The football team has had nothing but good fortune at home, racking up all three of their wins on Stagg Field. Unfortunately, the South Siders have yet to find success on the road, as they have taken four losses at the hands of their opponents while traveling. However, as the record has shown, the South Siders have alternated between wins and losses and as they faced a tough defeat last weekend against Hendrix College in Conway, AK. This Saturday, October 29, could give the Maroons a shot to gain their first on-the-road victory of the season and maintain their current ranking.
Ranked at No. 5 in the conference, Chicago has the chance in their final three games to move up from their current rank, provided they receive some help in the form of losses by the top teams. With a lot of focus going into Saturday’s game, the Maroons are expecting a great victory. Competing against rival Sewanee in Tennessee, it is another long trek below the Mason Dixon for the squad.
Although Sewanee is ranked No. 9, which is last in the Southern Athletic Association conference, and the Tigers are currently on a 16-game losing streak, the South Siders know that they cannot simply write off this competitor. Fourth-year captain Jackson Garrey said, “Every team in this conference is solid. Just as every game is winnable, every game can be lost if we don’t come out and play like we know how.” Classmate Davis Bitton echoed his sentiments. “We played well all week in practice and I feel strongly that we can go in there and get a win,” he said. “We have to make sure we play our game and stick to what we want to do.”
The Maroons also have a bit of history with Sewanee; although they have only played twice, the two games span 42 years. Interestingly enough, both matchups so far have been blow-outs. The Tigers handed Chicago a 47–0 loss in 1973, while the Maroons retaliated just last year with a 31–0 win.
Going forward, the Maroons are set to finish the rest of their season at home, which, based on the year so far, should give them a decided advantage. On Saturday, November 5, the squad will take on non-conference competitor Carnegie Mellon from Pittsburgh, PA, and then the following weekend will close out conference play on Saturday, November 12, against big rival and current Southern Athletic Association leader Wash U. The squad is hopeful that they will be able to finish the season on a strong note, as the South Siders will be saying goodbye to 17 fourth-years in their final game on Stagg Field in just two short weeks.
“It’s definitely going to be bittersweet playing our last road game,” Bitton said. “But it’s going to be awesome to be able to finish out our college careers on the field where we have spent so much time. Not every class has the opportunity to say that.”
Kick-off is set for noon CT on Saturday and will take place at Harris Stadium in Sewanee, TN.
