Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
The Millikin football team picked up its seventh win of the season defeating Elmhurst College 41-7 on November 4 at Frank M. Lindsay Field in Decatur, Illinois. Millikin improves to 7-2, 5-2 while Elmhurst falls to 2-7, 2-5).
The seven wins gives the 2017 Big Blue team the most victories since 2003.
Millikin jumped out to an early leading scoring on both of its first two drives.
Nicco Stepina connected with Jordan Smith on a 20-yard pass play to make it 7-0.
Stepina would then find Gerald Perry on an eight-yard touchdown pass to make it 14-0.
Elmhurst would score its only points of the game late in the second quarter on a 24 yard run by quarterback Orlando Hernandez.
Stepina would score on a two yard run in the third quarter to make it a 20-7 Big Blue lead.
The fourth quarter would be all Big Blue with Stepina connecting with Perry on a 40-yard touchdown pass to make it 27-7.
The Big Blue defense would then put two touchdowns on the board on interception returns. Israel Smith scored on a 66-yard interception return. On Elmhurst's next drive, Adonis Williamson would return an interception 66 yards to make it 41-7.
It was a record setting day for Stepina was 16-26 for 252 yards and three touchdowns. Stepina broke his own school records for passing yards in a season at two, 478 with one game remaining. Stepina now has 28 touchdown passes on the year breaking Matt Holmes' record of 26 set in 2012. Stepina now has 62 touchdown passes in his career and is one shy of the school record of 63 set by Tim Briella.
Smith led the Big Blue receivers with four catches for 95 yards. Jazontae Howard led the Millikin rushing attack with 20 carries for 89 yards.
Millikin had 439 yards of total offense while holding Elmhurst to 279 yards.
In addition to four interceptions, the Millikin defense had seven sacks in the game. Gabe Xayathone had 3.5 sacks and 6 total tackles for the Big Blue. Senior Isaiah Blumenshine had three sacks. Matt Brown had a team high seven tackles including 1.5 tackles for a loss. Freshmen Keshawn Marshall and Carl Coleman had an interception for Millikin.
The win keeps the Big Blue's playoff hopes alive. Millikin is in third place in the CCIW behind the first place tie between North Central and Illinois Wesleyan at 6-1. The Big Blue play at Illinois Wesleyan on November 11 at 1 p.m.