Decatur, Ill., Nov. 3, 2018 – Junior running back John Fisher ran for a career-high 179 yards and went over 1,000 career rushing yards to lead the Washington University in St. Louis football team to a 49-42 victory at Millikin University Saturday in Decatur, Ill.
WashU improved to 7-2 and 6-2 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW), while Millikin dropped to 6-3 and 5-3 CCIW. The Bears are in a tie for third-place in the CCIW standings with one regular-season game remaining.
"The effort has been strong all year. We got on a roll in the second quarter with two touchdowns and then put two more on the board in the third," said head coach Larry Kindbom. "It ended up being a great football game between two good teams. Every win has been big for us, but to finish a road win like that in the CCIW its huge."
Junior quarterback Johnny Davidson totaled six touchdowns as he went 31-of-44 for 354 yards and four touchdowns and also ran for a pair of TDs. Davidson went over 5,000 yards of total offense for his career (5,060), third most in school history.
The Bears totaled 540 of total offense, including a season-high 186 yards on the ground, and won the turnover margin (+2). Senior wide receiver Jason Singer added four catches for 107 yards and a TD.
Trailing 21-7 midway through the second quarter, WashU scored a pair of touchdowns in a span of 2:29 to tie the score at 21-21 at half.
Singer hauled in a 94-yard touchdown with 5:13 left in the second quarter, and then senior Ben Marcus forced a fumble and recovered it on the Millikin 26-yard line. Eight plays later, Davidson connected with junior tight end Mitchel Groen on a four-yard TD pass to tie the score.
WashU scored on the opening possession of the third quarter for the fourth-straight week on a 33-yard TD run from Fisher before Davidson scampered in from eight yards out to make it 35-21 with 6:52 left in the third.
Millikin answered back with a pair of TDs to tie the game 35-35, but Davidson orchestrated a 12-play, 70-yard drive that resulted in a four-yard TD pass to senior wide receiver Matt Goldberg with 11:36 left to make it 42-35.
The Big Blue tied the game with 8:29 to play after a block punt resulted in a three-yard TD run, but the WashU offense answered right back.
Fisher ran for 34 yards on five carries, while Davidson connected with Goldberg for an 18-yard TD pass to make it 49-42.
Senior defensive Andrew Whitaker came up with a big play with less than five minutes left as he picked off Millikin QB Nicco Stepinain the end zone.
Sophomore JT Streepy led the Bears with a career-high 12 tackles, including two for loss, while junior defensive back Justin DiCarlo recorded a career-high eight stops and added a third-quarter interception.
WashU hosts Carroll University (Wis.) on Saturday, Nov. 10, at 1 p.m. (CT) in the final regular season game of 2018.
BEAR NOTEBOOK: WashU leads the all-time series 4-2, and the teams met for the first time since 1975 … The Bears played their fifth road game this season, all in the state of Illinois … Senior linebacker Jake Coon and Marcus started their 29th straight game … Singer is 16 receiving yards shy of 1,000 for his career … Senior kicker Charles Coccia was 7-for-7 in extra points … Singer's 94-yard TD is tied for the longest offensive play in school history.