Illinois Wesleyan University football kicks off a two-game homestand at Tucci Stadium Saturday, Sept. 26, with a matchup against second-ranked Wheaton College. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Illinois Wesleyan enters the game with a 3-0 record and a 1-0 mark in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play. The Titans are coming off a 17-10 road win at Augustana College Sept. 19. Wheaton also comes to Bloomington at 3-0 (1-0 CCIW) after an 82-10 win over Millikin University Sept. 19 to set up a matchup of unbeatens.
Fans can tune into a live stream on the CCIW Network, and live stats will also be available. Links can be found on the football schedule page of iwusports.com.
A round of applause for the spring sports
Illinois Wesleyan will recognize outstanding accomplishments from the spring sport season at halftime as IWU applauds the CCIW softball tournament and regular season champion team and NCAA track and field national qualifiers from 2026.
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Lappin's pick-six
Junior Lucas Lappin hauled in his team-leading third interception of the season in IWU's win at Augustana Sept. 19. Lappin returned the interception for a score, giving IWU its first pick-six since Shea Gaffney and Artist Benjamin did so in a win over Elmhurst Nov. 11, 2023.
Lappin was named the CCIW Defensive Player of the Week Sept. 21. He added a team-high 11 tackles, including eight solo stops.
All-time tally with the Thunder
In a series dating back to 1922, Wheaton holds a 39-29-2 all-time advantage over the Green and White. The Titans last defeated the Thunder Sept. 15, 2018, at Tucci Stadium, 24-14, while Wheaton has won the past six matchups.
Last season, Wheaton used a big second quarter to post a 65-21 win over IWU at Tucci Stadium Oct. 11. GB Kruzick and Jimmy Deacy each finished with 100-plus receiving yards, with Kruzick recording a game-high 113 yards. Deacy added 111 yards on a game-high eight receptions.
Worth it
A key piece of Illinois Wesleyan's success this season is its ability to flip the field with the boot of junior punter Matt Worthington. Thanks in large part to the effectiveness of Worthington and IWU's return units, the Titans have an average drive start at their own 31-yard line, while opponents are starting drives at their own 25. Worthington is averaging 43.6 yards per punt, fourth-best across Division III.
September success
Illinois Wesleyan has compiled a 39-15 record in the month of September since 2010. IWU went 2-1 in the month last season, with the Titans' lone loss coming against Central to open the year. The Titans are 3-0 in September this season.
It's building
Illinois Wesleyan continued to receive votes in a national poll this week, as the Titans appeared in the receiving votes category of the AFCA's fourth poll. IWU garnered 21 points and was one of four CCIW programs in the conversation. North Central topped the poll, with Wheaton at No. 2, and Augustana also listed among the receiving votes.
Ball hawks
The Titans have recorded eight interceptions on the season, with Lucas Lappin leading the team with three. Clint Teater has two, and Joey DeMaio, Nathan Frank, and Ian Whitaker have one interception apiece. IWU's interception total leads the CCIW and ranks second-most across Division III as of Sept. 23.
Winning up front
The Green and White's defensive line has been one of the most disruptive units in the country. The Titans lead the conference and rank fourth nationally with 4.67 team sacks per game, while their 9.0 tackles for loss per game are 10th-most in Division III. The heavy and consistent pressure in the backfield has limited opponents to a .295 third-down conversion rate, the fourth-best mark in the CCIW and 60th nationally.
With a win…
With a win, Illinois Wesleyan will move to 4-0 on the year for the first time since 2015. That year, IWU secured a road win at Franklin (34-24) before posting home wins over Alma (49-14) and Simpson (49-7). The Titans finished that season 7-3 after winning their first seven games.
A league of his own
With his 56-yard rushing touchdown to seal IWU's win Sept. 12, Dermot Smyth added another milestone to his career. Smyth eclipsed 1,000 career rushing yards on the play, becoming the first Titan quarterback to clear the mark while also throwing for 5,000-plus yards. He finished the game with five touchdown passes, one shy of the program record, and added a rushing touchdown. More recently, Smyth became one of five Titans in program history to throw for more than 6,000 career yards.
The veteran signal-caller ranks inside the program's top 10 in several categories, including rushing touchdowns (fourth), passing touchdowns (sixth), passing yards (sixth) and passing completions (seventh).
On repeat
Junior wide receiver Will Nazha continued his strong start to the season with a 10-reception, 143-yard performance against Trine Sept. 12. The second-year starter hauled in a career-high three touchdowns in the game, becoming the first Titan to do so since Charlie Hamilton in 2021.
Through three games, Nazha has established himself as one of the top wide receivers in Division III. He ranks 15th nationally in receiving touchdowns with four, 16th in receptions per game (7.67), 16th in receiving yards (325), 28th in receiving yards per game (108.3), 40th in total touchdowns (four) and 50th in total points scored (24).
CCIW preseason poll
Illinois Wesleyan was predicted to finish fourth in the annual CCIW preseason coaches poll. IWU's 45 points trailed North Central (64), Wheaton (57) and Augustana (47). Carroll (32) rounded out the top five. Carthage (29), North Park (25), Millikin (17) and Elmhurst (8) filled out the final four slots, respectively. Of the nine first-place votes, North Central received eight, while Wheaton earned one.
On the horizon
Illinois Wesleyan is back at home Saturday, Oct. 3, for a Homecoming game against Carthage College. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. and will include several recognitions pregame and throughout the contest.
