Chicago, Ill., November 13, 2010 – The Washington University in St. Louis football team had its six-game winning streak snapped with a 13-10 loss at the University of Chicago in the final regular season game on Saturday afternoon in Chicago, Ill.
The Bears end the season with a 7-3 overall record, and placed second in the conference with a 2-1 record.
With the loss, Chicago regains possession of the Founders Cup, which commemorates the first football game played between two University Athletic Association (UAA) schools. The Maroons also claimed an outright UAA Championship, its fourth conference title in school history.
Senior running back Jim O'Brien carried the ball 26 times for 75 yards, as he moved past Tom Polacek (1984-87) into first place on the all-time Washington University list with 2,529 yards.
Chicago sophomore kicker Jeff Sauer got the lead back at 13-10 for the Maroons after a 27-yard field goal with 4:04 left in the third quarter. Chicago had first and goal on the one-yard line, but a key sack by senior Nick Vom Brack stalled the drive.
After Washington U. sophomore kicker Eric Chalifour missed a game-tying 38-yard field goal with 7:39 to play, junior Nick Hillard picked off Oium and returned it to the Chicago 13-yard line. Chailfour got another chance to tie the game with 5:03 remaining, but his 22-yard kick from the right hash was wide right.
Washington U.'s defense was exceptional in the second half of play, holding the Maroons to 47 yards of total offense. The Bears had a 316-256 advantage in total offense for the game. Senior quarterback Stephen Sherman finished the day 15-of-29 for 190 yards and TD in his final game with the Red and Green. Sophomore wide receiver Drew Sexton had four catches for 89 yards in the loss.
Chicago (8-2, 3-0 UAA) jumped out first following a 21-yard field goal by Sauer with 2:58 left in the first. The key play of the drive for the Maroons was a 25-yard reception from quarterback Marshall Oium to wide receiver Dee Brizzolara on 3rd-and-10.
The Bears answered back with a seven-play, 85-yard drive to take their first lead of the game. Sherman connected with junior tight end Brennan Fox on a 17-yard touchdown pass to give Washington U. the 7-3 lead with 14:53 left in the second quarter. The big play of the drive was a 40-yard reception by Sexton.
The Maroons took advantage of a long drive to take at 10-7 lead just before halftime. Oium found Brizzolara wide open in the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown reception to cap a 14-play, 85-yard drive.
Chicago had a 209-161 advantage in total yards in the first half, highlighted by 1652 yards passing by Oium. Brizzolara had seven catches for 98 yards in the first half to lead Chicago. Sherman was 9-of-13 for 108 yards in the first half, with Sexton pulling in two receptions for 69 yards. O'Brien was held in check rushing for 23 yards on 12 carries.
The Bears drove down to the Chicago 18-yard line on their opening possession of the third quarter, and tied the score with a 35-yard field goal by Chalifour. O'Brien's 10-yard run with 12:30 left in the third quarter vaulted him over Polacek as the Bears' all-time leading rusher.
Hillard led the defensive unit with eight tackles, while freshman defensive back Scott O'Brien added seven solo stops. Vom Brack added four tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and an interception in his final game.
Bear Notebook: Washington U. leads the all-time series with Chicago, 18-11 … Senior Brandon Brown made his 40th-consecutive start at defensive back … Since the inception of the Founders Cup in 1987, Washington U. has won 17 of the 24 games.