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Carthage College Athletics

The Official Website of The Carthage College Firebirds
TBoston
63
Winner Carthage CAR 3-1 , 3-0
42
Millikin MIL 2-2 , 2-1
Winner
Carthage CAR
3-1 , 3-0
63
Final
42
Millikin MIL
2-2 , 2-1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
CAR Carthage 21 21 7 14 63
MIL Millikin 14 14 7 7 42

Game Recap: Football |

Firebirds Take Down Millikin 63-42 in Program’s 1,000th Game

DECATUR, Ill. — The Carthage football team protected their undefeated record in conference play today, spoiling Millikin's homecoming game with a 63-42 victory on Saturday afternoon at Frank M. Lindsay Field.

The Firebirds (3-1, 3-0 CCIW) were quick to strike, taking their first offensive drive down the field in five plays and 71 yards, as Bryce Lowe dished out his first of a record-setting six touchdowns through the air, finding Eddie Ell III for 44 yards. Moments later, the Carthage defense caused their first turnover of the game, as Anthony Martin tipped a pass that fell into the hands of Zach Hale. The very next play, Lowe tossed a 41-yard score to Sylvere Campbell to put the Firebirds up 14-0 about four minutes into play.

However, Millikin (2-2, 2-1 CCIW) responded with a pair of touchdowns to tie the game, before Lowe threw a touchdown to the third different receiver of the day, as Alex Jarvis found the end zone from 39 yards out to give Carthage a 21-14 lead at the end of the first quarter. After Campbell scored from Lowe once again, Millikin would retaliate with a pair of touchdowns to tie the game once more, this time at 28 with just over five minutes left in the first half. The Firebirds reclaimed the lead, as Noel Wright II rushed for a 10-yard score, his third straight game with a ground touchdown, before the defense quickly recovered a fumble before Lowe punched it across the goal line to set the halftime scoreboard at 42-28.

While the Big Blue were first to score in the third quarter, the Firebirds scored three unanswered touchdowns, beginning with the second connection between Lowe and Ell III. A 63-yard pick-six from Jalen Dennis gave Carthage a 56-35 advantage early in the fourth period, with Lowe etching his name in the record book on a 39-yard touchdown to Ell III. The home team added a late touchdown, but the Firebirds would hold on to begin the season 3-0 in the CCIW.

Carthage returns home for a huge game next Saturday, October 9, as they host the number one-ranked team in the country, North Central at Art Keller Field at noon.

 

Head Coach Dustin Hass

"Our guys did a great job today, they fought through the weather, some tough calls on the field, kept their heads, and remained calm. Lowe gets the ball well to wide receivers, tight ends, and running backs, and gets everybody involved. I can't say enough about our offensive line, they didn't let up a sack until late, and opened up big holes for the running game all day."

"Millikin did a great job taking advantage of us having two senior corners out, credit to them and Lockwood. We gave a little more help later in the game with safeties over the top, and they didn't have quite as big of a second half as they did in the first. Our guys made some great adjustments and they executed it well on the field."

"The guys up front did a good job getting off their blocks and making tackles. When you're up like that, time is your friend, and they kept it moving for us."
 

Nickelback Jalen Dennis

"That interception just came down to watching film and our guys helping out around me, they set me up and put me in a great position. Honestly, as a team, we'd be nothing without each other, and that pick was because of them. As linebackers, we talked about their splits, and I broke on it, taking a bit of a risk to make a play but it paid off."

"We still have a long way to go, but I think the ceiling for this team is very high. We just keep taking it week by week and day by day."

 

Quick Facts

  • Bryce Lowe tied the school record for passing touchdowns in a game with six today, and now has 10 passing touchdowns in the past two games.
  • Lowe posted the first back-to-back 300-yard passing games at quarterback since Evan Jones did so in November in 2009.
  • Carthage took the lead today in their all-time series with Millikin, now leading 33-32-1.
  • With his pick-six today, Jalen Dennis became the first student-athlete in Carthage history to score a touchdown passing, rushing, receiving, and on defense in their career.
  • Carthage now owns a 3-0 record in the CCIW, their first 3-0 start in conference since 1974 under head coach Art Keller.
  • The Firebirds posted their first back-to-back 60-point games in program history, a feat nearly done in 1972 when Carthage scored 60 against Illinois Wesleyan, before scoring 59 the next week against Lakeland.


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