MOUNT VERNON – Cornell generated a season-high 457 yards of total offense, although couldn't overcome a blistering opening half by first-place Illinois College in Saturday's 76-34 Midwest Conference football loss on Senior Day at Van Metre Field at Ash Park.
Cornell (5-4 overall, 5-3 MWC) moved into a fourth-place tie with Chicago – which the Rams beat head-to-head – with one game left in the regular season. The Blueboys (8-1 overall, 7-1 MWC) remained atop the league standings with Monmouth.
The Rams finished with a 100-yard rusher (
Tony Gomez, 111), 100-yard receiver (
Trey Birdsong, 174) and 300-yard passer (
John Smith, 306) in a shootout filled with 14 offensive touchdowns.
Cornell's 34 points are the most allowed by Illinois College since a 37-6 Week 2 loss against Lake Forest. The Blueboys had surrendered only seven points in their previous three games.
Illinois College and the nation's No. 3-ranked offense took over the game early, scoring on its first eight drives while also adding a defensive touchdown in building a 59-20 lead at intermission.
Gomez topped the 100-yard rushing mark for the fourth time this season, carrying the ball 29 times with TD runs of 10, 1 and 3 yards. First-year
BooBoo Browning also found the end zone with a 2-yard rush late in the first quarter, bringing the Rams within 21-7.
Birdsong scored his 13th TD of the fall on a 32-yard strike from Smith early in the third quarter. The junior playmaker racked up a career-best 174 receiving yards on seven catches. Birdsong climbed to fourth place on Cornell's single-season list for all-purpose yards with 1,638, only 21 shy of Devan Clark's record set in 2017.
Smith accounted for 306 passing yards on 19 completions.
Cole Reed had three receptions for 51 yards and also completed a 45-yard pass to
Logan Godfrey.
Gavin Soukup netted 121 yards on seven kick returns.
Cornerback
Sam Adams, among seven Cornell seniors recognized prior to the game, led the Rams defense with a career-high 12 tackles, including one for lost yardage.
Luca Schoensee posted seven tackles.
Shawn Laikupu recorded a sack.
Junior quarterback Destin Chance fueled Blueboys' high-powered passing game with 532 yards and eight TDs. Collin Brunstein had nine receptions for 251 yards and four TDs.
Coming up – Cornell concludes the regular season next Saturday, Nov. 11, with a noon kickoff against in-state rival Grinnell (2-7 overall, 2-6 MWC) at Rosenbloom Field.
