BLOOMINGTON, Ill - The Illinois Wesleyan University football team puts its perfect home record on the line Saturday, Oct. 1, when the Titans host Millikin University at Tucci Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
The Green and White are 2-1 on the season, 1-1 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, following a thrilling 26-21 win over Carroll University Saturday, Sept. 24. Meanwhile, Millikin rolls into Tucci with the same 2-1 record (1-1 CCIW). The Big Blue narrowly escaped North Park University Saturday, Sept. 24, by a final score of 23-21.
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.
TITANS ARE WILD!: Saturday's come-from-behind victory over Carroll was quite historic for Illinois Wesleyan, as the Titans erased a 21-0 deficit to walk off Tucci 26-21 victors. The Green and White's 21-point comeback is its 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.
Moreover, the last time IWU erased a deficit of 20-or-more points was 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.
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-four in receiving. Myles Kee ranks second in the CCIW, averaging 101 yards per game and leads the conference in receptions per game with 8.3. Charlie Hamilton ranks third in the league with 92 yards per game. Both Hamilton and Kee have recorded two touchdowns each on the year.
DOUBLE EDGED SWORD: In Saturday's comeback win against Carroll, junior Seth Albin and senior Charlie Hamilton rushed for and received for over 100 yards, respectively. Albin rushed for 120 yards on 25 attempts against one of the better defenses in the CCIW. Hamilton captured 153 receiving yards on 12 catches, including a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter.
The last time a Titan duo rushed for and received for over 100 yards each was Oct. 9, 2021 versus WashU. Hamid Bullie rushed for 101 yards on 26 attempts, while Zach Tencza picked up 113 receiving yards on eight receptions.
A KEE ON SPECIAL TEAMS: Sophomore Myles Kee's quickness continues to be a key in several facets of the Titan offense. In addition to being one of the top receivers in the conference, Kee leads the CCIW in punt returns, averaging 45 yards on his three returns of the season. In Saturday's contest versus Carroll, Kee returned a punt back 75 yards in the fourth quarter. This long return set up a rushing touchdown by Melchizedek Woodson to get the Titans within a point of the Pios, 21-20, and proved key in IWU's comeback.
LOCKED IN IN LATE DOWNS: Illinois Wesleyan's defense limited the Carroll offense to 1-of-16 in third and fourth down conversion attempts Saturday, Sept. 24. That trend is nothing new for IWU this season, as the Titans rank 32nd in Division III in fourth down conversion percentage defense this season. Opponents are converting on fourth down just 25 percent of the time against the Green and White this season.
BACK NINE PLAYER: Sophomore quarterback Ryan Saxe has proven to be a second half player in his last two appearances at the helm of the Titan offense. Saxe came in to start the third quarter, as the Titans were down 21-0. The Palatine, Ill. product threw three touchdown passes in the second half, and finished with a total of 248 yards, as he propelled the Titans to a comeback win. Saxe's trio of TD passes were good for a career-high, while he also set a career-best with a 77.2 completion percentage (17-of-22).
SOPHOMORE SLUMP? MORE LIKE SOPHOMORE SURGE: Through just three games, several sophomores on the IWU defense are already closing in on their 2021 statistical totals.
Defensive back Artist Benjamin has 11 tackles, including 0.5 for loss, one interception, and five pass breakups this season. He is just six stops off his 10-game total from 2021, and has already set a career-high in passes defended, while he is ranked 24th nationally and first in the CCIW in passes defended. Frank Roti, now a linebacker for the Green and White, has 16 stops on the season, including a career-high three TFLs. He is just 13 tackles shy of his total from a year ago, while his TFL number is already a career-high. A key piece to IWU's d-line, Josh Hlavacek has tied his freshman season mark with three tackles for loss. Hlavacek has seven tackles on the season thus far, after registering 14 stops in 2021. Elsewhere, Zach McNees has already surpassed his numbers from his freshman season. With three games in the books, McNees has set career-highs in tackles (13) and TFLs (5.5), and has tied a career-high with one sack.
TALL TASK AWAITS O-LINE: The Titans' offensive line will be tasked with protecting Ryan Saxe from one of the top pass rushers in Division III this season Saturday, Oct. 1, when Millikin visits Tucci Stadium. The Big Blue defense is led by fifth-year senior Alexander Perkins, who ranks third in the country with 5.5 sacks (1.83 per game). He is also third nationally in tackles for loss (8.5, 2.8 per game), and forced fumbles (2).
BATTLES WITH THE BIG BLUE: Illinois Wesleyan and Millikin's 114-game history dates back to 1904. Millikin holds a slim edge 55-52-7 all-time, but IWU has dominated the series as of late. In fact, the Titans have won 14 of the last 17 matchups. The Titans have a slight 28-27 advantage when the teams have met in Bloomington, Ill.
Last season, the Titan's defense showed off by shutting out Millikin, 14-0. Charlie Hamilton recorded another 100+ yard receiving game with seven receptions and 104 total yards. Another returner, Seth Albin, recorded one of the Titans' two touchdowns in that game with a 20-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
WITH A WIN…: With a win, the Titans will start the season 3-1 for the first time since the 2018 season. The Titans lost their non-conference opener to UW-La Crosse in 2018 before rattling off eight straight conference wins.
TITANS IN SEPTEMBER: The Titans are 73-27-1 (.727) in the Norm Eash coaching era in the month of September. The Titans had a 22-game September winning streak ended with the loss at Simpson in 2014. The last loss before that was on Sept. 15, 2007 to Mt. St. Joseph. IWU won 11 straight September games from 1995 (loss at Simpson) until 2001 (loss to WashU).
HALFTIME ADJUSTMENTS: Illinois Wesleyan's halftime adjustments on the defensive side of the ball have stifled opposing offenses this season. Through three games, IWU has allowed just three touchdowns in the second half. After shutting out nationally-ranked Wheaton over the final 30 minutes, Sept. 17, the Titans limited Carroll to one second half score, Sept. 24.
HOMECOMING HAPPENINGS: In the last 56 years, Illinois Wesleyan has compiled a 37-20 record in its Homecoming games. The Titans have come out victorious in each of their past four Homecoming matchups, most recently against Carroll in comeback fashion, 26-21.
HOME COOKING: The Titans are 122-49 (.713) at home since Norm Eash became head coach in 1987. IWU has won 21 of its past 26 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.
WINNING TRADITION: Veteran head coach Norm Eash is one of just three active coaches nationally in NCAA Division III with 200-or-more career wins. Eash, who has won 221 games as the head man at his alma mater, ranks third in the country among active head coaches.
LONGEVITY IN LEADERSHIP: Illinois Wesleyan Head Coach Norm Eash is one of the longest tenured head coaches in all of Division III. Now in his 36th season at the helm of the Titans, Eash is the second-longest tenured head coach in the nation behind only Rick Giancola (Montclair St. - 40 seasons).
ON THE HORIZON: IWU travels south next Saturday, October 8, for a battle with WashU Bears. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. in St. Louis, Mo. at Francis Olympic Field.
