Taylor Outlasts KCU in Rain-Soaked Slugfest
UPLAND, Ind. – Contending with slick conditions throughout a soggy afternoon tilt at Turner Stadium, the RV Taylor football team leaned on its ground attack and never trailed in a 42-35 win over previously unbeaten Kentucky Christian.
The Trojans attempted just two passes in the first half and finished the day with season-highs of 380 rushing yards on 57 carries, en route to eclipsing the 40-point mark for a third-straight time to open the 2025 season.
Nathan Parker once again led the way behind a stout effort from the offensive line, posting career-highs of 251 yards and four touchdowns on 30 carries. Parker averaged 8.4 yards per carry and gashed the KCU (1-1) defense for runs of 52, 28 and 23 yards, while finishing the game with eight rushes of at least 10 yards. Mixed into those lengthy bursts were touchdown scores of 52, 11 and 10 yards, with another score from three yards out.
Filling out a potent one-two punch out of the TU backfield was fellow sophomore Ethan Albert, who also registered career-highs with 15 carries for 76 yards and two touchdowns of his own.
With Parker and Albert accounting for 327 of Taylor’s 446 yards and all six touchdowns, the return game was excellent once again for the Purple and Gray. Jedidiah Galvin highlighted that unit with 106 yards on three returns, with a slip on the wet turf costing the freshman a lengthy touchdown on a 51-yard sprint.
TU opened the game hot once again, bolting to a 14-0 lead after just seven offensive snaps. Both scoring drives were under two minutes of game time and were capped by long touchdown runs from Parker.
Following KCU’s first score of the day, Galvin nearly provided an instant answer before slipping down near midfield. The Knights took advantage with their first defensive stand of the game and then turned up the tempo on offense to draw even.
A much-needed 15-play drive from Taylor helped it reclaim a lead with 50 seconds left in the half, but a costly personal foul penalty ignited the following Kentucky Christian drive and a long completion behind the TU coverage opened the door for a KCU score in the closing seconds.
After both squads were turned away in their first touches of the second half, Taylor chipped away with another 15-play drive to move in front and got the ball back after Dawson Scally provided a big hit on a fourth down stop in front of the KCU sideline.
The Trojans turned to Parker to open the game up, getting successive touches of 23, five and 11 yards to push the gap to 35-21 early into the final period.
Taylor struggled to put the game out of reach however, as multiple poorly timed penalties continued to extend eventual scoring drives from the guests who drew to within a single score at 35-28 and again at 42-35 before Scally sealed the win by falling on an on-side kick with just over one minute to play.
TU was again outgained in the contest, allowing 462 total yards with 325 coming through the air as the Knights tried to keep pace. The Trojans were also hurt by an uncharacteristic nine turnovers for 105 yards.
In the end, the defense had just enough to help preserve the Taylor lead, with Reese Pinckney posting a team-leading nine tackles and breaking up two passes. Caleb Ranzau followed with eight hits and a sack, with Seth Tolliver, Maverick Brown and Micah McGowan also contributing a sack.
RV Taylor (2-1) will enjoy its bye week, before returning to action at Judson on September 27 in a 2:00 pm (ET) contest. TU will then host No. 24 Saint Francis and No. 23 Marian in back-to-back weeks on October 4 and 11, before jumping into MSFA Mideast League play for the final five games of the season.
