INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Ryan Whitwell became Indiana Wesleyan Football's all-time leader in career rushing yards and rushing touchdowns Saturday, but the milestone came in a tough 30-28 road loss to No. 10 Marian that snapped IWU's unbeaten start to the season. Whitwell's 185 yards and a touchdown on the day pushed his career totals to 2,448 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns in just 18 games, both program records. The No. 3 Wildcats, who trailed for much of the afternoon before taking a fourth-quarter lead, fell to 5-1 as the Knights improved to 5-1 as well.
THE ESSENTIALS
- Location: Indianapolis, Ind. | St.Vincent Field
- Records: IWU: 5-1 | MU: 5-1
- NAIA Top-25 Ranking: IWU: #3 | MU: #10
FIRST QUARTER
- Marian's opening drive went 15 plays and nearly 8 minutes before Ashton Vogel connected on a 35-yard field goal, making it 3-0.
- IWU's first possession featured a 22-yard Arjun Lothe completion to Braxton Myers and an 11-yard strike to Blake Brumbaugh, but the drive stalled in the red zone when Josh Clifton's 39-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right.
- Marian's final drive of the quarter carried into the second.
SECOND QUARTER
- Marian's drive continued into the second quarter but ended when Ashton Vogel's 33-yard field goal attempt went wide right.
- IWU needed just two plays to answer, as Lothe found Blake Brumbaugh for a 71-yard touchdown, the longest offensive play of the game, giving the Wildcats a 7-3 lead.
- Marian answered with a 6-play drive, highlighted by a 22-yard Uriah Buchanan run, and Avery Garlock capped it with a 2-yard touchdown run, retaking the lead at 10-7.
- IWU responded with a 9-play drive, a 28-yard Whitwell run setting up his 4-yard touchdown run, and the Wildcats led 14-10.
- Marian drove 11 plays on its ensuing possession, a 25-yard Jake Dunn completion to Montasi Clay among the big plays, and RJ Griffin finished it with a 2-yard touchdown run with 35 seconds left, giving the Knights a 17-14 lead at halftime.
THIRD QUARTER
- IWU's first drive of the second half included a 15-yard Lothe completion to Grant Irwin that drew a roughing-the-passer penalty, but the possession ended when Lothe was intercepted by LJ Ward, who returned it 43 yards to the IWU 32.
- Marian capitalized with an 8-play drive, a 12-yard Buchanan run among the gains, and Jake Dunn capped it with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Zane Skibinski, extending the lead to 24-14.
- IWU's next drive featured a 19-yard Lothe completion to Brumbaugh, but it ended quickly when Whitwell lost a fumble forced by Wyatt Woodall, recovered by Marian's Cade Houseman.
- Marian couldn't capitalize, as Kelby Roberson intercepted Jake Dunn to give the ball back to IWU.
- The Wildcats drove into the end zone behind a 30-yard Whitwell run and a 22-yard Lothe completion to Grant Irwin, and Lothe found Braxton Myers for a 5-yard touchdown with 55 seconds left, cutting the deficit to 24-21 after three quarters.
FOURTH QUARTER
- IWU's drive ended when Lothe was intercepted by Jeivyair Horton, who returned it 18 yards to the IWU 30.
- Marian turned the turnover into points, as Ashton Vogel connected on a 42-yard field goal to make it 27-21.
- IWU answered quickly, a 38-yard Whitwell run setting up a 25-yard Lothe-to-Simon Vinson touchdown, and the Wildcats took the narrow lead at 28-27.
- Marian responded with a 14-play drive that included a 15-yard Jake Dunn run and a 19-yard completion to Montasi Clay, and Ashton Vogel's 27-yard field goal put the Knights back on top, 30-28.
- IWU converted a 4th-and-8 with an 8-yard Lothe-to-Whitwell completion on its final drive, and later picked up a 15-yard completion to Grant Irwin, but the possession stalled when Lothe's 4th-and-10 pass to Ryan Whitwell came up three yards short at the Marian 39, turning the ball over on downs.
- Marian ran out the final 1:10, Uriah Buchanan's 26-yard run icing the clock, to seal the win.
OFFENSIVE LEADERS
- Ryan Whitwell: 23 carries, 185 yards, 1 TD; 3 receptions, 27 yards
- Arjun Lothe: 19-for-28, 287 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
- Blake Brumbaugh: 3 receptions, 101 yards, 1 TD
- Simon Vinson: 4 receptions, 59 yards, 1 TD
- Braxton Myers: 4 receptions, 43 yards, 1 TD
DEFENSIVE LEADERS
SPECIAL TEAMS STANDOUTS
TEAM COMPARISON
- Total Offense: IWU 487 yards (200 rush, 287 pass); Marian (IN) 432 yards (235 rush, 197 pass)
- First Downs: IWU 22; Marian (IN) 31
- Turnovers: IWU 3 (2 INT, 1 fumble); Marian (IN) 1 (INT)
- Sacks: IWU 1 (5 yards) on Marian (IN); Marian (IN) 0 on IWU
- Penalties: IWU 8 for 73 yards; Marian (IN) 5 for 50 yards
- Time of Possession: IWU 21:11; Marian (IN) 38:49
UP NEXT
- IWU will stay on the road next Saturday, October 17, against Defiance College in Ohio at 1:00 p.m.
- Links for live video and stats are available on IWUWildcats.com.
FOLLOW THE WILDCATS
#
