ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. --- The TIU football team returned to action on Saturday afternoon as they took on the Lakers of Roosevelt University in Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) Midwest League action. With wet field conditions as Trinity's Frazier Field presenting an obstacle, Saturday's game was played at Roosevelt's Morris Field with TIU as the home team.

Coming off a tough loss to St. Francis (IL) at home last week, the Trojans would face another tough challenge against an impressive Lakers team.

Roosevelt would take the ball 61 yards down the field in just six plays as Ke'Von Johnson scored the game's first touchdown on a six yard pass from quarterback Jack Sheehan to give the Lakers an early 7-0. Trinity would struggle to capitalize on offense with five three and out possessions on the afternoon.

The Lakers would extend their lead to 28-0 late into the second quarter as Sheehan threw for two more touchdown passes, and Johnson ran in another score. With Roosevelt pinned inside their own five yard line in the final minute of the first half, the Trojan defense would step up as Judel Vilus stripped the ball from Johnson at the one-yard line, allowing Corey Watkins to recover for a defensive touchdown. With Cameron Outlaw's PAT kick, TIU headed into halftime trailing 28-7.

After giving up a 16-yard touchdown run to Blaize Griffin and the Lakers, the Trojans responded on their second possession of the third quarter as Nolan Brammer connected with Marc Wallace on a 73-yard touchdown reception for six points. Struggling to slow down their opponent's high-powered offense, Roosevelt would tack on two more touchdowns late in the third, and early in the fourth quarter as Trinity dropped Saturday's game by a final score of 49-14.

Brammer ended the afternoon with 245 passing yards on 21 completions with one touchdown pass and one interception. Wallace finished the day with 95 receiving yards on five receptions to go with his second quarter score. On the defensive side of the ball, Kemon Reese anchored TIU with 16 total tackles, with Lorente Blakeney recording 11. Demetrius Jester would join Vilus with a forced fumble, as seven different Trojans recorded tackles for loss.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• The Trojans drop to 0-2 all-time against the Lakers in the short history of the series.

• The Laker defense held Trinity to a season-low 14 points on Saturday.

• Roosevelt's offense accumulated 540 total yards of offense on Saturday. Trinity totaled just 268 yards.

• Nolan Brammer's second quarter touchdown pass to Marc Wallace was his fifth touchdown completion of the season, and 24th of his TIU career.

• Brammer's touchdown connection to Wallace was the longest scoring reception for TIU since this past spring season when Brammer threw an 80-yard touchdown pass to Deon Cook on Feb. 28, 2021 against Saint Xaiver.

• With his 24th passing touchdown as a Trojan, Brammer broke his tie with Todd Johnson (1990-94) for the fourth most passing touchdowns in school history.

• Brammer earned his 300th pass completion as a Trojan on Saturday, becoming just the third TIU quarterback to reach that milestone. At 315 completions, Brammer is 25 completions from tying Ryan Thorson (2005-06) for second most in program history (340).

• Marc Wallace's 95 receiving yards against the Lakers were a career-high.

• Wallace's 73-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter was his first touchdown catch of the season, and sixth of his career. 

• Kemon Reese posted his second consecutive game of 16 or more tackles on Saturday. Reese notched 18 tackles in Trinity's loss last week vs. St. Francis (IL).

• Defensive back Lorente Blakeney and linebacker Logan Shears each set new season-highs for tackles against Roosevelt, with 11 and nine respectively.

• Judel Vilus and Demetrius Jester's forced fumbles were the first of their collegiate careers.

• Corey Watkins' fumble recovery in the second quarter was his second of the season, and the first defensive touchdown of his career.

• Watkins' fumble recovery for a touchdown marked the third defensive touchdown for Trinity this season, tied for fifth most in the NAIA.

UP NEXT

The Trojans (2-5) will travel into Chicago next weekend as they take on No. 23 Saint Xavier at Deaton Memorial Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00pm CST with the game being broadcast LIVE on the Cougar Sports Network.

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Trinity International University is a comprehensive, national university affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of America and located in Bannockburn, Illinois, 25 miles north of Chicago. TIU educates men and women to engage in God's redemptive work in the world by cultivating academic excellence, Christian faithfulness and lifelong learning.