Tartans Score 30 Unanswered in 37-24 Win at Chicago

(CHICAGO, Ill.) – The Carnegie Mellon University football team traveled to the University of Chicago on Saturday, November 5 and scored 30 unanswered points, including four touchdowns in a span of 8:28, to walk away with a 37-24 win in University Athletic Association (UAA) play. The Tartans are 6-3 overall and 1-1 in UAA play, maintaining a mark of 5-2 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC). The Maroons move to 4-5, 0-2.

The 30 unanswered started on the last play of the third quarter, when junior running back Sam Benger (Hingham, Mass.), who finished the game with 197 yards and tied a career-best with four touchdowns, broke away for a 60-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 24-14.

With 11 minutes to play in the fourth quarter, junior outside linebacker Kyle Brittain (Largo, Fla./Clearwater Central Catholic) intercepted Moser and darted to the end zone for an 85-yard touchdown. The score pulled the Tartans to within a three points at 24-21.

Benger gave Carnegie Mellon its first lead of the game with 7:32 to play when he scampered 10 yards for his third touchdown. Benger's score came a play following a 61-yard run by sophomore Rory Hubbard (Rolling Hills Estates, Calif./Palos Verdes Peninsula).

After holding the Maroons to a three-and-out, freshman William Richter (Leander, Texas/Cedar Park) setup the Tartans' fourth touchdown in a span of 8:28 with a 40-yard punt return to Chicago's 11-yard line. On the next play, Benger scored around the left side to push the Tartans lead to 35-24 with 6:32 to play.

Junior Jacob Johnson (Terre Haute, Ind./Terre Haute South Vigo) finished the scoring for the visitors on a safety with 1:42 showing on the clock.

Tartan junior wide receiver John Prather (Olney, Md./Our Lady Of Good Counsel) became the school's single-season leader after hauling down five receptions for 72 yards. He now has 51 receptions on the season and broke the old mark of 50 set by Graham Schilling in 2015 and Brendon Howe in 2009. The junior also moved into second for receiving yards in a single-season, as he now has 833 yards and needs 122 to become the single-season leader.

Carnegie Mellon totaled 425 yards of total offense to Chicago's 536. Burke Moser threw for 457 yards and two touchdowns while completing nine passes to Dante Nepa for 156 yards and six to Syd Reynolds for 144 yards and a score. Chandler Carroll led the Maroons with 120 yards rushing while hauling down 13 catches for 77 yards.

Defensively, junior Stanley Bikulege (Greer, S.C./Saint Joseph's Catholic) led the Tartans with a career-best 17 stops, nine solo. Senior Aaryn Watson (Centennial, Colo./Grandview) and junior linebacker Quentin Wolfe (Round Rock, Texas/Stony Point) also tabbed career-highs in tackles, as Watson ended with 12, nine solo, and Wolf with 11.

Chicago scored on its second possession of the game following a fourth down stop by the home team. Chandler Carroll capped off an eight-play, 70-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown run through the middle of the line. The score gave the Maroons a 7-0 advantage midway through the first quarter.

Benger tied the score with 11 minutes to play in the half on a 2-yard run. Benger's run finished a nine-play, 67-yard drive.

The Maroons answered the Tartans score with a 13-play drive on the ensuing possession that ended in a 7-yard touchdown strike from Moser to Trevor Anderson to make the score 14-7. With 1:10 to play in the half, Chicago's placekicker Mike Kurzydlowski converted a 28-yard field goal to push the home teams lead to 17-7.

Moser tossed his second touchdown of the afternoon with 8:27 to play in the third quarter to extend the Maroons lead to 24-7. The senior found Reynolds in the back corner of the end zone from 15 yards away.

Carnegie Mellon will conclude its regular season Saturday, November 12, as they travel to Cleveland, Ohio to play Case Western Reserve University.  Kick for the 31st Annual Academic Bowl is set for 2:00 p.m. The game will count as a PAC and UAA contest.