The WashU Bears have won three straight games and are 5-1 on the season. (Photo: Cedric Williams)

WashU Football – Gameday Info
Game No. 7 – #25 Wheaton Thunder (4-2, 4-1) at WashU Bears (5-1, 4-1)
Date/Time – October 26, 2024 – 1 pm
Location – Francis Olympic Field — Clayton, MO
Watch – WashU Sports Network
Live Stats – WashU Sidearm Stats

Steven Millbrook
Special to the Editor

CLAYTON, MO — The Washington University football team is gearing up for what will likely be its biggest home game of the 2024 season on Saturday, when the Bears will host No. 25-ranked Wheaton College in a matchup that could have playoff implications and will likely determine second place in the CCIW this season.

WashU and Wheaton will enter Saturday’s contest tied for second in the conference. Both clubs are 4-1 in league play, with both teams’ loses coming to undefeated and No. 1-ranked North Central College. So with just three more games left in the regular season following Saturday’s game, it’s not likely that either team will surpass North Central.

But they could put a lock on second place, which might be good enough to earn a playoff spot. It was for Wheaton in each of the last three seasons, when the Thunder came in second behind North Central, but still made the NCAA Division III playoffs.

WashU is sitting right where Wheaton has been during these last four seasons. Boasting only one loss, with that one loss coming to top-ranked North Central. So if the Bears can get a W on Saturday, they might be in strong position to make the postseason this year.

Last year’s game between WashU and Wheaton was a heart-stopping thriller. The Bears led early, but lost the lead in the second quarter. Then Wheaton took control and led until late in the fourth, when WashU scored with about five minutes to go to tie the game, then scored again with a little over a minute to go to take the lead again.

But Wheaton wasn’t done. The Thunder pulled off a miraculous Hail Mary play with no time left to pull within a point, then scored on a two-point conversion to win the game.

That win was the one that put Wheaton in the playoffs last year. They might’ve made it anyway, but the win over WashU was the one that left no doubt in the playoff committee’s mind.

The same type of scenario could happen again when 5-1 WashU hosts 4-2 Wheaton on Saturday. Kickoff at Francis Olympic Field is scheduled for 1 p.m.

WashU QB Clark Stephens has 737 passing yards and seven touchdowns this season. (Photo: Primo Greenway)

Players to Watch: WashU’s high-powered offense, which ranks second in the CCIW in scoring (39.2 ppg) and total touchdowns (33), is at its best when starting QB Clark Stephens is running the show.

The senior from Bronxville, N.Y., has thrown for 737 yards and seven touchdowns, with only one interception. But he has also only completed four games this season. In the other two, Stephens is listed as having played, but had no official stats, including last week’s 49-10 win over Elmhurst.

In his absence, sophomore Levi Moore has stepped in and done an admirable job. Last week, Moore completed 12-of-14 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns.

WashU’s top receiver has been senior Collin Goldberg, a two-time All-CCIW performer who has 41 catches for 432 yards and two touchdowns. Goldberg also showed he has other big-play capabilities when he ran back a punt for a score last week.

When the Bears aren’t passing, they’re handing the ball off to one of their trio of monster ball carriers — Kenvorris Campbell, Fred Ware, or Kenneth Hamilton.

Campbell leads WashU with 395 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Ware has 370 yards and four touchdowns. And Hamilton has 263 yards and three touchdowns.

On defense, WashU is led by junior safety Ryan Schmadtke, who has 34 tackles (24 solo) and an interception. Freshman DL Jack Middleton has 4.5 quarterback sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss.

WashU RB Kenvorris Campbell leads the team with 395 yards and five touchdowns this season. (Photo: Primo Greenway)

Wheaton has a top-flight passer at quarterback as well, in junior Mark Forcucci, who ranks second in the CCIW with 1,395 passing yards, third with 13 touchdown passes, and leads the league with a 279 passing yards per game average.

Forcucci’s top receiver is Ben Bonga, the CCIW league leader with 44 catches for 681 yrds and 10 touchdowns.

RB Giovanni Weeks is the CCIW’s third-leading rusher with 442 yards and four touchdowns.

Up Next: Win or lose, WashU will be home again next Saturday, when it host Millikin University at 12 p.m.

That will be the Bears’ annual Parent and Family Weekend Game.

2024 WashU Bears Football Schedule

DateTimeAtOpponentLocation
October 26, 20241 p.m.Home#25 Wheaton CollegeFrancis Olympic Field
November 2, 202412 p.m.HomeMillikin UniversityFrancis Olympic Field
November 9, 202412 p.m.AwayNorth Park UniversityChicago, Ill. / Holmgren Athletic Complex
November 16, 202412 p.m.HomeAugustana CollegeFrancis Olympic Field