BELOIT, Wis. - The scoreboard at Historic Strong Stadium never moved for Beloit College this afternoon, but the Buccaneers' defense kept the game within reach until the final minutes. UChicago escaped with a 10-0 Midwest Conference win.
Beloit (1-4, 0-4 MWC) but together two of the longest drives of the game and tackled all afternoon, but the offense could not turn them into points. UChicago (3-1, 2-0b MWC) managed only a late first-half field goal and one third-quarter touchdown.
Beloit did not score, but it came close twice in the first half. In the first quarter Beloit took over at 11:06 and ground out a 14-play, 53-yard drive that ate 7:19. Quarterback Noah Carrasco (Cypress, TX) converted several third downs, and Elijah Grimsley (Palm Bay, FL) carried the drive with a 16-yard catch and runs of 9 and 8 yards. The drive reached the UChicago 21 but stalled with four straight incomplete passes, giving UChicago the ball on downs. In the second quarter Beloit answered with another 14-play, 52-yard march that took 8:16. Deandre Fields (Fort Worth, TX) ran for 18 yards in the quarter, including gains of 5, 8, and 5 in a row. On 4th-and-1 at the UChicago 24, Carrasco was stopped for a loss and fumbled, and UChicago recovered.
Beloit finished the first quarter with 21 plays to UChicago's nine and won the first half time of possession, 20:28 to 9:32. For the game it held the ball 30:49 to UChicago's 29:11.
Jimmy Guillaume (West Palm Beach, FL) was the defensive standout. He led all players with 16 tackles (5 solo, 11 assists), added 2.0 tackles for loss, and hurried the UChicago quarterback.
Zeke Hennessy (Neenah, WI) recorded 9 tackles and half a tackle for loss, and Michael Snow (Parkland, FL) had 8 tackles and a pass breakup. Brayden Gonzalez (Mesa, AZ) had 4 tackles and two pass breakups, and Nate Caplan (Stuart, FL) added 5 tackles and a tackle for loss. As a unit, Beloit made 72 tackles with 4.0 tackles for loss and three pass breakups.
Carrasco completed 15 of 29 passes for 122 yards with no interceptions. He was sacked four times and led the team with 12 carries, though sacks and losses left his net rushing at -8.
Sammy Barreiro (Miami, FL) led the receivers with 3 catches for 35 yards, including a 17-yard grab for a first down on the opening drive. Carson Corby (Dallas, TX) had 4 catches for 23 yards, and Bayley Mendoza (Gilbert, AZ) and Grimsley each caught 2 passes for 18 yards.
Fields ran for 24 yards on 5 carries and caught a 10-yard pass. Grimsley added 17 rushing yards on just 2 carries, an 8.5-yard average.
Beloit's defense forced UChicago to turn the ball over on downs three times, in the second, third, and fourth quarters, and UChicago went 0-for-3 on fourth down. Beloit also held UChicago's passing game to 5-of-16 for 29 yards.
UChicago still ran for 238 yards on 47 carries, led by Jake Lowry (91 yards) and Kelley (76 yards and the touchdown). The Maroons also sacked Carrasco four times.
In the fourth quarter, Carrasco converted a 4th-and-3 with a 6-yard completion to Barreiro, Beloit's only fourth-down conversion of the day (1-for-3). UChicago ran out the clock with its offense, kneeling at the Beloit 14 as time expired.
The Buccaneers are back in action next Saturday at Lawrence University. Kick off from the Banta Bowl is set for 12 pm.
