MOUNT VERNON – Cornell delivered numerous big plays on offense, defense and special teams that culminated with a resounding 47-34 Midwest Conference football victory over perennial power Chicago on a windy Saturday at Van Metre Field at Ash Park.
 
The Rams charged ahead 20-0 in the opening 17 minutes and never looked back as coach Dan Pifer's young squad climbed to 4-3 overall, 4-2 in the MWC with an opportunistic three-game stretch left ahead.
 
The Rams notched their first series win over Chicago (3-4 overall, 3-3 MWC) since 1981 in the highest scoring contest between the teams. The 47 points are the most scored by the Rams since they put up 52 in an overtime win over Knox on Oct. 28, 2017.        
 
Senior quarterback John Smith had a sensational day, completing 21-of-32 passes for a career-best 300 yards and five touchdowns, one shy of Cornell's single-game record. He connected with eight different receivers.  
 
Three of Smith's TDs went to junior playmaker Trey Birdsong, who amassed 262 all-purpose yards, the sixth-highest total in Cornell history. Birdsong posted five receptions for 124 yards, highlighted by an electric 67-yard screen pass for a touchdown early in the third quarter.
 
Birdsong had TD receptions of seven and four yards in the first half, helping Cornell build a 27-13 lead at intermission. He also totaled 138 yards on five kickoff returns.
 
Tony Gomez led Cornell's ground attack with 70 rushing yards, 42 of which came on a fake punt for a touchdown that pushed the Rams ahead 13-0 with 2:56 left in the first quarter. On Cornell's next drive, Gomez ran in from six yards to make it 20-0.
 
Cornell's aggressive defense set the tone early and finished with a season-high six sacks and three forced turnovers. Freshman end Julius Jenkins registered three sacks, including a strip sack on Chicago's opening possession that Trey Gohlmann recovered deep in Maroons' territory which led to a Cornell score.
 
Luca Schoensee tallied a game-high 13 tackles, including 10 solo stops. Sam Adams and Bruce Harris both came away with interceptions. Nicholas Sells, RJ Sutton and Caleb Smith had one sack apiece.
 
The Rams built their biggest lead at 41-20 on a 5-yard TD reception by Cole Reed with 5:58 left in the third quarter. After Chicago trimmed the margin to 41-27, the Rams provided the knockout blow with a leaping 34-yard TD grab in the end zone by freshman Logan Godfrey. Godfrey's third collegiate reception put the Rams in front 47-27 with 10:54 remaining.  
 
Cornell totaled 378 yards of offense and went 8-of-16 on third-down chances. The Maroons were held to 100 rushing yards on 31 carries.
 
Coming up – The Rams travel to play Knox (2-5 overall, 2-4 MWC) at 1 p.m. next Saturday, Oct. 28 in Galesburg, Ill.