Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
The Millikin football team dropped the final game of the 2017 season losing at Illinois Wesleyan 31-6 on November 11 in Bloomington, Illinois.
Millikin finishes the season 7-3 over and 5-3 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). Despite losing the final game, Millikin had its' best season in 14 years. The seven wins was the most by a Big Blue football team since 2003. The five CCIW wins was the most conference wins since 2001.
Illinois Wesleyan opened the game with a touchdown in the first quarter and then took control of the contest with a 17 point second quarter.
Millikin's lone touchdown game in the fourth quarter when quarterback Nicco Stepina connected with freshman Joe Coates on a 12-yard touchdown pass. Stepina finished the day 26-42-1 for 297 yards. Coates had six catches for 72 yards. Gerald Perry led all Millikin receivers with eight catches for 85 yards.
Stepina, a junior, became Millikin's all-time leading passer in today's game with 6,855 yards in his career. He tied all-time career mark for touchdown passes at 63. Stepina surpassed Tim Brylka's career mark of 6,639 and tied Brylka's career touchdown record. Stepina built on his own school records for passing yards in a season with 2,785 and touchdowns in a season with 29.
Quarterback Brandon Bauer led the Titan offense going 22-30 for 230 yards and three touchdowns. Zach Walsh had six catches for 112 yards and two touchdowns for the Titans.
Illinois Wesleyan had 371 yards of total offense with the Big Blue gaining 304.
Sophomore linebacker Matt Brown led Millikin with 12 tackles. Senior Isaiah Blumenshine had six tackles including 2.5 tackles.
Illinois Wesleyan finishes the regular season at 9-1, 7-1 and are Co-Champions in the CCIW with North Central. The Cardinals earned the conference's automatic bid, but the Titans should receive at at-large berth when the field is announced on Sunday.