APPLETON, Wis. — Cecil Brimmage ran for 273 yards, and the Illinois College football team battled to a 26-6 Midwest Conference victory over Lawrence University on Saturday at the Banta Bowl.
Brimmage carried 29 times and scored a third-quarter touchdown. Blueboys quarterback Michael Bates completed 14 of 25 passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns.
Lawrence quarterback Luke Barthelmess went 22 of 40 for 230 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Barthelmess also posted his third 100-yard rushing game of the season with 24 carries for 117 yards.
Illinois College (4-0, 3-0 MWC) jumped out to a 13-0 lead in the first quarter with a Bates touchdown pass and a Kurt Frischman interception return for a touchdown. Frischman, a defensive lineman, batted a Barthelmess pass and hauled it in. He rumbled 75 yards for the score.
Lawrence (0-4, 0-4) cut the lead to 13-6 on a long scoring drive early in the second quarter. The Vikings moved 88 yards in 13 plays and took more than seven minutes off the clock. Barthelmess hit Sam Wagner with a nine-yard touchdown pass with 11:54 left in the first half.
The Lawrence defense stopped the Blueboys on their next possession when Bates’ fourth-down pass fell incomplete in the Lawrence end zone. The Vikings stopped the Blueboys again when Brimmage fumbled at the goal line and the ball was recovered by linebacker James Holden in the end zone.
With Brimmage doing nearly all the damage, Illinois College scored early in the second half. Brimmage’s 24-yard touchdown run put the Blueboys up 19-6.
After the Blueboys stopped Lawrence on downs deep in Illinois College territory, they drove back down the field for the final score of the game. Bates hit Kevin Fuller with his second touchdown catch of the game for a 26-6 lead.
Linebacker Andy Paider had a big day for the Lawrence defense with 14 tackles, including 7.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. Paider also forced a fumble.
Lawrence returns to action next Saturday when it travels to Carroll University.