November 4, 2006

Maroons Win Home Finale

CHICAGO -- Junior tailback Mike Serio (Antioch, Ill./ Carmel) rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown as the University of Chicago football team closed out the home portion of its 2006 schedule with a 28-20 win over Northwestern (Minn.) University Saturday at Stagg Field.

Serio carried the ball 20 times without losing a yard en route to his career rushing high. His 1-yard touchdown plunge with two seconds left in the opening period tied the game at 7-7. Serio accounted for 39 yards as the Maroons drove 99 yards in 16 plays.

Northwestern (7-3), which saw its four-game winning streak come to an end, got on the board on its opening possession when quarterback Josh Peterson and wideout Kyle Thomforde hooked up on a 50-yard touchdown pass.

A 13-yard scoring strike from senior quarterback Matt Rinklin (New York, N.Y./ Fordham Prep) to senior receiver Austin Way (DeWitt, Mich./ DeWitt) with 23 seconds to go in the second quarter gave Chicago (3-5) a 14-7 edge at halftime.

The teams traded touchdowns in the third stanza. Northwestern evened the score at 14-14 when Peterson scored on a 4-yard keeper. Chicago answered with a 1-yard run by sophomore tailback Chuck Little (Plano, Texas, St. Mark's) to regain the advantage, 21-14.

Tailback Ben Freedman scored from 1-yard out with 10:55 remaining in the contest, but the Maroons blocked the PAT to preserve a 21-20 lead. Freedman led the Eagles with 60 yards on 19 carries.

Chicago scored the final points of the afternoon on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Rinklin to sophomore wide receiver John Kiernan (Joliet, Ill./ Catholic) at the 7:31 mark of the fourth quarter.

The Maroons stopped Northwestern on its final two possessions. With 5:24 to play, junior safety John Ryle (Chicago, Ill./ St. Patrick) intercepted Peterson deep inside Chicago territory.

On their last possession, the Eagles moved from their own 48-yard line to the Chicago 24 before turning the ball over on downs with 1:05 remaining.

Chicago engineered scoring drives of 62, 70, 74, and 99 yards en route to a 7:56 edge in time of possession. The Maroons outgained Northwestern 376-223 on the day.

Rinklin was successful on 14 of 26 attempts for 185 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Kiernan caught six passes for 99 yards.

Peterson was 12-for-28 for 137 yards with one touchdown and an interception.

Freshman defensive end John Emerson (Okemos, Mich./ Okemos) led the Chicago defense with three tackles-for-loss and a sack.

Max Meagher had 12 tackles, an interception, and a half-sack in a losing effort for Northwestern.

The victory, which snapped Chicago's four-game losing streak, marked the Maroons' 13th in as many home field finales under Head Coach Dick Maloney.

Box Score