Skip To Main Content

Saint Xavier University

Official Athletics Website of the Saint Xavier University Cougars

Justin Pringle, Football
17
Saint Xavier (IL) SXU 8-4
34
Winner Northwestern NWC 13-0
Saint Xavier (IL) SXU
8-4
17
Final
34
Northwestern NWC
13-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
SXU Saint Xavier (IL) 3 7 7 0 17
NWC Northwestern 3 7 10 14 34

Game Recap: Football |

No. 12 SXU Ends Season with 34-17 loss to No. 1 NWC in NAIA Quarterfinals

Orange City, Iowa – No. 12 seeded Saint Xavier University football (8-4, 5-0 MSFA Midwest) saw its season come to an end with a 34-17 loss to No. 1 seed and defending national champion Northwestern College (Iowa) Saturday afternoon in the NAIA Football Championship Series (FCS) Quarterfinals. Graduate student wide receiver Justin Pringle (Romeoville, Ill./Plainfield East) accounted for 214 all-purpose yards as he caught nine passes for 79 yards and a touchdown, along with four kickoff returns for 135 yards, including a 70-yard return for a score. It was his second kickoff return touchdown of the season, tying the single-season school record. SXU Hall-of-Famer John Miller (1999-02) returned a pair of kicks for scores in both 2001 & 2002, while another Saint Xavier Hall-of-Famer, Mike Maher (2007-10), did so in 2010.
 
It was the first quarterfinals appearance for the Cougars since 2019 when they lost to eventual national champion Morningside University (Iowa). It was also the first time since 2014 that SXU played in December, when they lost to eventual national champion Southern Oregon University in the semifinals.
  • Both teams finished with 19 first down apiece and each team punted the ball one time. The Red Raiders had 391 yards of total offense to SXU's 281.
  • Senior quarterback Stuart Ross (Springfield, Ill./Springfield Southeast) was 23-for-38 for 183 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
  • Senior running back Amari Venerable (University Park, Ill./Crete-Monee) rushed 12 times for 67 yards and he made six receptions for 48 yards, finishing the day with 115 all-purpose yards.
  • Senior linebacker Finn Brandon (Dixon, Ill./Dixon) posted a team-high nine tackles (four solos) with a quarterback hurry and 0.5 tackles for loss (TFL) for two yards.
  • Senior defensive back Ron Carroll (University Park, Ill./Crete-Monee) tallied seven tackles (two solos) and 1.0 TFL.
  • Sophomore linebacker Chris Swayne (LaSalle, Ill./LaSalle-Peru Township) made seven stops (six solos) with 0.5 TFL for a yard.
  • Senior defensive lineman Ayobami Arokoyo (Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg) collected six tackles (three solos), 3.5 TFL and 1.0 sack.
  • Senior defensive lineman Juabarey Anderson (Country Club Hills, Ill./Hillcrest) had five stops (three solos) with 2.5 TFL and a fumble recovery.
  • NWC used 8:10 of game time on its opening drive that went 11 plays and 64 yards before ending in a 30-yard field goal to strike first.
  • On their first possession, the Cougars moved 40 yards on nine plays that resulted in a game-tying 37-yard field goal by senior kicker Peyton Benes (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew).
  • Northwestern retook the lead on the next drive, going 74 yards in seven plays that was capped by a 47-yard rushing touchdown at the 14:46 mark of the second quarter.
  • The possession by Saint Xavier stalled out at the Red Raider 16-yard line, however two plays later a strip sack by senior defensive lineman Marcus Griffin (Chicago, Ill./Grand Valley State/Nazareth Academy) that was recovered by Anderson set the Cougars up again at the NWC 16 yard-line
  • Ross hit Pringle for a six-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 10-10 three plays later.
  • The SXU defense forced a three-and-out, allowing the offense to from its own 18 yard-line to the Northwestern nine yard-line, taking over five minutes off the clock on 13 plays. The 26-yard attempt by Benes missed wide left and the Red Raiders kneeled down to send the game into halftime all tied up.
  • NWC went up 13-10 after its first possession of the second half that went 48 yards in 10 plays and ended with a 40-yard field goal.
  • An interception in the end zone off a tipped ball on the next drive gave Northwestern the ball back and they responded with an eight play, 80-yard drive resulting in a 34-yard touchdown pass with :30 left in the third period.
  • Pringle took the kickoff and raced down the near sideline after evading several would-be tacklers to cut the deficit to 20-17, using just eight seconds of game time.
  • The Red Raiders pulled away in the fourth quarter, scoring on a 27-yard touchdown pass at the 11:17 mark. On fourth-and-seven on the next drive, Ross was flushed out of the pocket, but he came up a yard short of the conversion. NWC took over at its own 44 and scored six plays later on a 12-yard quarterback keeper with 6:08 remaining in regulation.
Saint Xavier (8-4/5-0 MSFA Midwest) ends the 2023 season with its third consecutive MSFA Midwest League title and its sixth in the last seven seasons.
 
Print Friendly Version