LEBANON, Ill. – The No. 19 UIndy football team went on the road Saturday and earned a 42-34 win at McKendree University. The Greyhounds blocked three kicks on the day—two field goals and an extra point—to stay unbeaten in GLVC play.
INS & OUTS
With the score knotted at 7-7, the UIndy special teams provided what may end up as the play of the year. After a McKendree drive stalled deep in UIndy territory, the Bearcats lined up for a chip-shot field goal. But at the snap, multiple Greyhounds exploded through the line, with redshirt-junior
Brandon Smith swatting the kick in the opposite direction. Freshman
Key Crowell scooped it up and took it 82 yards the other way for a score, giving the Hounds their first lead.
McKendree would creep within one point late in the second quarter, but UIndy ripped off three unanswered touchdowns to pull away. A big game from running back
Jon Lewis helped put it out of reach. The senior out of Hermitage, Tenn., racked up a game-high 125 rushing yards while finding the end zone three times—most in his 17 games as a Greyhound.
On the other side of the ball, senior d-lineman
Amarion Evans accounted for both of UIndy's sacks, including a strip-sack in the third quarter. Crowell led all players with a season-best 10 total tackles, and
San Flowers added a TFL.
INSIDE THE BOX
- Smith also blocked an extra point late in the first half, while
Diego Piche blocked a field goal in the third quarter.
- QB
Gavin Sukup finished an uber efficient 15-for-18 passing for 209 yards. He added 43 rushing yards, including a 12-yard rushing score late in the third.
-
Connor Kinnett—a quarterback-turned-tight end—also tossed a TD, finding
Ethan Hand with a six-yard jump pass. Hand tops the team with four TD catches on the season.
-
Anthony Crowell compiled a team-best 94 receiving yards on four catches.
- UIndy punted just once all afternoon.
MORE NOTES
Saturday's result avenges last year's loss to McKendree—UIndy's only defeat in the now 13-game series … The game marked the end of a three-game homestand for McKendree and the beginning of a two-week road swing for the Hounds … UIndy is the only GLVC team without a loss in conference play.
UP NEXT
UIndy hops back on the bus next week when the team heads to Upper Iowa University Saturday, Oct. 26. Kickoff from Fayette is set for 1 p.m. ET.
