Football team beats Benedictine, 21-6

OLIVET, Mich. – Senior Noah McMinn accounted for 189 yards of offense to lead the Olivet College football team to a 21-6 win over Benedictine (Ill.) University in its home-opener this afternoon at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet.

Final score: Olivet 21, Benedictine (Ill.) 6
Location: Cutler Athletic Complex; Olivet, Michigan
Records: Olivet 3-0 overall, Benedictine 1-2 overall

• The Comets won the toss, and chose to receive the ball. Olivet marched down the field and looked to take an early lead but a 26-yard field attempt sailed wide of the left upright.
• The Eagles took over at their 20-yard line. In the middle of Benedictine's first drive, the game was stopped for nearly an hour because of a brief thunderstorm. When play resumed, the Eagles saw their possession end on an interception by sophomore Anthony Merriman.
• Both teams punted on their next drive.
• Olivet's third series of the game started at its 12-yard line. On the eighth play of the drive, McMinn scampered six yards into the end zone. Junior Tyler Peck's PAT kick was good, and the Comets led 7-0 with 10:54 left before halftime.
• The Eagles were forced to punt on their ensuing drive. Olivet got the ball back but its drive ended when Scottie Bobeck intercepted a Comet pass.
• Benedictine took advantage of the turnover and short field to score a touchdown on Tyler Jarnagin's 9-yard pass to Kiandre Morris with 1:56 remaining in the first half. Senior Miguel Manion blocked the PAT kick to make the score 7-6.
• The score stayed 7-6 at the intermission.
• The Comet defense forced a three-and-out on the Eagles' first possession of the second half.
• A short 9-play, 40-yard scoring drive was capped by a 4-yard touchdown run by McMinn. The PAT kick by Peck split the uprights for a 14-6 Olivet lead.
• There was no more scoring until the Comets found the end zone on their first series in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Jake Trujillo capped the 11-play, 61-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown run. Peck's third PAT kick of the game was successful.
• The Eagles got the ball back and drove all the way down to the Olivet 15 before turning the ball over on downs at the 2:47 mark.
• The Comets were able to run out the clock.

• OIivet doubled-up the Eagles in total offense, 406 yards to 201 yards.
• McMinn had 22 carries for 96 yards, and caught nine passes for 93 yards.
• Freshman Kaleb Jarrett completed 26-of-36 passes for 259 yards.
• Freshman Jalen Broussard hauled-in six receptions for 86 yards.
• Defensively, the Comets held Benedictine to 13 net rushing yards.
• Merriman had seven total tackles, including six solo stops.
• Manion recorded six tackles.
• Junior Ta'Mar Heart-Wilkins had two tackles for minus 25 yards.

• Jarnigan was 20-of-39 passing for 188 yards.
• Brandon Adams caught five passes for 46 yards.
• Joshua Williams led the ground game with five rushes for 17 yards.
• Bobeck tallied 14 tackles, eight solo and six assisted.

• Olivet has its bye week next Saturday. The Comets then travel to the Upper Peninsula to play Finlandia University Oct. 5 for its Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association opener. Kick-off at McAfee Field is at 1 p.m.