Cougars celebrating in the endzone SXU Athletics
The Saint Xavier University (SXU) football team walked away this past Saturday, Oct.ober 24, with a 27-24 victory over their rivals Saint Francis University (USF). This win marks three in a row for the Cougars, and brings them to a .500 winning percentage on the season at 4-4.
Like past matchups between the two programs, it came down to the wire, with star freshman wide receiver Coen Demack, delivering the final blow on a nine-yard reception.
With three games left in the regular season, SXU is firmly in playoff consideration even with a 1-4 start to the season.
Ending the season with multiple in-conference games, the next one versus Judson University (JU) on October 31 at Deaton Field, a push for the Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) is in play.
Securing the conference title would lead to an automatic bid into the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) playoffs, allowing the Cougars to scrape back into contention for a national championship.
With similar play from their most recent performance, they could maintain this fire they’ve ignited under the roster and carry this running onward.
In their game against USF, senior quarterback Blainey Dowling threw for 403 passing yards, rushed for 39 yards, and totaled three touchdowns.
It was an explosive performance through the air with six different players catching targets, and two pass catchers scoring touchdowns.
Aforementioned Coen Demack tallied 109 yards on a season-high 14 receptions, and freshman Jayden Armstrong recorded eight receptions and 146 yards – both also season-highs—with a touchdown.
While Dowling did add two interceptions to the stat sheet, the Cougars passing attack is where they thrived and produced throughout this matchup.
They only totaled 39 rushing yards throughout the game across five ball carriers, with the leading rusher being Dowling on 11 attempts.
The Cougars are still rotating ball carriers game in and game out, looking for a back to step-up and take the bell-cow role, but they have opted to lean into the committee approach until then.
51 attempts through the air is proof enough, along with 19 of their 26 first downs coming through the air as well, demonstrating that dependency on Dowling and the receiving unit throughout the game.
In total, the offense netted 443 yards on the day, averaging 5.7 yards per play.
More impressively, the defense only allowed 4.3 yards per play when they took the field, holding USF to 18 first downs while forcing five turnovers.
Standout senior linebacker and team captain Carter Wynn led the defense with nine total tackles, one for loss, a sack, and an interception in Saint Xavier’s win.
Others that added to the stifling pressure were seniors Semaj Williams and Owen Shickel, along with redshirt junior David Burton, who combined for two forced fumbles, five tackles for loss (TFL) and two sacks amongst them.
Junior defensive back Zach Norred chipped in with an interception and a fumble recovery as well.
SXU has now stringed together multiple weeks with consistent production from their defense.
They’ve been forcing turnovers, causing more pressure upfront, and have tightened up in the red zone to keep points off the board.
This type of play is what SXU will be looking for as they advance into the back half of their schedule.
Over these next three weeks, the Cougars will have to play two nationally ranked teams, with no room for a loss if they want to stay atop the MSFA standings and squeeze into the playoffs.
Currently riding a three game win streak, the Cougars are firing on all cylinders to secure that exact hope.
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