DEERFIELD, Ill. - The Marian University football team traveled to Trinity International University on Saturday afternoon and came away from Leslie Frazier Field with a 31-7 victory to improve to 3-2 on the season and 1-1 in Mid-States Football Association Mideast League play.

The Knights used a stifling defense and efficient offense to knock off the Trojans in the first defensive shutout in school history. The Knights set a school record for rushing yards with 304, the first time they have ever run for more than 300 yards, and set the school record for fewest rushing yards allowed as TIU was only able to gain 40 yards on the ground.

The game did not start the way the Knights envisioned with an interception on the first play from scrimmage, but the defense tightened down on the Trojans' first drive and forced a punt to get the ball back.

The Knights then dismantled the TIU defense as they picked them apart on a 12-play, 81-yard drive to take a 7-0 lead. Redshirt junior Clay Coomer (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro) hit sophomore Ryan Ferguson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) for a 23-yard reception while Ferguson rushed for a 24-yard gain before Coomer hit redshirt junior JaQuan Patilla (Fairfield, Ohio/Fairfield) with a 19-yard reception to put the Knights at the TIU six-yard line. Junior William Stubbs (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral) rushed for four yards before punching in a two-yard rush to stake the Knights the lead with 5:48 left in the first quarter.

On the ensuing Trojans drive, senior Chris White (Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central) forced a fumble on the first play from scrimmage and sophomore Isaac Jean (Delray Beach, Fla./Atlantic) recovered the loose ball in TIU territory. The Knights were held to a field goal as freshman Martin Waddick (Indianapolis, Ind./Scecina Memorial) buried a 39-yard field goal to give the Knights a 10-0 lead as the first frame ended.

The Knights embarked on a seven-play, 46-yard drive early in the second quarter that culminated with Stubbs hitting Patilla with a six-yard pass to cap off the drive and give the Knights a 17-0 lead with 12:27 remaining in the first half.

Neither team was able to get much going to rest of the half as the rain started to come down and the conditions on the field turned the natural grass surface into a mud pit. The Knights carried the 17-0 lead into the locker room at the interval.

The defense stood tall to open the second half as the Knights stopped a TIU drive and forced a punt. However, the Trojans were able to avoid the shutout on the Knights' ensuing drive. Coomer was intercepted at his own 46-yard line and the TIU defender took the ball into the end zone to cut the lead to 17-7 with 6:20 remaining in the third quarter.

Coomer regrouped on the next drive and led the Knights on a five-play, 56-yard drive that culminated with a 27-yard touchdown run by sophomore Kevin Humphrey (Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central) to give the Knights the 24-7 lead.

Redshirt freshman Nathan Toon (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central) ended the ensuing TIU drive with an interception, and just four plays later the Knights were in the end zone one more time. A 16-yard rush by Humphrey, a 10-yard rush by junior Vernon Smith (Waukegan, Ill./Waukegan), and a 10-yard rush by Stubbs put the Knights at the TIU 15-yard line. Freshman Elliott Dutra (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove) closed out the drive with an eight-yard run and a seven-yard touchdown run to give the Knights the 31-7 lead with 13:54 remaining in the game.

The Knights ground out the clock and on TIU's final drive, the Trojans were at the Knights' 15-yard line and threatening. However, Toon finished off the Trojans with his second interception of the game to clinch the 31-7 victory.

The Knights racked up 450 yards of total offense for the third time in school history, while the defense allowed just 143 yards of total offense for TIU. The total yards allowed were the fewest in school history and the first game in which the opponent had less than 150 yards of total offense.

The Knights come back home to take on No. 9-ranked Saint Xavier University on Saturday at St.Vincent Health Field. The game has a 12 noon kickoff and is part of an historic triple-header as the men's soccer team will follow at 5:30 p.m., and the women's soccer team will play at 7:30 p.m.

The game will be broadcast LIVE on the Knights Football Radio Network with Catholic Radio 89.1 FM WSPM serving as the flagship station. Dr. David Pierce (p-b-p) and Jeff Burris (color) will call all the action beginning at 11:45 a.m.