EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – Facing their first deficit of the season, the No. 23 Albion College football team was unfazed, defeating UW-Eau Claire, 28-20. Closing out non-conference action, the Brits remain a spotless 4-0.
A career day by Phillip Jones-Price helped Albion pick up the road win. The senior ran for 152 yards on 18 carries and one touchdown – the game-sealer. Sophomore quarterback Luke Lovell was 18 for 32 for 258 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Mark Tocco does what Mark Tocco does. Hauling in six receptions, the senior registered 115 yards and a touchdown – his third 100+ yard game of the season. CJ Weems continued to enjoy his breakout season, adding 74 yards on five catches.
Defensively, Conner Smith led the visitors with nine total tackles. Both Kalil Brown and Josh Wuensch chipped in with eight – as Wuensch contributed three TFL.
Albion won the toss and deferred, but this time found themselves in unfamiliar territory, as the Blugolds scored on their opening drive to take a 7-0 lead. The Britons could not find any rhythm offensively, being forced to punt on their first three drives of the afternoon.
With 33 seconds remaining in the first quarter, UWEC had the ball. A rush up the middle was stripped by Stephen Douglas. Douglas used his speed and some good blocks to take the fumble 65 yards for an Albion touchdown. Following Jackson Cooney's PAT, the Brits tied the game at seven.
In their first drive of the second quarter, the Britons came up empty, unable to cash in on a 22-yard field goal.
The Blugolds jumped ahead, 14-7, with under a minute to play in the half, handing Albion their first deficit after 30 minutes this season. UWEC's drive was highlighted by a fake punt, resulting in a gain of 27 yards.
Albion used clock and the run game to their advantage to open up the new half. A 19-play drive ultimately ended in a 14-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Nolan. During the drive, the Brits were facing a fourth and one before turning to Ryan Roberts. The fifth year pounded his way for a five yard pickup, setting up the TD later in the drive.
The Britons got a stop on the ensuing UWEC drive and used the momentum to their advantage. On a fourth and four from the Blugold 41, Lovell connected with Tocco for a long touchdown, putting Albion on top, 21-14.
UWEC got all the way to the Briton 32 on their next drive, but Albion's defense came up big, getting a stop on fourth and eight.
Jones-Price picked up right where he left off, scampering for a 39-yard touchdown run and boosting the visitor's lead to two possessions.
Holding on to a 28-14 advantage with 6:37 to play, the Britons allowed one more Blugold touchdown. A failed PAT put the Blugolds in a tough spot, unable to tie down the stretch to give Albion its fourth straight win.
"I'm proud of the way our guys kept competing … That was a 60 minute battle," said head coach, Dustin Beurer. "Defensively we played a strong first half and offensively we were completely out of sync in the first half."
"Our guys were not timid or afraid at half. Luke [Lovell] got the first half jitters out and played a strong second half … Mark Tocco was once again Mark Tocco. Phillip Jones-Price had the best game of his career and for sure the best run of his career on his TD run … He is beginning to run behind his pads," added Beurer.
"The offensive line protected well and it may not show on the stat sheet, but a lot of those were a combination of not getting open and holding on to the ball too long … The defense came out and closed the game for us .. I am just proud of our guys never hanging their heads and competing throughout the game."
For the second consecutive season, the Brits open the year 4-0.
Albion's schedule only gets tougher as they open conference play next weekend. The Britons head to Kalamazoo for a 1 p.m. kickoff.