BURLINGTON, Iowa --- After having the first two games on their schedule cancelled due to COVID-19, and facing the shortest offseason in program history, the TIU football team kicked off the 2021 season on Saturday afternoon as they visited the Wildcats of Iowa Wesleyan University at Bracewell Stadium in southeast Iowa. Beginning a new era under head coach Willie Tillman, TIU looked to put the struggles of an 0-7 spring season behind them and begin on a fresh note.

Trinity went to work early on their first possession as starting quarterback Derrick Taylor found Derek Lowe in the end zone from three yards out to put TIU up 7-0. Just seconds later, Lorenzano Blakeney intercepted Wildcats quarterback Gabin Esquivel on the IWU's first play from scrimmage to set up shop in the red zone, which would be capped by a 15-yard touchdown run by Lowe to put TIU ahead 13-0.

Iowa Wesleyan would respond with a pair of touchdowns on their next two drives to take a 14-13 lead. The Wildcats attacked the Trojans from both the air and on the ground as they found the end zone early in the second quarter to take a 20-13 lead. A 26-yard field goal by Cameron Outlaw would cut the deficit to single digits, but IWU would score one final touchdown before halftime on a ten-yard pass to Hezekiah Hunter to give the Wildcats a 26-16 lead at the break.

Iowa Wesleyan would begin the third quarter with a 61-yard strike from Esquivel to Hunter in the first minute of the period, but would fail on a blocked PAT attempt that was returned to the opposite end zone for two points by Demetrius Jester. From that moment, the Trojans would not look back. In their very next possession, Trinity marched across the field and over the goal line as Javier Acosta went 44 yards to the house in just three plays to pull back within one possession. Blakeney would notch his second interception of the game and return the ball 45 yards for a pick six just a few plays later to help tie the game at 32.

Outlaw would tack on a 25-yard field goal midway through the third quarter to give TIU a three-point lead, as the Trojan defense continued to bear down on the Wildcats as the game progressed. In the final minute of the third, Marc Wallace connected with Taylor on a 20-yard touchdown pass to give TIU a ten-point lead before Jester picked off Esquivel and returned the ball 43 yards for Trinity's second pick six of the game. Thanks to a running game that helped wear down the Wildcat line and a defense that posted five total takeaways, the Trojans dominated their way to a 49-32 win to open the season, and snap their long losing streak dating back two seasons.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• With Saturday's victory, the Trojans improve to 14-4 all-time against Iowa Wesleyan. 

• TIU's win over Iowa Wesleyan snaps their 17-game losing streak, the longest streak in the program's 33 year history.

• All-time, Trinity is now 20-36 against teams from the State of Iowa.

• Saturday's win is TIU's first since Aug. 31, 2019 when the Trojans beat Presentation College (S.D.) 28-26 in South Dakota. That game was also the last season opener Trinity has won.

• Head coach Willie Tillman becomes the first Trinity head coach to win in his TIU debut since Kirk Wherritt (2010-17) coached the Trojans past Iowa Wesleyan 16-6 at home on Aug. 28, 2010.

• Trinity's 49 points scored are the most they've scored in a game since putting up 41 against Olivet Nazarene University in a 44-41 loss on Sept. 30, 2017 in Bourbonnais.

• TIU quarterback Derrick Taylor's 161 yards passing were a career-high.

• Running back Javier Acosta posted a career-best 161 yards rushing and one touchdown. Acosta also notched 39 return yards on special teams to earn 200 total yards from scrimmage in the win.

• Derek Lowe posted his best game in his college career with 97 yards on the ground.

• Lowe joins the top ten all-time in TIU football history in rushing yards after Saturday's win with 986.

• Lowe's first quarter rushing touchdown was his 12th as a Trojan, tying him with Masaki Matsumoto (2003-05) for sixth most in program history.

• After missing his one field goal attempt last season, Cameron Outlaw made his first two career attempts against Iowa Wesleyan. The junior from Seminole, Florida also hit on five of his six PAT attempts.

• Saturday's game marked the first time in program history that the TIU defense posted five interceptions in a single game. The previous record of four was last accomplished on Sept. 2, 2017 in a 58-21 road win over Wisconsin Lutheran.

• Both Lorenzano Blakeney and Steven Williams III tied TIU's single game record for interceptions with two each in Saturday's victory.

• Demetrius Jester and Blakeney's interception returns for touchdowns ties the program's single game record.  Both also become just the ninth and tenth players in school history to return an interception for a touchdown.

• Blakeney's two interception returns for a total of 64 yards give him 107 for his career, fourth most in team history.

UP NEXT

The Trojans (1-0) will return to action next Saturday, September 25 as they host the Panthers of Greenville University at Leslie Frazier Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00pm CST, and will be broadcast LIVE on the Trojan Sports Network. Fans are also encouraged to wear blue as part of the TIU Student Government's sponsored Blue-nami theme.


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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.