26-21 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin victory over Carroll University Saturday afternoon, Sept. 24, at Tucci Stadium. The Titans (2-1, 1-1 CCIW) scored 26 unanswered points over the final 23 minutes of gameplay to hand the Pioneers (2-1, 1-1 CCIW) their first loss of the season.

Illinois Wesleyan put up 26 points, 19 of which came in the fourth quarter, on the CCIW's top defense coming into the day (3.5 ppg). The Titans' point total is the most allowed by the Pioneers this season.

The Green and White finished with a season-high 440 yards of total offense, including a season-best 333 through the air. Sophomore Ryan Saxe (Palatine, Ill.-Fremd) turned in a spectacular second-half, going 17-for-22 for 248 yards and three touchdown passes. 

Senior Charlie Hamilton (Springfield, Ill.-Sacred Heart-Griffin) was Saxe's top target with a season-high 12 catches for 153 yards and a TD. Sophomore Myles Kee (St. Louis, Mo.-St. Louis Priory) added six grabs for 76 yards, including a touchdown, to go along with 135 yards via punt return. 

The running game was led by senior Seth Albin (Midlothian, Ill.-Oak Forest), who popped off for 120 yards on 25 carries. Albin, who averaged 4.8 yards per touch, is the first Titan with a 100-yard rushing game since Anthony Marre did so against North Park, Oct. 30, 2021.

Defensively, IWU disrupted CU in the back field often as the Green and White registered 12 tackles for loss. Senior Conor Murphy (Aurora, Ill.-Metea Valley) topped the Titans with nine stops, including 1.5 TFLs and a half a sack. Senior Fernando Chavez (Plainfield, Ill.-Joliet Catholic) and Anthony Wachal Jr. (Elk Grove Village, Ill.-Conant), along with junior Joshua Klein (Glen Carbon, Ill.-Edwardsville) added eight tackles apiece. Klein was credited with two tackles for loss, a pass breakup, and a QB hurry, while Chavez notched a TFL and half a sack. Sophomore Zach McNees (Hillsboro, Mo.-Hillsboro) led the way with 2.5 tackles for loss, while sophomore Frank Roti (Orland Hills, Ill.-Andrew) also added two TFLs. As a unit, the Green and White held the Pioneers to 292 yards of total offense. The defense was stout in late down situations, limiting CU to 1-of-13 on third down conversions and 0-for-3 on fourth down attempts.

After spotting CU a 21-0 lead, Illinois Wesleyan's offense broke through in the third quarter as Saxe stepped in at QB. Setup by sophomore Tre Moore's (Cool Valley, Mo.-Ritenour) 18-yard kickoff return, Saxe connected with Hamilton for a 26-yard gain to give IWU a first down at the Carroll 35-yard line. A 21-yard catch by senior Payton Gerberding (Bourbannais, Ill.-Bishop Mac) was followed by a 10-yard snag by Kee to put the Green and White on the verge of its first score of the day. Saxe completed the nine-play, 64-yard drive with a seven-yard touchdown pass to senior Kevin Graham (St. Johns Ind.-Shepard) to trim the Carroll lead to 21-7.

Strong stands by the IWU defense kept the 21-7 score into the fourth quarter, with the Titans forcing the Pioneers to punt just seconds into the period. Following a touchback on a CU punt, Albin took four straight carries to move the chains before Saxe found Hamitlon for a 30-yard catch deep down the left sideline. Illinois Wesleyan continued to air it out on the next two plays as Saxe connected with Graham for seven yards and then Kee for a 23-yard touchdown. The long touchdown snag by Kee, his second of the season, pulled the Green and White within one score, 21-14.

Kee proved to be a spark once again, this time in the return game, as the sophomore returned a kick 75 yards before being pushed out at the CU one-yard line. The Titans capitalized on the big play as sophomore Melchizedek Woodson (St. Louis, Mo.-Ladue Horton Watkins) punched it in for six. 

With Carroll clinging to a one-point advantage, 21-20, after a missed PAT, the Illinois Wesleyan defense responded with a three-and-out to put the ball back into the hands of Saxe. 

Regaining possession with 5:58 remaining in the game, Hamilton led the Titans on their game-winning drive. With Saxe in a rhythm, Hamilton hauled in catches for six and 12 yards, with Kee and Albin adding in big gains to advance IWU into the redzone. Saxe found Hamilton down the left side for an 18-yard TD with 4:13 to play, completing the six-play, 75-yard drive.

With just over four minutes remaining, the IWU defense sealed the victory. Roti blew up a fourth-down play by the Pioneers, taking the ball carrier down for a one-yard loss to give the Green and White the ball back with 2:24 to go. 

Albin's 29-yard gain to midfield allowed the Titans to wrap up the Homecoming win in the victory formation as IWU kneeled out a 26-21 triumph.

The Titans remain at home next weekend, Saturday, Oct. 1, for a 1 p.m. bout with Millikin University.