Trojans Fall Just Shy in Upset Bid Against No. 12 Marian
UPLAND, Ind. – For a second-straight year, Taylor and Marian squared off for a high-scoring instant classic inside Turner Stadium. The Knights once again escaped TU’s upset bid, this time holding off the Trojans for a 42-35 decision.
No. 12 MU (5-1) entered the game averaging 59.7 points per game over its last three contests and showed why with two quick touchdowns in the game’s first five minutes for a 14-0 lead with 10:11 remaining in the opening quarter.
Taylor punched back 63 seconds later, and the two teams proceeded to trade touchdowns for the rest of the half, racking up a combined 56 points and 631 total yards, with the Knights taking a 35-21 lead to the break.
Nathan Munson did the heavy lifting for the Purple and Gray in the opening half, turning in a pair of long touchdown receptions to ignite the Trojan offense. The second-year tight end got TU on the board by dragging a MU defender for the last 12 yards of a 53-yard connection with Alex Amburgy. The pair hooked up again early into the second quarter, with a wide-open Munson catching an Amburgy delivery and streaking down the MU sideline untouched for a 78-yard touchdown.
The offenses continued to trade scores in the third quarter, with Taylor finding the end zone on its first two touches out of the break to sandwich another Marian touchdown. The 11th touchdown of the night drew TU to within a single score at 42-35 with 3:46 to play in the third.
Taylor got a pair of stops in the final moments of the third but could not capitalize. The Trojans forced MU’s second punt of the game but missed on a 42-yard field goal and then secured a takeaway with a recovered fumble at the MU 45-yard line. TU drove to the Marian 12, but the drive fell short, as a pass was dropped in the end zone and the ensuing attempt was intercepted by the Knights to keep the Trojans down by a score with 11:25 to play.
Taylor got one final chance after Marian missed a field goal of its own to give the Trojans the ball back with 6:26 to go. TU methodically moved the ball down the field while draining the clock, including a fourth-and-one conversion from Nathan Parker.
TU eventually moved to the Marian 28-yard line, but its fourth-and-two attempt was stuffed for a one-yard loss and the Knights took the final three snaps in victory formation as time expired.
Both offenses were as good as advertised, combining for 1,007 total yards of offense and 46 first downs. Taylor finished with 488 yards and 25 first downs, going seven-for-17 on third downs and four-for-six on fourth downs. The Trojans piled up 276 yards through the air and 212 on the ground, while turning the ball over just once and without committing a penalty.
Munson finished the night with 131 receiving yards and the two touchdowns, while Parker finished with 107 yards on the ground for his fourth-straight game above the century mark.
Amburgy shined in his first collegiate start, completing 12 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns, and Ethan Albert punched in a pair of scores out of the Trojan backfield.
Reid Messer, Grady Stanley and Maverick Brown led the Trojan defense with nine stops each, with Stanley recovering a fumble for TU’s lone takeaway. Caleb Ranzau turned in another strong showing, collecting TU’s only sack of the night and finishing with four tackles.
RV Taylor (3-3) will open MSFA Mideast League play on Saturday, October 18, when it plays at Defiance (2-4) in a 1:00 pm start.
