The Maroons took a trip down South to Conway, Arkansas, where they dropped a tough contest against the Hendrix College Warriors 52–28. Chicago racked up almost 500 yards of total offense but were doomed by their four turnovers in the day. The squad was looking to get its first road victory of the season and improve its hopes of a Southern Athletic Association (SAA) Championship.
The game was full of the Warriors’ offensive success, as they accumulated 760 yards of total offense. Hendrix also converted 75 percent of their third downs and took each of its first three drives into the end zone. The South Siders, however, seemed up to the challenge at first. Fourth-year quarterback Burke Moser led a nine-play, 90-yard drive to knot the score at 7–7 in the first quarter. Moser and the offense rallied again down 21–7 in the second quarter to tie the game 21–21 before the home team kicked a 32-yard at the end of the half to go up 24–21.
“We had another big day through the air,” Moser said of the offense’s continued success. “Our offense is really clicking on all cylinders. We really feel comfortable with each other out there, so it honestly feels like backyard football.”
The second half was not as kind to the Maroons as they struggled to match the Warriors’ fast-paced offense. The South Siders found themselves down 38–21 before Moser threw a two-yard touchdown pass to fellow fourth-year Syd Reynolds. This score pulled the visiting team to within ten points of the home side, but that was as close as it would get. The Warriors would get in the end zone two more times before the end of the game. Chicago closed out the game with three straight drives ending in interceptions.
“We are scoring points, but I have to do a better job of protecting the ball,” Moser said. “Obviously, four interceptions are not part of a winning formula, but all we can do is show up ready to work this week and try to get our first road win. There is still a lot to play for this year.”
First-year wide receiver Dante Nepa led Chicago in receiving yards with seven catches for 98 yards along with two touchdowns. Third-year running back Chandler Carroll was big for the Maroons, leading the team in rushing yards with 118 along with 47 receiving yards. The defense was anchored by fourth-year Jackson Garrey, who totaled 12 tackles on the afternoon. With his performance on the day, defensive captain Garrey maintained his SAA lead in tackles per game (12.4). He also had a forced fumble, becoming the Maroon’s all-time leader in that category with seven in his career.
The Maroons will look to bounce back next week as they take on the Sewanee Tigers in another road matchup that kicks off at noon. However, road games have not favored the team so far this year, as they are 0–4 in away games.
