The Thunder football team falls at Millikin 35-31

Decatur, Ill. - The Millikin football team utilized a strong second half to rally past Wheaton 35-31 on Saturday night in CCIW action. The Big Blue overcame a 21-7 halftime deficit to earn its first win against Wheaton since 2001, snapping a 15-game win streak for the Thunder against Millikin.

Wheaton is now 4-2 on the season and 2-2 in CCIW play. Millikin improves to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in conference play.

Wheaton totaled 409 yards of offense with 264 passing yards and 145 rushing yards. The Big Blue tallied 438 yards of offense, passing for 271 yards with 167 rushing yards.

Senior Sola Olateju carried the ball 18 times for 114 yards and he caught six passes for 76 yards. Sophomore receiver Phillip Nichols caught eight passes for 94 yards with three touchdown catches. Quarterback Curtis McWilliams completed 25 of his 42 passing attempts for 264 yards, with four touchdown passes.

Marcus Smith and Corey Kennedy (PICTURED LEFT) each recorded seven total tackles to lead the Thunder defense. Linebacker Eric Stevenson registered six total tackles and Kyle Fox added five tackles with an interception. Defensive end Chase Greenlee (PICTURED RIGHT) recorded a pair of quarterback sacks and was in the Big Blue backfield most of the game. Jack Bates, Austin Hoover and Theo Selvaggio each were credited with a sack in the game.

Wheaton scored on the opening drive of the game as McWilliams connected with Trey Hanley for a 10-yard touchdown pass. Hanley's touchdown gave the Thunder an early 7-0 lead with 13:23 remaining in the first quarter. The 65-yard opening drive was highlighted by a 44-yard run for Olateju that gave the Thunder the ball at the Millikin 10-yard line. Millikin tied the game at 7-7 on a nine-yard touchdown pass from Nico Stepina to Patrick Cooper with 4:56 remaining in the first quarter. Wheaton quickly responded with a seven-play drive of 65 yards that culminated with an 18-yard touchdown pass from McWilliams to Nichols. Nichols' touchdown catch gave Wheaton the 14-7 lead with 1:51 left in the first quarter.

Wheaton scored on its drive that followed the Nichols touchdown catch to increase its lead to 21-7 with 13:51 remaining in the second quarter. The drive started at Millikin's 45-yard line and was highlighted by a 20-yard completion by McWilliams to Trey Hanley that gave the Thunder the ball at the Big Blue 11-yard line. Two plays after Hanley's catch, Nichols caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from McWilliams to extend the Thunder lead to 21-7. Both defenses stymied the opposing offenses for much of the remainder of the first half as Wheaton led 21-7 at halftime.

On the second Big Blue drive of the second half, Millikin prepared to punt following a three-and-out; however, a penalty on Wheaton during the punt attempt extended the Big Blue drive. The hosts capitalized on the penalty when Stepina scored on a 25-yard touchdown run that cut the Thunder lead to 21-14 with 7:32 remaining in the third quarter. Wheaton pushed the ball downfield on the drive that followed with a 12-play drive of 73 yards. The drive culminated on a 22-yard field goal by Stefan Knoerr that increased Wheaton's lead to 24-14 with 2:14 left in the third quarter.

Millikin trimmed the Wheaton lead to 24-21 on a one-yard touchdown pass from Stepina to Jordan Smith with 12:54 left in the game. The Big Blue gained its first lead with 8:52 remaining in the game when Jazontae Howard scored on a 28-yard touchdown run to give the hosts a 28-24 lead.

Wheaton responded with a methodical drive down the field on its next possession, a drive that started at the Thunder 34-yard line. On second-and-15 at the Thunder 41-yard line, McWilliams completed a 16-yard pass to Olateju that put the Thunder at the Millikin 43-yard line. Two plays later, McWilliams again connected with Olateju (PICTURED LEFT) for another 16-yard completion to give the Thunder the ball at the Millikin 29-yard line. Wheaton had the ball on fourth down and needed one yard for the first down with 4:24 remaining in the game when Olateju rushed for two yards to extend the Thunder drive. McWilliams completed a six-yard pass to Tyler Pace on second-and-six at the Big Blue 14-yard line to give the Thunder a first goal at the hosts' eight-yard line. Spencer Peterson gained six yards on a second-and-goal at the Millikin eight-yard line to setup a two-yard touchdown pass from McWilliams to Nichols. Nichols' third touchdown catch of the night gave the Thunder a 31-28 lead with 1:58 remaining in the game. The 14-play drive of 66 yards chewed up 66 yards of clock.

Millikin started the drive that followed Nichols' touchdown at its own 17-yard line with 1:56 remaining in the game. The Big Blue extended the drive on third-and-10 at its 17-yard line thanks to an 18-yard pass from Stepina to Howard, giving the hosts the ball at the Millikin 35-yard line. On the next play, Stepina's pass was intercepted by Thunder defensive back Marcus Smith (PICTURED RIGHT). However, a roughing the passer penalty was called against Wheaton, and returned the ball to Millikin at the 50-yard line. Two plays later, Stepina completed a 15-yard pass and then two plays after that he threw a 29-yard pass to give the hosts a first-and-goal at Wheaton's four-yard line. The Big Blue quarterback scored on two-yard touchdown run on third-and goal to give Millikin a 35-31 lead with 31-seconds remaining. Millikin intercepted the first play of the ensuing drive to secure its first victory against the Thunder since 2001.

Wheaton hosts North Central next Saturday at 7:00 p.m. in the Battle for the Little Brass Bell.

Note Worthy: Sola Olateju's 114 rushing yards tonight gives him 2,540 career rushing yards to become just the fifth player in program history to reach the milestone of 2,500 rushing yards...Olateju also moved into fourth place on Wheaton's career rushing list, passing the 2,513 career rushing yards by Rocky Gingg (2007-10)...Phillip Nichols' three touchdown receptions tonight is the most by a Thunder player in a game since Luke Thorson had three TD catches at Elmhurst on November 1, 2014.