Box Score JACKSONVILLE, Illinois — The Ripon football program fell 44-14 to Illinois College on Saturday afternoon in a game at England Stadium that was delayed 80 minutes prior to kickoff due to inclement weather.
Ripon (1-2, 1-1 MWC) forced a missed field goal by Illinois College (2-1, 1-1 MWC) on its opening drive, but couldn't cash in and the teams traded punts throughout the first quarter. However, it took the Blueboys less than a minute into the second quarter to get on the board as Destin Chance found Collin Brunstein for a one-yard touchdown pass, and the hosts took a 7-0 lead.
Ripon moved the ball past midfield on its next possession, but a strip-sack fumble recovery resulted in a defensive touchdown for IC. With 9:17 left in the half, Illinois College doubled its lead to 14-0.
The Red Hawks' next possession led to a punt, which was blocked in the end zone and picked up for an Illinois College touchdown, increasing the hosts' lead to 20-0 – though the ensuing point after attempt was blocked by Ripon.
Ripon needed to find the end zone on its next drive and did so emphatically, blending the run and the pass to shrink IC's lead to 13. Ripon quarterback
Jack Berens scampered in from eight yards out for his sixth rushing touchdown of the season, and Ripon trailed 20-7 with 2:45 left in the first half.
After forcing IC to punt, the Red Hawks started a drive at their own 35 with 53 seconds remaining in the half. However, a sack taken behind midfield stalled Ripon's momentum, and the visitors went into the locker room down by 13.
The teams traded possessions without scoring to open the third quarter, but IC took a 27-7 lead with 3:42 left in the period following another touchdown. The Blueboys tacked on a field goal on the opening play of the fourth quarter to lead 30-7, but Berens found
Jeremy Timmons for a five-yard touchdown pass with 11:07 left in the game as Ripon cut its deficit to 30-14.
Unfortunately, the hosts ran the ensuing kickoff back for a score and added another touchdown on their next offensive possession.
Ripon was unable to score the remainder of the game and dropped its first Midwest Conference road game of the season.
Berens was 10-of-19 through the air for 145 yards and a score, while
Alex Mosqueda was his top receiver (4 catches, 97 yards).
Connor Ramage carried the ball 18 times for 68 yards, and
Clay Ritschard made 11 tackles defensively.
The Red Hawks had 218 total yards while IC had 412.
NEXT UP: Ripon takes its bye week before returning to action on Saturday, October 5 as the Red Hawks visit Cornell for a 2 p.m. kickoff from Mount Vernon, Iowa.
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