Week Six Review

Last weekend was a competetive one for UMAC football, as each game was decided by 7 points or less. A near upset foiled by a comeback, back and forth games, and a still winless team became the stories of the week. Let’s dive into last weekends results.

Martin Luther 28, Iowa Wesleyan 21 - I checked the livestream at the end of the 3rd quarter, and I was shocked. The Tigers held a 10-7 lead over the Knights, and ended up increasing that lead to 21-7 before Martin Luther realized “Hey, we probably should win this game if we really want to earn the conference title” and got their butts into gear with 7 minutes left in the game. Knights QB Zach Bloomquist tossed 152 yards and 3 TDs, but the final nail in the coffin was the trick play connection from Joshua Schroeder to Josh Arndt for the game-winning touchdown that ended up winning UMAC play of the week. Defensively for Martin Luther, Benjamin Riegsecker led the way with 13 tackles, 3.5 for loss, 1 sack, and a fumble recovery. For Iowa Wesleyan, QB DeMarcus Collins managed the game well, throwing for 191 yards and 2 TDs, but it wasn’t enough for the Tigers to overcome the tricky Knights.

Westminster 14, MacMurray 19 - The Highlanders kept their conference championship hopes alive with a nice home win over the Blue Jays. MacMurray went ahead early and led 19-0 at the half and held on for dear life to fend off Westminster, who had some key chances to kick field goals but instead chose to go for it all, according to my source (props to you, anonymous commentor). Highlander QB Nathan Randall threw for 277 yards and 2 TDs, and conversely Blue Jay QB Trent White also led the charge on his side of the ball, throwing for 165 yards and  2TDs. UMAC player of the week Javon Muhammad wreaked havoc on the Blue Jays, totaling 9 tackles, 4.5 for loss, 2 sacks, and 3 pass breakups. MacMurray keeps the dream alive, but face some stiff tests in the remainder of the season.

Crown 33, Minnesota Morris 37 - We had ourselves a real barn burner in Morris. Crown took the lead  with 4:20 left to go in the game, but were unable to hold on as Morris drove down the field and took control, leaving only 20 seconds left on the clock. UMAC player of the week Dom Guy had a day, with 12 receptions for 176 yards and 3 TDs, and now leads the UMAC with 9 receiving TDs through 6 games. Storm QB Devin Westbrook got the start and threw for 265 yards and 3 TDs, but also slung 3 picks. The Cougars offense once again didn’t impress, but it was enough to put up 37 points on the board and earn their second victory on the year. Crown remains winless, and lost their best shot at a victory this year. I'm still holding out hope that they don't go 0-10 for the second year in a row, but their odds are getting worse.

Northwestern 7, St. Scholastica 14 - This one went about how I thought it would; the Eagles held the Saints to two scores (passing, of course) but weren't able to scrounge up enough offensive production to earn the dub. St. Scholastica QB Zach Edwards excelled once again, tossing 2 TDs amid 314 yards, with 10 of the receptions going to WR Mitchell Adrian for 103 yards and a TD. WR Aaron Olson also caught another TD pass. The Eagles were able to ground out a few yards, with RB Payton Bowdry leading the charge with 94 yards rushing, but couldn't put up the points on the board to take down the Saints. Northwestern takes their second conference loss on the year, which effectively eliminates them from championship contention, while St. Scholastica hold on to hope that the Martin Luther College Knights will falter and they will be able to reclaim their long lost UMAC title.

Phew. What an exciting week of UMAC football, especially for me as I went undefeated in my picks, and now sit at 18-4 on the year. Can we count on next week to be just as exciting? Tune in tomorrow to the Week Seven Preview to see...