Chicago Ends Case's 38-Game Winning Streak
CHICAGO -- Marshall Oium and Dee Brizzolara hooked up on a pair of long fourth-quarter touchdowns as Chicago upset Case 24-20 in University Athletic Association play Saturday at Stagg Field.
The victory ended Case's 38-game regular season winning streak, which was the second-longest active streak among all NCAA Divisions entering today's action. The Spartans were ranked 23rd in this week's America Football Coaches Association poll.
Chicago (6-2 overall, 1-0 UAA) fell behind 20-12 with 7:52 left in the game when Case's Billy Deitman scored on an 8-yard run to cap a seven-play, 65-yard drive.
The Maroons answered with a 52-yard scoring strike from Oium to Brizzolara just 39 seconds later, but failed to convert the two-point conversion.
Trailing 20-18, Chicago started its final drive on the Case 48-yard line with 2:28 left in the contest. Facing 4th-and-8 from the Case 46, Oium threw to Brizzolara, who skirted past several defenders before finding his way into the end zone with 1:18 showing on the clock.
Case's (7-1, 0-1) last drive stalled at midfield when Steve Tsilimos broke up Joey Baum's pass on 4th-and-22. Tsilimos had two interceptions and a blocked punt earlier in the game.
A 6-yard Baum run on the game's opening possession and a 2-yard touchdown pass from Oium to Brandon Meckelberg early in the second stanza accounted for the only scoring of the first half. Chicago missed its extra-point attempt, giving the Spartans a 7-6 halftime edge.
Case increased its lead to 13-6 Baum found Nicely in the end zone from 32 yards away at the 4:58 mark of the third period.
Emmett Carrier returned an interception 43 yards for a touchdown with 11:16 to go in the fourth quarter, but another missed PAT kept the Spartans on top, 14-13.
Brizzolara finished the day with 104 yards on three catches. Oium was 16-for-30 for 169 yards and three TDs, but was picked off on three occasions.
Baum completed 19 of 45 attempts for 259 yards and a touchdown. He was also intercepted three times as the teams combined for seven turnovers.
Case's Zach Homyk caught eight passes for 142 yards, while Nicely had 91 yards on five grabs.
Tommy Parks rushed for 89 yards on 19 carries to lead a 173-yard Chicago ground game.
The win marked Chicago's first in six tries against a nationally-ranked opponent in 17 years under Head Coach Dick Maloney. Chicago also clinched back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2000-01.
Chicago played the game without injured Clay Wolff, the team's leading receiver heading into the contest. With Wolff sidelined, Oium completed passes to eight different receivers.
