The Millikin University football team lost a wild one at Elmhurst College 43-36 on Oct. 22. Millikin falls to 3-4, 1-3 while Elmhurst goes to 4-3, 2-2.
Millikin opened the game with a 14-0 lead and built a 21-6 advantage at the half.
The Big Blue then committed four turnovers in the third quarter that resulted in the Bluejays building a 35-24 lead with 10:27 left in the game. Millikin still had some fight left rallying to take a 36-35 advantage with 1:12 left to play. Elmhurst then went on a six play 61 drive in 44 seconds to take a 43-36 advantage. Millikin then moved back down the field with the game ending on a Hail Mary pass into the end zone by the Big Blue. The Bluejays intercepted the ball just before an open Big Blue receiver could make the catch.
Millikin opened the scoring on a 24 yard pass from Matt Holmes to Tommy Eichenauer.
Early in the second quarter the Big Blue made it 14-0 on a five yard pass from Holmes to Erik Tobey.
Elmhurst answered back on a 38 yard run from Scottie Williams.
Millikin made it 21-6 with 23 second left in the first half on a six yard run by Holmes.
The third quarter was a nightmare for the Big Blue. A Sean Dunning fumble ended Millikin's first scoring drive. Three plays later a Cody Acree gave the Big Blue the ball back at the Millikin 27 yard line. Matt Holmes then threw the first of four inceptions to give the ball and the momentum back to the Bluejays. Elmhurst scored on the next play on a 25 yard pass from Joe Furco to Joe St. Peter.
Millikin then scored on a 27 yard Austin Brettschneider field goal to make it 24-13, Big Blue.
Elmhurst then converted two more Millikin interceptions into Williams touchdowns to take a 28-24 advantage early in the fourth quarter. Another Bluejays touchdown make it 35-24 with just over 10 minutes left to play.
Millikin then rallied with two fourth quarter touchdowns to take the lead with just over one minute left to play. The Big Blue's scores came on a 40 yard pass from Holmes to Tobey and a six yard Holmes run. The Big Blue defense forced two Elmhurst turnovers to fuel the comeback. Mitchell Caffey forced a Williams fumble in the Millikin zone to give the Big Blue the ball on the first scoring drive. Acree's second pick of the day set the stage for Millikin's second fourth quarter score.
Elmhurst then scored the game winner with 28 seconds left on a Furco pass to Vince Gabrys.
Holmes ended the day with 228 yards passing and three touchdowns on 16-29-4 passing. He rushed for 167 yards and two scores. Dunning had 140 yards rushing for the Big Blue. Tobey had six catches for 84 yards and two touchdowns and Eichenauer had five catches for 80 yards and one TD.
Williams had 235 yards rushing for the Bluejays. Furco threw for 143 yards and three scores.
Mitchell Caffey had 10 tackles to led Millikin.
Millikin will host Illinois Wesleyan on Oct. 29 at 1 p.m.