CHICAGO – Fifth-year senior quarterback
Stuart Ross (Springfield, Ill./Springfield Southeast) threw for 193 yards on 23-for-36 passing with three touchdown passes and two interceptions, along with 14 rushing yards and the running back combination of redshirt sophomore running back
Mario Price (Chicago Heights, Ill./Calumet New Tech), who ran for 47 yards with 51 receiving yards on four catches, while senior running back
Jessi Plunkett (Evergreen Park, Ill./College of DuPage/Brother Rice) collected 39 rushing yards with a 13-yard touchdown reception as No. 11 ranked Saint Xavier University football (3-1, 0-0 MSFA Midwest) defeated Concordia University-Ann Arbor (Mich.) in a Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) crossover contest Saturday evening at Bruce R. Deaton Memorial Field in Chicago, Ill. The Cougars dominated the time of possession, holding the ball for 38:09, as they converted 10-of-20 third down attempts and were 4-for-4 on fourth down conversions.
- Graduate student wide receiver Julian Smith (Glenwood, Ill./Jackson State/Calumet New Tech) caught four passes for 32 yards and a touchdown.
- Fifth-year senior wide receiver Kyle Quinn (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) hauled in a team-best five passes for 24 yards and a score.
- Fifth-year senior wide receiver/punter Joe Polselli (Evergreen Park, Ill./St. Rita) made four receptions for 39 yards and he had a punt for 32 yards.
- Graduate student kicker Peyton Benes (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) was 2-for-2 on field goal attempts for 22 and 23 yards out, respectively.
- Graduate student linebacker Ryan Fitzgerald (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) had three carries for 21 yards, including a 16-yard run on fourth down. He also made seven tackles (one solo) with 0.5 sacks for a yard.
- Junior linebacker Chris Swayne (LaSalle, Ill./LaSalle-Peru Township) posted a team-leading nine tackles (three solos) with a sack for six yards, two quarterback hurries and a pass breakup.
- Fifth-year senior defensive back Kevin Countryman (Morris, Ill./Providence Catholic) recorded two tackles and he came away with an interception late in the fourth quarter.
- On their second drive possession of the game, SXU marched 90 yards on 15 plays and used 5:17 off the clock that resulted in a 13-yard touchdown pass from Ross to Plunkett for 7-0 lead with 1:20 left in the opening frame.
- The Cardinals responded with a 14-play, 60-yard drive that took up 6:41 that ended with a 32-yard field goal with 9:32 remaining in the second quarter.
- Saint Xavier ate up 7:35 off the game clock after a 16-play, 75-yard drive when Ross found Smith in the back of the endzone for an eight-yard strike at the two-minute warning to hold a 14-3 advantage at halftime.
- Receiving the ball to start the second half, the Cougars had another lengthy drive as the went 61 yards on 16 plays to take 7:38 off the clock and Ross connected with Quinn from five yards out to push the lead to 21-3 with 7:19 to go in the third period.
- After forcing a three-and-out, SXU went 50-yards on 13 plays that resulted in a 22-yard field goal by Benes early in the fourth quarter at 14:55.
- CUAA scored on the next possession, after converting on fourth down, on a 23-yard touchdown passes at the 11:59 mark.
- An interception returned 60 yards for a touchdown by Concordia made it a one-score game with 10:11 left in regulation.
- Saint Xavier punted on its next drive and three plays later Countryman snagged an interception near midfield to put the ball at the Cardinal 48-yard line with 4:56 to go.
- The Cougar offense then made its way into the CUAA redzone before Benes booted a 23-yard field goal to go up 27-17 with 2:32 remaining.
- On the next drive, Concordia failed to convert on fourth and 17 after a seven-yard sack by fifth-year senior defensive lineman Ayobami Arokoyo (Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg) and senior linebacker Clark Dilger (Frankfort, Ill./McKendree/Lincoln-Way East) on third down. SXU kneeled down to end the contest.
No. 11 Saint Xavier (3-1, 0-0 MSFA Midwest) travels to Marion, Ind. for a match-up with No. 6 Indiana Wesleyan University on Saturday, October 5. The game is slated for an 11:00am central time kickoff.