Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
LISLE, IL - The Benedictine University football team survived a stiff challenge from visiting Rockford to win a fifth consecutive conference contest and set up a huge battle next week.
Benedictine received the opening kick and embarked on an eight-play 70-yard drive to strike first and open a 7-0 lead. Gregory Hoard broke free for a 24-yard run to find the endzone. Hoard rushed three times on the drive for over 40 yards to set the tone for the game. Rockford immediately responded to tie the game, using nine plays to tie the game with 6:35 remaining in the opening quarter.
The offense stalled in Rockford territory late in the first and the visitors utilized a 15-play drive to open a 14-7 lead with 10:29 left in the half. Hoard completed a 10-play drive on a short field by diving in from four yards out to tie the game with less than two minutes remaining in the half.
Denzel Simmon recorded an interception at the start of the second half to allow Benedictine to take the lead. Using a short field, Kiandre Morris snared a nine-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Jarnagin to make the score 21-14 at the 14:19 mark of the third. Rockford used another nine-play drive to tie the game at 21-21 and recorded an interception to set up a big-play on a 57-yard touchdown to lead 28-21 midway through the third.
The defense held and Anthony Senerchia reeled in a nine-yard touchdown pass from Jarnagin to again tie the game. Rockford jumped ahead again on a 66-yard touchdown just before the close of the quarter but the extra point was blocked. A heavy dose of Hoard enabled Benedictine to tie the game on a four-yard run with 12 minutes left before a bad snap kept the game even. Benedictine ran on seven of the eight plays on the drive with Hoard carrying five times.
Rockford was driving into Benedictine territory looking to take the lead when a mis-timed snap went over the head of the quarterback with his back turned and Michael Wagner collected the remnants to set up the winning touchdown. Jarnagin hit Deandre Holliday in the corner for an 18-yard go-ahead touchdown with 6:25 left. Rockford drove all the way down to the Benedictine 15 before the defense posted consistent pressure to record the victory.
Two of the top offenses in the nation combined for 900 yards with Benedictine racking up 431 including 220 on the ground. The teams also had 19 accepted penalties. Hoard ran 27 times for 196 yards and three touchdowns with a long of 40 and an average of 7.3 yards per carry. Jarnagin completed 20 passes for 211 yards with three touchdowns. Nick Shelton was the top receiver with six catches for 70 yards. Ahmad Washington recorded 15 tackles to lead the defense. Chris Williams added 11 tackles with a pair of breakups and three hurries. Simmon notched 10 tackles.
Benedictine (6-1, 5-0 NACC) travels to Aurora next Saturday in a game that could decide the conference champion.