Big third quarter keys Blueboys' 49-29 win at Knox

Kendall Gibson and Cecil Brimmage ran for two second-half touchdowns apiece to help the Illinois College football team to a 49-29 Midwest Conference win at Knox College Saturday in Galesburg.

Knox kept things close early on, but the Blueboys turned a 21-15 halftime advantage into a 42-15 lead after the third quarter.

"This was an excellent college football game, where everyone who stepped on the field battled hard," said Illinois College head football coach Garrett Campbell. "When we made mistakes, we battled back and made a good play. We just kept playing hard every play."

Keith Hunter II got the Blueboys on the board first, returning an interception 50 yards for the first points of the game. Mike Tonry followed with a 5-yard touchdown run to put the Blueboys up 14-0, but Knox scored the next two touchdowns to make it 14-13. Quarterback Brady Huber threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Colin Duling increase the IC lead, but a field goal just before halftime helped the hosts cut into the lead.

The Blueboys increased their lead in the third quarter, however, with an 18-yard touchdown run from Gibson, a 28-yard touchdown run from Brimmage, and a 7-yard scoring run by Gibson. Brimmage found the end zone one more time, on a 2-yard plunge late in the fourth quarter, to bring the game to its final score.

Brimmage led IC with 91 yards on 14 carries. Gibson added 54 more yards on the ground, while completing 11-of-16 passes for 221 yards. Huber completed 4-of-7 passes for 55 yards. Duling was IC's leading receiver with 81 yards on four receptions. Wes Graham caught two passes for 76 yards.

Tim Denney tallied a team-high 12 tackles for IC. Mike Ranos made 11 stops. Kicker Matt Newman remained perfect on PAT attempts this season, converting on all seven of his tries on Saturday.

Illinois College improved to 6-1 overall and 5-1 in Midwest Conference play with the win. The Blueboys travel to Monmouth College next Saturday.