Urbana (1-2, 1-2 MEC) fell short, 23-7, against No. 21 Concord (2-1, 2-1 MEC) on a soggy Saturday afternoon at UU Stadium. The Blue Knights outscored the Mountain Lions 7-6 in the second half, but 17 unanswered Concord points in the first stanza proved too much to overcome for UU.
At the beginning of the fourth quarter, senior DE Curtis Galloway scooped a dropped Concord pass behind the line of scrimmage and rumbled 54 yards for UU’s only score. The defensive touchdown became the first points put on the board for UU in two home games this season.
Junior QB Cale Burdyshaw completed 16 passes, tying the second-highest total of completions in a game during his career for the second straight week. He threw for 136 yards on a season-high 37 total attempts, and was picked off twice. Both teams had two turnovers.
The Blue Knights’ leading receiver Trevon Saunders finished with a team-high five catches for 56 yards. Burdyshaw found Saunders three times on the game’s opening drive, but the sophomore wideout was limited to just two catches the rest of the way.
UU’s rushing attack averaged a season-high 3.3 yards per carry, led by graduate student Ben Sasu who ran it six times for 24 yards. Senior Deonta Rudasill was handed the ball three times and gained 10 yards.
On defense, senior LB D’Gary Wallace led UU with 17 tackles. Reigning Mountain East Conference Player of the Week Kevin Chapple recorded 10 stops and led UU with three tackles for loss. Senior LB Bo Keener and junior Carlton Rematt each posted nine defensive stops.
Senior CB Chuck Wynn recorded his second career interception midway through the fourth quarter, the first takeaway through the air by a Blue Knight in 2015.
Urbana looked strong on the game’s opening drive, moving the ball deep into Concord territory on 11 plays for over five minutes. But the drive stalled as UU failed to convert a fourth and seven from the CU 23.
Three plays later, the visitors scored when Jermeil Douse broke free down the sideline for 70 yards on a quick screen play.
Concord controlled the pace throughout the contest with a time of possession of nearly 41 minutes. The Mountain Lions chipped away in the second quarter, as kicker Andy Ellington connected on the first of his three made field goals to make it 10-0 at the 8:32 mark.
CU running back Calvinaugh Jones made it 17-0 with under two minutes left in the half. Ellington added a field goal in each of the third and fourth quarters.
Urbana was outgained 394-186 on offense as CU quarterback Brian Novak finished 23-for-34 with 224 yards.
Concord went a perfect 5-for-5 in the red zone and kept Urbana from getting inside the 20. The stout defense for the Mountain Lions also limited UU to just one third down conversion on 11 attempts.
Urbana moves to 3-22 all-time versus ranked opponents.
The Blue Knights have a quick turnaround this week as they prepare for a Thursday night showdown at West Liberty (1-2, 1-1 MEC). The MEC Game of the Week is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. ET inside West Family Stadium.
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