The 2017 Saint Xavier football season ended with a disappointing 52-7 loss in the NAIA Playoff Quarterfinals to Morningside College. Despite some players leaving after last year and a rocky start, this year looks to be a great one for the Saint Xavier Cougars.
This year’s team is lead by junior quarterback Alex Martinez, who threw twenty-two touchdowns last year while only throwing seven interceptions. Saint Xavier enters this year ranked #6 in the NAIA.
Saint Xavier has already played three games this year, achieving a record of one win and two losses.
The first loss came on the road against #15 Marian in Indianapolis. Despite the team’s solid offensive, it was not enough to take down the high-powered Marian offense.
Saint Xavier’s second game was against the 20th best FCS team in the nation, the Illinois State Redbirds.
During the game, which was broadcasted on NBC Sports Network Plus, the Redbirds proved too much for the Cougars to handle and beat them 46-0. The Cougars then played Missouri Baptist University for their first home game on Saturday, September 8th.
Saint Xavier won the game 34-7 in front of a rambunctious home crowd at Deaton Field.
Saint Xavier is now set to travel to Belleville, Illinois in order to face Lindenwood University, who finished 0-10 last year and lost to Saint Xavier last year 0-45.
The week following that game, the Cougars welcome #1 St. Francis (IN) to Deaton Field for the annual homecoming game. St. Francis (IN) finished last year 14-0 and defeated Saint Xavier 48-23 on route to their NAIA Championship. The week after that potentially very exciting game, the Cougars travel to Taylor University in Upland, Indiana.
Taylor University finished last year 4-6, including a 20-24 loss to Saint Xavier. Saint Xavier then welcomes Robert Morris University to Deaton Field the next week. Robert Morris finished last year 2-9, which included a 7-31 loss to the Cougars. After that in-state battle, Saint Xavier travels to Deerfield, Illinois to play Trinity International University.
Trinity finished last year with a 2-8 record, including a 13-38 loss to Saint Xavier. The next week, SXU travels all the way to Davenport, Iowa in order to face Saint Ambrose University. Saint Ambrose finished last year with a 4-6 record, which included a 28-41 loss to Saint Xavier. The next week in a battle between two of the best NAIA teams in Illinois, Saint Xavier welcomes St. Francis (IL) to Deaton Field for the final home game of the regular season.
St. Francis (IL) finished last year with a 5-5 record, which included a 28-30 loss to the Cougars. SXU finishes the regular season in Bourbonnais against Olivet Nazarene University. Olivet Nazarene finished with a 6-5 record last year, which included a nailbiter loss to Saint Xavier in double overtime. However, this is just the regular season.
If Saint Xavier finishes with a good enough record, they will advance to the NAIA playoffs as they did last year. Saint Xavier University Football boasts a high-powered offense and a dominant defense this year, which should lead the team to success in the NAIA this year.
Chris Leonchick
Sports Editor
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