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WashU Falls Big To No. 1 North Central
The Bears stayed close in the first half, but North Central scored five touchdowns in the second half to break the game open.
| NCAA Football | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
| WashU (2-1, 1-1) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 |
| #1 North Central (3-0, 2-0) | 7 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 49 |
NAPERVILLE, IL -- The Washington University football team got outgained 556 total yards to 145 total yards in a 49-9 loss to top-ranked North Central College, in a CCIW league game, Saturday afternoon at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.
The No. 1 Cardinals led 14-2 at halftime, but broke the game open by scoring five touchdowns in the second half, while WashU was only able to manage one.
North Central quarterbacks Luke Lehnen and Calvin Lavery combined for 319 passing yards and three touchdown passes. The duo also threw three interceptions, which helped keep WashU in the game.
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Even with the forced turnovers, North Central dominated the game. WashU's only first half points came on a safety, which occurred on a bad snap that sailed over the punter's head and was recovered in the North Central end zone.
After that, the Cardinals scored two touchdowns in the third quarter and another early in the fourth to build a 35-2 lead.
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The Bears had their best drive of the game midway through the fourth, when they went 65 yards on nine plays to score a touchdown on a 15-yard pass from Luke Johnston to Zachary Ginsburg.
North Central scored twice more later in the fourth to put the game away.
WashU was without starting quarterback Clark Stephens and struggled to move the ball all the day. Backup QBs Johnston and Levi Moore, who started the game, combined to complete just 12-of-28 passes for 91 yards and the one touchdown to Ginsburg.
The Bears are now 2-1 on the year and 1-1 in the CCIW. The club will be on the road again next week, when it will travel to Bloomington, Ill., to play Illinois Wesleyan.
Kickoff next Saturday is set for 1 p.m.
2024 WASHU BEARS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Sept. 7 at Rhodes College -- W 44-20
Sept. 21 vs. Carroll University* -- W 35-7
Sept. 28 at #1 North Central* -- L 49-9
Oct. 5 at Illinois Wesleyan* -- 1 pm
Oct. 12 vs. Carthage* -- 1 pm
Oct. 19 at Elmhurst* -- 1 pm
Oct. 26 vs. #18 Wheaton* -- 1 pm
Nov. 2 vs. Millikin* -- 12 pm
Nov. 9 at North Park* -- 12 pm
Nov. 16 vs. Augustana* -- 12 pm
* - denotes CCIW league game