EU Football Fails to Rally as Season Wraps Up
The Elmhurst University football team fell victim to Millikin University (MU) 42-21 on Saturday, Oct. 31, as a dominant first half performance by the Big Blue proved too much for the Bluejays to overcome. The Bluejays also lost their second-to-last game to Wheaton College 52-0 on Saturday, Nov. 7.
MU quickly jumped out to a 28-0 halftime lead at Langhorst Field, capitalizing on EU’s early struggles on both sides of the ball. The Big Blue established control through their rushing attack, scoring four touchdowns on the ground in the first half.
Running back AJ Lee led the way for MU, putting together an outstanding performance with 169 rushing yards on 21 carries and four touchdowns. Lee opened the scoring with an 8-yard touchdown run before breaking free for a 61-yard touchdown just under four minutes later. He added two more rushing touchdowns in the second quarter, both from 2 yards out, giving MU a commanding 28-point advantage.
The Jays struggled to find offensive momentum early and failed to score at all in the opening two quarters. Their struggles continued into the third quarter when MU linebacker Tyreon Key recovered a fumble and returned it 45 yards for another touchdown, extending the lead to 35-0.
Despite the deficit, EU showed resilience and began to find its rhythm offensively. Running back Peter Dodson got the Bluejays on the scoreboard with a 1-yard touchdown run, capping off an 11-play, 73-yard drive. Just over five minutes later, quarterback Justin Carlson connected with wide receiver Andrew Fox for a 31-yard touchdown pass. The two scores brought EU within 21 points heading into the fourth quarter.
MU answered EU’s third quarter push with an 80-yard scoring drive in the fourth quarter. Kenneth Atkins II capped off the possession with a 1-yard touchdown run, restoring the Big Blue’s 28-point advantage at 42-14.
The Jays added one more touchdown when Carlson found Dodson for a 4-yard scoring reception with four minutes and 59 seconds remaining. However, MU maintained control for the remainder of the game to secure the 42-21 victory.
The Jays still finished with 380 total offensive yards compared to MU’s 419. EU held a significant advantage through the air, getting 346 passing yards compared to MU’s 176. However, MU’s rushing attack proved to be the difference, outgaining EU 243-34 on the ground.
Following the loss to MU, EU traveled to Wheaton College (WC). Unfortunately for the Bluejays, the matchup against the nationally competitive Thunder proved to be another difficult challenge, as WC handed EU a 52-0 shutout defeat at McCully Stadium.
WC established control early, scoring twice in the opening quarter to take a 14-0 lead. Quarterback Luca Carbonaro connected with wide receiver Seth Kortenhoeven for a 20-yard touchdown pass.
The Thunder continued to build their advantage in the second quarter. Running back Kenny Jager scored on a 15-yard rushing touchdown, followed by a 28-yard field goal from defensive back Maison Haas. WC entered halftime with a 25-0 lead.
EU struggled to generate any offensive production throughout the afternoon. The Jays managed just 62 total yards, including 79 passing yards and a negative 17 yards on the ground. Quarterback Justin Carlson completed 13 of 30 passes for 79 yards while throwing two interceptions.
WC continued its offensive dominance after halftime, adding 20 points in the third quarter. Jager scored his second rushing touchdown of the afternoon on a 3-yard run before quarterback Finnley Doriot added a 17-yard touchdown run.
WC added one final touchdown early in the fourth quarter when running back Malachi Williams scored on a 2-yard rushing attempt, bringing the final score to 52-0.
The Thunder finished with 397 total offensive yards, compared to the Bluejay’s 62. WC also controlled the ground game, accumulating 215 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.
With the loss, the Jays drop to 1-8 overall and 0-7 in the conference with one contest left to play against North Park University on Nov. 14.
