November 5, 2005

Maroons Defeat Case 14-7 to Claim UAA Title

CHICAGO -- Senior cornerback/receiver Colin Carrier (Glen Ellyn, Ill./ Benet Academy) intercepted three passes, including two inside the Maroons' 10-yard line, as the University of Chicago captured the 2005 University Athletic Association football championship with a 14-7 win over Case Western Reserve University Saturday at Stagg Field.

Trailing 14-7, Case drove to the Chicago 19-yard line with just under seven minutes left in the game when Carrier intercepted Spartan signal caller Alex Harvey at the 9-yard line for his third pick of the day.

Carrier, who entered the game as the NCAA Division III interceptions leader, increased his season total to 10 and his career total to 15 -- both Chicago modern era (since 1969) records. His first takeaway thwarted the Spartans' opening drive at the Maroons' 9-yard line. Carrier was also the Maroons' top receiver on the day with four catches for 57 yards.

Chicago (4-4 overall, 3-0 UAA) took an early lead on a 40-yard run by junior running back Nick Schey (Barrington, Ill./ St. Viator) at the 5:03 mark of the opening period. Schey gained 211 yards on 40 carries to become the Maroons' first 200-yard rusher since the final game of the 2003 campaign.

Schey had a pair of key runs on the Maroons' winning drive. Chicago, which won its fourth consecutive game, took possession at the Case 43-yard line and moved to the 15 following Schey runs of 13 and 11 yards. Two plays later, freshman tailback Chuck Little (Plano, Texas/ St. Mark's) scored on a 2-yard run.

Case (3-6, 0-3) scored its lone touchdown midway through the third quarter on a 30-yard pass from Harvey to Scott Moyer.

The Spartans began their final drive at their own 38-yard line with 1:53 to go. On a fourth-and-10 from the Chicago 47, senior Rob Tamillow (Oak Park, Ill./ Fenwick) and sophomore Larry Frank (Skokie, Ill./ Niles West) combined on a sack, and the Maroons ran out the final 1:12.

Chicago rushed for 211 net yards and limited the Spartans to minus-9. Overall, the Maroons outgained Case by a 315-212 margin.

Chicago's UAA title is its third in the past eight years and its first since 2000.

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