Monmouth 27, Knox 23

Peoria Journal Star Article by Phil Theobald

MONMOUTH, Ill. – The streaks are alive! Monmouth defeated Knox for the fourth straight season, giving the team's 11 seniors an unbeaten record against the Prairie Fire in their Fighting Scot careers. The win was also MC's fifth straight this year, pulling the team up to a respectable .500 finish after a disappointing 0-5 start.

Monmouth won the game by seizing control in the final three minutes of the first half and the first two minutes of the second.

After Knox had taken a  17-10 lead with 3:02 to play in the second quarter, the Scots embarked on a 9-play, 79-yard drive that ended with Jason Killion's 20-yard catch and run with 17 seconds to play. Knox fumbled the ensuing kickoff, giving Monmouth the ball at the KC 40-yard line.

Quarterback Rob Purlee threw a 32-yard pass to Tyler Snyder, and the clock expired during the play. However, the Fire were flagged were a facemask call, giving Monmouth the opportunity to send out its field goal team for a 21-yard kick. The boot was good for a 20-17 halftime lead, and Monmouth then went ahead by 10 points by driving the ball 52 yards in six plays to start the second half.

Ed McCracken did the scoring honors, taking the ball to paydirt from 22 yards out. Purlee finished the game 15-of-27 for 256 yards, with Ryan Wood catching four passes for 70 yards.

McCracken had 71 yards rushing on 17 attempts, and the defense was led by Rob Rogers, who had a team-high 12 tackles and the Scots' lone sack.

For Knox, Vince Singleton rushed for 102 yards on 23 carries, and quarterback Mike Erwin was 20-of-39 passing for 210 yards and one TD, a 2-yard strike to Tom Neagle that gave him a school-record 16 TD receptions for the season. Linebacker Anthony Balthazor had a team-high 13 tackles.

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