Nov. 1, 2014 - One might say that today's Concordia-Chicago football victory was accomplished the old-fashioned way. The Cougars used an effective ground game led by sophomore Jakari Cammon's (Oak Park, IL/Oak Park-River Forest) 211 yards and a rock-solid defense to earn a 14-13 win over Aurora University at Vago Field. "We got down early but our guys kept believing," said CUC head coach Randy Awrey. "They never stopped playing, they never hung their heads. They got it done, and I couldn't be prouder for these young men."
The game did not start well for the Cougars as the Spartans took the opening kickoff and marched downfield behind the running of Jake Apple. Aurora picked up three first downs and reached the red zone before Teddy Wayo (Evergreen Park, IL/H.S.) made a big tackle to stop Apple on a third-and-six. The Spartans settled for a 34-yard field goal by Krystian Chudoba for the game's first score. Aurora added to its lead early in the second quarter as Drew Cole's four-yard pass to Apple capped a 10-play, 62-yard drive. Moments later, an interception gave the home team another opportunity inside the red zone. However, the Cougar defense stiffened and allowed just two yards on the next three plays. Chudoba came on to boot a 33-yard field goal and make the score Aurora 13, CUC 0.
When the Cougars took possession at their own 16 following a Spartans' punt at the 6:21 mark, they had recorded just one first down. That changed dramatically as CUC began to seize the momentum. Acusio Bivona (Los Angeles, CA/Hamilton) completed passes to Elijah Walker (Hobart, IN/H.S.) and Nelyja Floyd (Miami, FL/Park Vista) and Cammon moved the chains on a couple of second-down runs. Another completion to Floyd led to a third-and-two situation at the AU 47. Cammon took the handoff, slipped through a hole on the left side of the line and was off to the races. No one would catch the speedy back as he went untouched for the electrifying score. Zach Slusher (Park City, UT/H.S.) added the extra point, and the Cougars were within 13-7 with 3:10 left in the half. The Spartans looked to retaliate as they moved from their 29 to the Cougars' 40 in the final minutes. Once again, the Cougar defense answered the call as tackles by Tyson Burch (Cooper City, FL/H.S.) and Abdias Corgelas (Fort Myers, FL/H.S.) forced a third-and-12. The Spartans went for a deep pass to the right sideline, but Bryndon Williams (Fort Wayne, In/Concordia Lutheran) read the pass perfectly and made the leaping interception to end the threat and keep CUC within six points at the half. Late in the third quarter, the Cougars struck gold when the Spartans' punt returner bobbled a punt by Brendan Shumaker (Rockford, IL/Rockford Boylan). Burch recovered the loose ball, and the Cougars were in business at the AU 46. Bivona hit Floyd for 10 yards on third-and-seven to move the chains. Moments later, as the fourth quarter began, the Cougars faced a fourth-and-seven at the 30-yard line. Opting to go for it, the Cougars' gamble paid off as Bivona hit Rashad Lofton (Detroit, MI/Romulus) for 19 yards and a first down at the 11. Cammon took the next play up the middle to the one-yard line and, two plays later, ran the ball in for his second touchdown of the game. Slusher's extra point gave CUC a 14-13 lead with 13:50 remaining. Concordia-Chicago had a glorious chance to extend the lead when, on the ensuing kickoff, Tion Posey (Champaign, IL/Champaign Central) stripped the return man of the ball and recovered it at the 25. The Cougars would pick up a first down at the 15, but an interception halted the threat and gave the hosts possession at their own nine.
The Spartans looked to Apple to bring them back as the tailback racked up 30 yards over his next three carries. On a first down from the CUC 35, Aurora handed off four straight times to Apple, but the defense was up to the challenge. Corgelas would bring down the back one yard short of the marker on a fourth-and-two, and Concordia-Chicago took control with just under eight minutes to play.
Runs of 18 and 11 yards by Cammon enabled the Cougars to eat some clock, but the drive eventually stalled as Aurora got the ball back with 3:57 remaining and time for one final drive. The Spartans picked up one first down to their own 29 but would go no further as the defense held over the next four snaps including an incompletion on fourth down. The Cougars took possession looking to kill the clock and, following the Spartans' final timeout, Cammon broke off a 12-yard run to go over 200 yards for the day and put the finishing touches on a very satisfying victory.
The final stats showed two evenly-matched teams with the Spartans holding a slim 322-317 edge in total yardage. The Cougars enjoyed a slight edge in net rushing behind Cammon's 211 yards on 32 carries; the Spartans' Apple netted 149 yards in 30 carries. Bivona threw for 105 yards on 13-21 while Aurora quarterbacks Cole and Kendall Lawson combined for 91 yards on 17-24.
Defensively, Corgelas recorded a career-high 11 tackles. Burch made 10 tackles to go with the forced fumble and recovery, and Nick Hostetler (Bozeman, MT/H.S.) added seven tackles. The Cougars will take a break from conference play next week when they play at Olivet College in Michigan. The team then returns home for its season finale Nov. 15 against Rockford University.
