Fort Wayne, Ind. – Senior wide receiver/punter Justin Pringle (Romeoville, Ill./Plainfield East) caught a pair of touchdown passes and the Saint Xavier University football (2-2, 0-0 MSFA Midwest) defense and special teams each scored as SXU upset No. 16 University of Saint Francis (Ind.) Saturday evening at Bishop John M. D'Arcy Stadium in Fort Wayne, Ind. in a Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) crossover contest. Pringle finished the game with five receptions for 82 yards. Senior linebacker Joey Markasovic (New Lenox, Ill./Providence Catholic) reached a career milestone, surpassing 300 career tackles for the Cougars, as he was credited with a game-high 13 tackles (three solos). He is just the ninth player in program history to record 300 or more tackles and now has 312 in his career.

It's the first win for Saint Xavier over an NAIA Top 15 opponent since they also defeated USF, 38-0 who was No. 13, on September 25 last season. The Cougars topped No. 20 University of St. Francis (Ill.), 26-20, in overtime on November 13, 2021, to win the MSFA Midwest League title in an NAIA Top 25 matchup.

• Junior quarterback Stuart Ross (Springfield, Ill./Springfield Southeast) threw for 215 yards on 25-for-35 passing with two touchdown passes and an interception. He had a long pass of 35 yards to Pringle in the second quarter.
• Freshman running back Mario Price (Chicago Heights, Ill./Calumet New Tech) had his best game of his young career, rushing for a career-best 80 yards on 18 carries and coming away with a team-leading seven receptions for 42 yards.
• Sophomore wide receiver Javen Mays (Romeoville, Ill./Plainfield East) made four catches for 41 yards, both career-bests, and had a kick return of 29 yards.
• Junior wide receiver/punter Joe Polselli (Evergreen Park, Ill./St. Rita) had two punts for 116 yards, with a career-long of 60 yards.
• In addition to his 13 tackles, Markasovic also had 0.5 tackles for loss for two yards.
• Junior defensive back Kevin Countryman (Morris, Ill./Providence Catholic) had three tackles (two solos) and an interception returned for a touchdown. It's the second consecutive week that he has had a 'Pick-Six.'
• Junior defensive back Tyler Barnette (Richton Park, Ill./Joliet West) was credited with 11 tackles (four solos), which would be a career-high. He also had 0.5 tackles for loss for one yard and a pass breakup.
• Junior linebacker Finn Brandon (Dixon, Ill./Dixon) tallied 11 tackles (four solos), 0.5 tackles for loss for one yard, a forced fumble and a pass breakup.
• Senior defensive back Jacob Denney (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli) racked up 10 tackles (four solos), two pass breakups and returned a blocked field goal attempt for a touchdown.
• The 'Blue' Cougars struck first, recovering a fumbled punt return by the 'Red' Cougars in the end zone on their opening drive, less than three minutes into the contest.
• Saint Francis extended its lead to 10-0 at the 11:04 mark of the second quarter after a 45-yard field goal.
• Later in the frame, Saint Xavier marched down the field on eight plays and went 78 yards, capped off by a 14-yard touchdown pass from Ross to Pringle.
• USF kicked a 23-yard field goal just before the end of the half to carry a 13-7 into the break.
• SXU blocked a field goal attempt midway through the third period and Denney scooped up the loose ball and scampered 60 yards for the touchdown to tie the game at 13-13. The 'Blue' Cougars blocked the extra point attempt.
• On the next play from scrimmage after the kickoff, Countryman jumped the route and raced 25 yards into the endzone to give the 'Red' Cougars their first lead of the night at 19-13 with 6:59 remaining in the third quarter.
• Saint Francis took advantage of a Ross interception and scored on the next offensive play on a 17-yard touchdown pass at the 14:05 mark of the fourth quarter.
• Both teams traded possessions before Saint Xavier went 95 yards in 11 plays and Ross connected with Pringle for the second time for a score in the game on a 25-yard pass with 6:29 left in regulation. The two-point conversion attempt was no good.
• USF drove all the way to the Saint Xavier 20-yard line, converting two 4^th down attempts along the drive. Denney made a tackle on first down after a seven-yard reception, however a pass breakup by junior defensive back Ron Carroll (University Park, Ill./Crete-Monee), an incomplete pass and a pass breakup by Denney on 4^th down sealed the win for SXU.

Saint Xavier (2-2/0-0 MSFA) returns to Deaton Field to host No. 20 Roosevelt University (Ill.) on Saturday, October 1 for Homecoming. The Mid-States Football Association Midwest League opener for both teams is scheduled for a 12:00 pm kickoff.