CHICAGO, Ill. --- The TIU football team travelled into the city on Saturday afternoon as they visited the 21st-ranked Cougars of Saint Xavier University in Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) Midwest League action. Coming off a tough loss against Roosevelt last weekend, the Trojans would face another tough challenge from their conference opponent.

Saturday would be a difficult day for the Trinity offense, which struggled to move the ball down the field on the ground and in the air. Saint Xavier meanwhile would dominate offensively with five first quarter touchdowns against the TIU defense, including one score on a 50-yard interception return to the endzone.

Trinity's defense would also struggle to slow the Cougars in the second quarter, allowing three more touchdowns on a pair of turnovers, and a one-yard rushing score by Matthew Chavers. TIU would hold SXU to a pair of field goals within 40 yards in the second half, and would crack the scoreboard to avoid the shutout as Deon Cook scored on a two-yard run into the endzone. Despite the late score, Trinity would be unable to catch up to the high powered Cougars, falling to Saint Xavier by a final score of 62-7.

Jeffery Richardson would lead the TIU aerial attack with 93 passing yards in his TIU debut with three interceptions. Cook led Trinity's receiving core with 58 yards, while Derek Lowe posted 42 yards. On defense, Lorente Blakeney posted a game-high 12 tackles with Logan Shears notching ten total tackles. Blakeney and Corey Watkins each recorded two tackles for loss, with Watkins notching 18 yards lost.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• The Trojans drop to 2-12 all-time against the Cougars with their loss on Saturday.

• The Cougar defense held Trinity to a season-low seven points on Saturday.

• After starting the season 2-2, Trinity has lost their last four games by an average of 33 points against some of the toughest competition in their conference.

• The Cougars completely shut down TIU's running game, holding the Trojans to -25 net yards on the ground.

• Trinity's 141 yards of total offense at Saint Xavier were a season-low.

• Deon Cook's two-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter was his first career rushing touchdown of his career. It was also his 11th career touchdown scored.

UP NEXT

The Trojans (2-6) will return home next Saturday, October 30 as they host the Spartans of Missouri Baptist University in conference action at Leslie Frazier Field.Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00pm CST with the game being broadcast LIVE on the Trojan 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.