MONMOUTH, Ill. – The Illinois College football team saw its three-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday afternoon with a 30-15 loss at Monmouth College. The Blueboys drop to 4-2 (1-1 Midwest Conference South Division) with the defeat.
The Fighting Scots never trailed in the game, but Illinois College kept it close much of the way. Monmouth went 65 yards on its opening possession and scored on a 35-yard touchdown run from Devin Lawrence to take a 7-0 lead. Illinois College answered back on its first drive of the game with a pair of big receptions from
Allen Smith to move the ball downfield. The drive stalled in Monmouth's red zone and the Blueboys settled for a 28-yard
Konner Schuckman field goal to make it 7-3.
Before the first quarter was over, Monmouth would tack on a 32-yard field goal from Joey Biel to make it 10-3. Illinois College had possession as the second quarter opened and cut into the Fighting Scot lead yet again. A 23-yard reception by
Trevor Nott moved the chains on a third down but again the Monmouth defense held in the red zone. Schuckman connected from 31 yards out to make it 10-6.
Lawrence's second touchdown of the day, this time from 16 yards out, capped a 70-yard drive by Monmouth to take a 17-6 lead on the Blueboys midway through the second quarter. A huge kickoff return from
KJ Corley gave IC the ball at the Monmouth 32 to start its next drive but the Fighting Scots held the Blueboys inside the 10-yard line. A 26-yarder from Schuckman made it 17-9 at the break.
The Blueboys had the ball to start the third quarter and were eventually forced to punt, however that ended up working to their advantage as Monmouth fumbled the return and IC took over with a fresh set of downs at the Monmouth 36. Though the Blueboys lost 17 yards on the next play from scrimmage, they were able to come back and convert on a fourth down to keep the drive alive. From there, Chance found Corley for a 19-yard touchdown to make the score 17-15. A two-point conversion attempt that would have tied the score failed, keeping the Fighting Scots in front.
Illinois College got the Monmouth offense off the field but didn't go anywhere on its next drive and were forced to punt. That's when the Fighting Scots burst through the line and blocked the punt of
Ryan Kattenbraker. Taking over on the IC 20-yard line, Monmouth scored in two plays to take a 24-15 lead going into the fourth quarter.
The Blueboys couldn't sustain a drive in the final 15 minutes. IC opened the fourth quarter with a third down at the Monmouth 39, but Chance was intercepted on a desperation pass on fourth down. After that, the Blueboys had three more possessions but each one ended with a turnover on downs. Biel extended Monmouth's lead late in the contest with field goals from 29 and 41 yards to put it away.
Chance ended the afternoon going 26-of-41 for 248 yards with one touchdown. Smith hauled in five passes for a game-high 76 yards.
Seth Vaughn also had five catches for 55 yards.
Trevor Smalls was Chance's favorite target with seven catches for 41 yards. Smalls led the Blueboys in rushing but wasn't able to repeat last week's success as he carried 14 times for 18 yards.
Kyle Lane paced the defense with 13 tackles (six solo), as well as a forced fumble and fumble recovery.
Carter Hilley added nine tackles (six solo).
Illinois College comes back to England Stadium for its Homecoming game on Oct. 26, hosting Knox College at 1 p.m.
