FB Captains Walking Out
Stephen Largent
6
Trinity Internationa TIU 0-4 , 0
63
Winner Indiana Wesleyan IWU 2-1 , 0
Trinity Internationa TIU
0-4 , 0
6
Final
63
Indiana Wesleyan IWU
2-1 , 0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
TIU Trinity Internationa 0 6 0 0 6
IWU Indiana Wesleyan 21 28 14 0 63

Game Recap: Football | | Ethan Oskroba

Trojans suffer tough road loss to talented Indiana Wesleyan

MARION, Ind. --- Looking for their first win of the 2022 campaign, the Trojans were rudely rejected by the Wildcats of Indiana Wesleyan, falling 63-6. 

On a chilly fall morning under cloudy skies, the Trojans struggled to find their rhythm after the long ride across the Indiana border, lagging behind 21-0 by the end of the period. The offense wrestled to find consistency in the early going, with a freshman-to-freshman 15-yard strike from talented quarterback Liam Mickle to do-it-all wideout Cameron Jones marking the highlight of the first quarter for Trinity.

After allowing one more score to increase the margin to 28-0, the Trojans found a spark on the next drive, answering the Wildcats with an explosive effort that covered 79 yards in a mere three plays. On what seemed like a routine handoff to settle the Trojans into the drive, veteran tailback Derek Lowe galloped down the field, willing his offense forward with a 24-yard gain. Just two plays later, Mickle found Jones again, this time for a 54-yard deep strike which Jones took all the way to pay dirt for a long-overdue first touchdown to bolster his otherwise flawless debut season. While the Trojans were unable to sustain the momentum and the Wildcat lead swelled to 49-6 by the end of the period, the Trojan offense once again showed flashes of brilliance behind its dynamic playmakers.

The Trojans only touched the ball twice in the third quarter, but that didn't prevent them from piecing together an impressive drive late in the stanza. The Trojans covered more than 50 yards on a methodical eight-play effort, with a 28-yard bullet on third down from the combustible due of Mickle-to-Jones highlighting the drive, along with another 20-yard run from Lowe. Unfortunately, the impressive work went by the wayside when Mickle was picked off deep in Wildcat territory, a rare turnover for the freshman quarterback who has been remarkably efficient with the ball in his hands early in his collegiate career. A couple long IU drives later, the final margin was set by the end of the third, 63-6.

The Trojans pitched a shutout in the final period, surrendering just 56 yards to the explosive Wildcat offense. Even with a win out of the question, Trinity showed the mentality installed in them by second-year head coach Willie Tillman, letting their pride kick in as they fought to the final whistle. While the defense gave up their share to the impressive IU offensive unit, they day was not without its bright spots on that side of the ball, as five different Trojans racked up 7 tackles or more. The Trojans battled until the whistle was finally blown to signal the end of the contest, cementing the Wildcats' victory by a 63-6 score.

While it certainly wasn't the performance the Trojans were looking for, they once again showed significant promise throughout the afternoon. Cameron Jones continued to excel as the team's top wideout, pacing all players in the game with a 102-yard day on five grabs while adding 41 more yards in the return game, and Derek Lowe continued to employ his bruising style to anchor the Trojan rushing attack, picking up 19 touches for the Trojans and notching 72 yards on the ground.

Up Next:
The Trojans (0-4) will seek to crack the win column in their MSFA conference opener against St. Ambrose, finally returning home to Leslie Frazier Field for the first time since August on Saturday, October 1. 
 

TIU Trojans
TIU Football
 
 

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.
 
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