MOUNT VERNON – Fresh off a 35-24 Homecoming win, Cornell's football team looks to make it two in a row on its home turf this weekend against perennial power University of Chicago.
 
Cornell (2-3 overall, 2-2 MWC) plays host to the Maroons (4-1 overall, 3-1 MWC) in a Midwest Conference matchup Saturday at Van Metre Field at Ash Park. Kickoff is 1 p.m.
 
The Rams can build off last Saturday's solid performance against Lawrence during which they rushed for five touchdowns and played turnover-free on the offensive side. Coach Dan Pifer's young Rams now have a tall task ahead against an impressive Chicago team trying to remain in the MWC title picture.
 
The Maroons fell from the ranks of unbeatens in last week's 40-37 battle at Monmouth. Chicago amassed 501 yards of total offense and nearly came all the way back from a 33-10 second-quarter deficit.
 
The series – Saturday marks the 10th football meeting between the schools, with Chicago holding a 7-2 advantage in the series that began in 1902.
 
The Maroons have won the past three meetings, averaging 53.3 points during the span. Cornell's last series win was a 25-6 road decision in 1981.
 
Last meeting – The Maroons scored 42 first-half points and finished with 440 rushing yards in a 56-7 victory over the Rams on Oct. 19, 2019 in Mount Vernon.
 
Cornell's Mason Davis had a career-high 120 yards on nine receptions, including a 13-yard TD catch from Isaak Hahn for the Rams' lone score late in the third quarter. Hahn completed 21-of-34 passes for a career-best 240 yards.
 
About the Maroons – Chicago is statistically among the MWC's best in virtually every major category, outscoring opponents by an average points margin of 49.0-17.0. The Maroons own decisive MWC wins over Illinois College (66-14), Beloit (66-0) and Knox (45-10).
 
Chicago ranks in the Top 15 nationally in total offense (504.2 ypg) and total defense (214.2 ypg). The Maroons allow only 101.2 passing yards per game, No. 2 in NCAA Division III.
 
Nick D'Ambrose heads a potent ground attack with an MWC-best 651 yards (6.6 ypc) and seven TDs. Quarterback Philip Martini has thrown for 1,212 yards and 17 TDs. Chicago's defense has recorded 19 sacks.
 
Running Rams – Cornell's five rushing TDs last Saturday were two shy of the program's single-game record, and the most in the contest since scoring seven times on the ground at Knox in 2017.
 
Freshman Tom Martushev led the effort with three TDs that covered 1, 9 and 1 yard. They were the first collegiate scores for the 5-foot-8, 175-pound back.
 
Jordan Braud (six yards) also scored his first TD as a Ram. Hahn delivered a 9-yard run late in the second quarter that gave Cornell a 21-14 lead it wouldn't relinquish.
 
Scoring distribution – Eight different players have scored for the Rams this season. Six of them are first-year players in the program in running backs Martushev, Braud, Tony Gomez, receiver Trey Birdsong, tight end Andrew Barker and kicker Adam Mitchell.    
 
Davis, Hahn and Martushev lead the team with 18 points apiece.
 
Dual roles – Senior punter/defensive end Landon Lockington has excelled in both areas for Cornell this fall. He ranks second in the MWC in punting with a 40.3-yard average, placing four inside the 20 and inducing a league-best eight fair catches. Lockington boomed a season-long 59-yarder against Lawrence.
 
Lockington leads all Cornell defensive lineman with 13 tackles and has one interception.   
 
Tough in the trenches – The Rams rank No. 2 in the MWC in rushing defense at 101.4 yards per game. Opponents have scored just four rushing TDs through five games.
 
Cornell limited Lawrence to 81 yards on 30 carries. It's the third time this season the Rams held an opponent under 100 rushing yards in a game.
 
Chunk plays – Hahn averaged a hefty 25.4 yards on his five pass completions last weekend. Freshman Trey Birdsong aided his quarterback with three catches for 97 yards, including a season-long of 71.
 
Peni Waqairatu had a long rush of 31 yards. The senior finished with a game-high 85 yards on only 11 carries.