DECATUR, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University football team got a much-needed win Saturday, Sept. 30, taking down Millikin University in convincing fashion, 45-17, at Frank M. Lindsay Field in Decatur, Ill. The Titans earned their first win of the season to improve to 1-3 overall and 1-2 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, while the Big Blue's record dwindled to 0-4 (0-3 CCIW).

Making his first collegiate start, freshman Dermot Smyth (Chicago, Ill.-Marist) completed 5-of-13 passes for 118 yards with two touchdown passes. Junior Tre Moore (Cool Valley, Mo.-Ritenour) was on the receiving end of both TDs, as he finished with two catches for 73 yards. Smyth was also IWU's top rushing threat, going for 67 yards on nine carries, good for 7.4 yards per attempt. 

Senior Seth Albin (Midlothian, Ill.-Oak Forest) finished the day with 155 all-purpose yards. He rushed for 62 yards with two touchdowns, added 67 yards in kickoff returns, and one catch for 26 yards.

The Titans spent plenty of time in Millikin's backfield, as IWU racked up six sacks and 14 tackles for loss. Leading the way for the Titans was junior Zach McNees (Hillsboro, Mo.-Hillsboro), who finished with a pair of sacks and five TFLs. Junior Frank Roti (Orland Hills, Ill.-Andrew) notched a team-best seven stops, including two for loss, while juniors Sam Schott (West Lafayette, Ind.-West Lafayette) and Eddie Cisneros (Rosemont, Ill.-Maine South) added six stops apiece. 

IWU finished with 270 yards of total offense, 129 of which came in the passing game. The Titans churned out a season-high 141 rushing yards, averaging 4.1 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Millikin managed 181 yards of total offense. The Big Blue were limited to 77 rushing yards and 104 passing yards.

Illinois Wesleyan took advantage of a touchback by freshman Kaden Junge (Mattoon, Ill.-Mattoon), as IWU's defense forced a three-and-out. After a short gain by the Big Blue, McNees fought off a block for a tackle for loss. Senior Joshua Klein (Glen Carbon, Ill.-Edwardsville) and junior Paul Zunkel (McHenry, Ill.-McHenry West) followed with another play behind the line of scrimmage to force a punt.

IWU's first offensive series was short-lived, as Millikin pounced on a first-down fumble to regain possession. A big-time pass breakup in the endzone by junior Jimmy Capecci (Springfield, Ill.-Sacred-Heart Griffin) on third down forced Millikin to settle for a 26-yard field goal, putting the home team ahead, 3-0, with 9:22 to go in the period. 

Sophomore Danny Kent's (Addison, Ill.-Fenwick) 56-yard kickoff return on the ensuing restart, his longest of the season, set the Illinois Wesleyan offense up just outside the redzone. Smyth quickly pushed the Titans ahead, dropping a dime to Moore for a 23-yard touchdown.

Smyth broke loose for a big gain on an option to take the Green and White across midfield before connecting with Moore for the second time of the afternoon. Under significant pressure with a Millikin defensive lineman bearing down on him, Smyth threw a 47-yard dart to Moore along the IWU sideline for the touchdown. The big play upped IWU's lead to 13-3 early in the second quarter.

Illinois Wesleyan's next score came on the special teams front, where sophomore Marco Palaganas (St. Petersburg, Ill.-St. Petersburg Catholic) returned a punt 58 yards for a touchdown. After splitting through a barrage of Big Blue, Palaganas won a foot race down the Titan sideline for the score. A successful two-point conversion from Smyth to senior Matt Young (Bartlett, Ill.-Bartlett) expanded the lead to 21-3.

Receiving the ball out of the half, the Titans marched 68 yards downfield on seven plays on the legs of Albin and Smyth. After a first-down run from Smyth, Albin capped the drive with a one-yard scamper into the endzone. The drive saw Albin rush for 16 yards along with a 26-yard catch, while Smyth added an 11-yard rush as IWU boosted its lead to 28-3.

Albin cashed in again, this time on a nine-yard run, late in the third quarter. Bulldozing his way through the Big Blue defense, Albin punched it in for the sixth multi-touchdown game of his career.

The fourth quarter saw Junge convert a 40-yard field goal, the longest of his career, and sophomore Zach Hinds (Riverton, Ill.-Riverton) toss a 13-yard touchdown pass to junior Melchizedek Woodson (St. Louis, Mo.-Ladue Horton Watkins). The Titans closed out a 45-17 victory as Arthur Chatt (La Grange, Ill.-Lyons Township) pulled down an interception to put IWU in victory formation.

Illinois Wesleyan returns home next weekend, Oct. 7, for Homecoming as the Green and White hosts Washington University in St. Louis. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Tucci Stadium.