Box Score
Box score

INDIANAPOLIS-  Wayne State spoiled Senior Night for the UIndy football team Saturday, as the Greyhounds (7-3, 6-3 GLIAC) endured a 28-19 loss to the 24th-ranked Warriors in front of 4,463 fans at Key Stadium.  The loss -- UIndy's first at home this season -- snapped the Hounds' five-game winning streak.

Wayne State (8-2, 7-2) dominated the time of possession in the second half, holding the ball for more than 22 of the possible 30 minutes.  WSU was particularly efficient on third down, as the team converted 14 of its 18 third-down attempts.

After a scoreless second quarter from both teams and a 7-7 score at the half, Wayne State put up touchdowns on each of its first two drives of the second half to make it 21-7.  Both drives featured long passes to senior receiver Troy Burrell, with both coming on 3rd & 11.

Sandwiched between was a possible missed opportunity for the Greyhounds.  With the team driving into Warrior territory, UIndy decided to go for it on 4th & 1 at the WSU 34.  However, quarterback Chris Mills mishandled the direct snap, forcing him to fall on the ball without advancing it.

Later, UIndy cut it to eight with a quick strike early in the fourth, as the Hounds traversed 80 yards in just 1:19.  The drive featured three receptions of at least 18 yards, including a 32-yard TD catch from senior Ryan Forney.  Scott Miller's blocked extra point kept the score at 21-13.

Now a one-score game, the Warriors all but clinched it with a massive 15-play, 70-yard drive that consumed eight-and-a-half minutes.  The punctuation was a one-yard TD plunge by sophomore Toney Davis that put the Greyhounds down two scores with just 1:07 left on the clock.  Davis and fellow WSU running back Josh Renel would finish with a combined 238 rushing yards on 52 carries.

After Wayne State's clock-eating possession, UIndy managed to score on the final play of the game when Mills hooked up with Forney a second time for a 12-yard touchdown as time expired.

Forney amassed 213 all-purpose yards (130 receiving, 83 return) on the night, while Mills threw for 269 and three scores and added a team-high 30 rushing yards.

Defensively, Max Davis (13), Mike Dum (11) and Demetreius Wilson (10) all finished in double-digits in tackles, while senior safety Nate Jackson notched his fourth interception of the season near the end of the first half.

With the loss, the Greyhounds' playoff hopes took a major hit.  UIndy was ranked eighth in the region heading into this weekend, while Wayne State was ranked seventh.  Only the top six teams will qualify for postseason play.

Nevertheless, UIndy hopes a win in next week's regular-season finale will keep it in consideration.  On tap is a relatively short trip to Columbus, Ohio to face Ohio Dominican.  Kickoff from Panther Field is scheduled for noon Eastern.