CHICAGO --- The University of St. Francis football team could not have celebrated "Sweetest Day" any better than Saturday afternoon when the program finally got the Cougar off its back with an improbable 36-29 overtime victory against longtime nemesis and NAIA No. 18-ranked Saint Xavier University.    The win not only snapped a 17-game losing streak dating back to 2009 against SXU, but also enabled the Fighting Saints to ruin the Cougars' Homecoming and open the Mid-States Football Association Midwest League season at 1-0.

How head coach Joe Curry's club got there came in the most unthinkable fashion, starting with getting out of a 22-0 hole after the game's first 16 minutes, 23 seconds as well as that same margin (29-7) with under one minute remaining in the first half.  Then, after bringing the game back to even at 29-all with 13:20 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Saints (5-1) had to survive a missed 28-yard game-winning field goal attempt by the Cougars as time expired in regulation to force overtime.

USF had a similar chance just two minutes, three seconds earlier, but had its 23-yard attempt blocked.  The two teams also had nearly identical failed three-point opportunities one quarter apart earlier with the Saints missing from 49 yards out with 9:06 remaining in the second quarter and Saint Xavier (4-3, 0-1) coming up short from 45 yards at the 9:05 mark of the third quarter.

St. Francis finally ended its 15-year run of agony with a Scott Tumilty three-yard touchdown run to open overtime and Willowbrook High School peer Nick Mabutas sealing it with an interception on fourth down.  Guerrero's PAT following the touchdown closed out USF's string of 29 unanswered points, including a two-point conversion play, while Mabutas' pick completed the Saints' second-half shutout.

St. Francis' first 16 minutes of the game could not have been more disastrous.  Other than what turned out to be a costly failed two-point conversion down the road on SXU's second touchdown of the first quarter, the Cougars did everything right and the Saints did everything wrong.  It started with the hosts' first play from scrimmage, too, on a 58-yard flea flicker to set up an 11-yard touchdown run one play later and just 49 seconds into the contest.  The Saints attempted to answer right back, but failed to convert on fourth down inside the red zone (SXU 7-yard line). 

The next offensive series saw St. Francis get called for intentional grounding in the end zone for a safety.  That started a five-minute run of disarray for the Saints with the ensuing kick netting just 24 yards to set up Saint Xavier's second touchdown and an interception on the next USF series eventually getting the Cougars out to their 22-0 start.

The Saints finally got on track when Sam Tumilty and Dezzion Jordan connected on a 59-yard scoring strike a little over three minutes later.  The first of the two missed field goals one possession later denied USF of cutting the deficit even further.

The bigger hookup between Tumilty and Jordan came just 13 seconds before halftime.  After SXU went up 29-7 with 1:53 remaining in the second quarter, Tumilty put together a 7-play, 52-yard drive, completing 6-of-7 pass attempts for all the yardage, capped by Jordan lunging into the end zone from seven yards out.

That kept the deficit at a two-possession game with the Saints getting the ball to start the second half.  They delivered there, too, inserting safety Scott Tumilty into the offensive mix, who ran the ball seven times for 38 yards and had another 15 yards on a reception during that drive.  Sam Tumilty accounted for the rest of the yardage, including the two-yard capper, to complete the 12-play, 60-yard march.

On Saint Xavier's next series, a key six-yard combination sack by Matthew Perry and Marcello Bernardi followed by Allan Richards limiting SXU running back Jessi Plunkett to two yards on a third-down play proved crucial.  It kept the Cougars just far enough away from the goal post in coming up short on the attempted 45-yard field goal.

The Saints then followed with their third straight scoring drive (11 plays, 72 yards) and the one to tie it with Sam Tumilty having the final four carries of the drive (2-yard touchdown) and the two-point conversion on an option play.

If Scott Tumilty was not doing enough offensively – including a pair of carries for seven yards on the tying drive – he also ended Saint Xavier's next possession on defense.  That one got as close as the St. Francis 36-yard line, with Tumilty providing perfect coverage on a fourth-down pass deep down the far sideline.  He finished the contest as the Saints' leading rusher with 62 yards on 15 carries as part of a total yardage day of 151 (19 receiving, 21 punt returns, 49 kickoff returns).  Defensively, he recorded three tackles and a pass breakup.

Sam Tumilty was right behind his brother in the rushing department (14-59), while completing 21-of-30 pass attempts for 242 yards with the two touchdowns and one interception.  Jordan was his top target with five catches for 90 yards, followed by Joey Tumilty (6-60) and Ryan Little (4-44).

Saint Xavier countered with a career-high 365 yards passing on 22-of-29 accuracy with two touchdowns and an interception from Stuart Ross.  His main target, Ronnie Foster, also had a career day with 145 yards on nine catches, two for scores.

St. Francis outgained Saint Xavier on the ground 145-38 with the Cougars winning the air attack 366-242.  The latter also finished a notch ahead of the Saints in total offense at 404-387.    

USF had a big day defensively, registering 11 tackles for loss, including five sacks.  Richards and Karsen Hansen had two each with Richards' pair being sacks as part of a nine-tackle game.  Pat Strocchia also had 1.5 sacks among his six tackles helping the Saints hold the Cougars to 38 yards on 30 running plays.

Notes: The only other time the Saints defeated Saint Xavier in the 27-game series came in 2008, also at the Cougars' home turf, Deaton Field … The victory was also the first for Curry against his former defensive coordinator at St. Francis, SXU head coach Mike Feminis, in 15 attempts … … Fourteen of the games in the all-time series have now been decided by one touchdown or less, including 10 of the last 12.  The battle was also the third in the last four years to go to overtime … The contest was Sam Tumilty's 15th with at least a pair of rushing touchdowns … For Jordan, it was his first on the receiving side … Perry led the team in tackles for the third consecutive week with ten stops … Jake Friddle made his 2024 debut and caught a pair of passes for nine yards … Besides the overtime touchdown, each of USF's four other scores were drives of no less than 52 yards.  The other three covered 60, 65 and 72 yards … By scoring four-plus times, the Saints improved to 20-1 over their last 21 games in said contests.  They also have scored no less than 31 points in each of their five wins this season … Averaging just five penalties per game heading into the contest, St. Francis had eight after the first 30 minutes of the contest and finished with ten.  Nonetheless, USF gained four first downs by penalty to none for Saint Xavier … The Saints held a better-than-eight minute time of possession advantage thanks to USF's stinginess to open the second half.  The Saints ran 36 of the first 51 plays of the second half leading to a 19:49-10:11 TOP disparity in the closing 30 minutes … Both teams were strong on their late-down conversion rates with USF going 10-for-17 (8-of-14 on third down) and Saint Xavier 9-of-18 (7-of-14) … SXU did not register a sack against the Saints on the afternoon … USF did not punt in the contest, while Saint Xavier did so twice … The largest St. Francis comeback victory was against William Penn University on Oct. 8, 2011 when that team rallied from a 27-0 first-half deficit.

Up Next
The Saints host Judson University next Saturday (Oct. 26) with a 1 pm kickoff scheduled for the MSFA Midwest League game.

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