Facing Carnegie and their historically strong defense, second-year wideout Dee Brizzolara scored five times as the Maroons put up a record-breaking 61 points, dismantling the Tartans 61–22 for their second consecutive conference win. Chicago improved to 7–2 overall. The team will play Wash U, also 2–0 in the UAA, this Saturday at Stagg Field for the Founder’s Cup, the conference championship, and a possible NCAA Tournament bid.
In Pittsburgh last Saturday, fourth-year receiver Clay Wolff caught two touchdown passes to set career records in total touchdowns (35) and points (212), while Brizzolara broke game-records with five total touchdowns—three receiving and two returning—and 432 all-purpose yards. Fourth-year quarterback Marshall Oium also wrote his name into the history books with six touchdown passes and the Maroon’s (7–2, 2–0) 61 points set another school record.
The blowout came as a surprise to some, as the Tartans’ (4–5, 0–2) two previous games had been close overtime losses to Wash U (7–2, 2–0) and 7th-ranked Wittenberg (9–0).
“Coming into the game I knew we were going to have to play well to beat them and when they scored on their opening possession I just told everyone that we were going to need to score to win anyway,” Oium said. “The reason we were successful on offense was that our offensive line made it tough for them to get pressure on me, which allowed my receivers to get open and I was able to get them the ball and let them make plays. Carnegie is a good team, we are just better at every skill position which put them in a bind when they tried to defend our vertical passing game.”
Indeed, the long pass proved to be the Maroons’ most potent weapon as four of Oium’s six touchdowns came on throws of 30 yards or more. Three of those went to Brizzolara, who had five touchdown receptions in the last two games, as many as he caught in the first six games this season.
“I think Marshall and I have finally started to click,” he said. “Early on we didn’t connect on a few long passes we should’ve, then he was injured, but now it seems like we finally have it down. The game [against Case Western in which] Clay was injured definitely forced him to look at me as the primary target, which may have helped our chemistry.”
While the previous two victories have at times seemed like scenes from a movie, the do-or-die matchup versus Wash U could be the perfect Hollywood ending.
“Next week is the biggest game of all our lives, whether you are a freshman, sophomore, junior, or a senior,” Wolff said. “For the underclassmen you never know if you will get a shot to play in the UAA Championship again, so they must take advantage of the opportunity right now. For us seniors, this is the culmination of all of our hard work and preparation. We have given our heart and soul to the football program for four years and this is the payoff—that ring. There will be no special pep-talk before the game on Saturday, the words ‘Wash U’ make all the Maroons’ blood boil, and that’s all it takes. It’ll be a fun game to watch.”
