CHICAGO -- The University of Chicago football team dropped its first conference game of the season on Saturday with a 29-0 loss to (RV) Monmouth.
The Maroons started off the game strong with three consecutive completions from
Jack Ruff to
Luke Degner to put the Maroons in Monmouth territory, but a sack by the Fighting Scots would force a UChicago punt. On the punt, a Monmouth player broke through the punt protectors, blocked the punt, and returned it for a touchdown.
Neither offense was able to get anything going over the remainder of the opening quarter, but the Fighting Scots were able to drive down the field at the start of the second quarter with a 16-play, 78-yard drive. However, with a 4th and goal from the two-yard line,
Stirling Sakashita came up with a huge tackle for the goal-line stop.
The Fighting Scots would add their second touchdown of the half with a 40-yard touchdown run on the ensuing drive and entered the half with a 13-0 lead.
The second half would be more of the same for the Fighting Scots as they would add two touchdowns and a field goal to shut out the Maroons 29-0.
Jack Ruff tallied 79 passing yards on 7-9 passing, and
Miles Parlet added 20 yards on the ground for the Maroons.
Luke Degner added 3 catches for 43 yards. On defense,
Stirling Sakashita led the team with 11 tackles, and
Cole Ostendorf added nine.
Despite the loss, the postseason chances for UChicago are not completely lost. With wins in the final two games, the Maroons will earn a berth to the Smileycookie.com Lakefront Bowl at Raabe Stadium in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin on November 23.
With the loss, the Maroons fall to 6-2 on the season and 6-1 in Midwest Conference play. UChicago returns to action on Saturday. November 8 as the team travels to Beloit to take on the Buccaneers.
