Tartans Win 500 With a 28-13 Victory at Chicago

(CHICAGO, Ill.) – The Carnegie Mellon University football team traveled to the Windy City to play the Maroons of the University of Chicago Saturday, November 5.  In the University Athletic Association (UAA) contest the Tartans defeated the Maroons 28-13.  The win marks the 500th in the history of the program and moves the Tartans record to 5-4, 1-1 while the Maroons are now 5-4, 0-2.

Following a 25-yard kickoff return by junior Jared Delello (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Hunterdon Central) to open the contest, the Tartans needed five plays to take an early 7-0 lead.  Junior running back Patrick Blanks (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller) scampered for 27 yards after taking the handoff up the middle and bouncing outside for the score.

The Maroons answered the Tartans' scoring drive, as they marched 60 yards on eight plays, and settled for a 29-yard field goal off the toe of Jeff Saurer.  With 8:38 on the clock in the first quarter the score was 7-3 Carnegie Mellon.

After the teams exchanged fumbles, Blanks scored his second rushing touchdown of the game, this time coming from 11 yards out making the score 14-3.

Before the end of the half the home team cut into the Tartans' lead, scoring twice.  The first score for the Maroons came when quarterback Kevin Shelton scored on a 1-yard run on first and goal capping off a seven-play, 94-yard drive.  On the last play of the half, Saurer connected for his second field goal.  His 39 yarder made the score 14-13 heading into the break.

On the Tartans' first possession of the second half, the Cardinal and Gray marched 77 yards on nine plays and extended the lead to 21-13 on a 1-yard scoring plunge by senior running back Chris Garcia (Albuquerque, N.M./Valley).  The score was setup when sophomore quarterback Rob Kalkstein (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) connected with sophomore wide receiver Tim Kikta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) on a 45-yard reception down to the five-yard line and two carries later Garcia found the end zone.

Blanks scored his third touchdown of the game on a 7-yard run at the 13:06 mark of the fourth quarter.  Blanks ended an 11-play, 93-yard drive that took five minutes off the clock with his score that pushed the visitor's lead to 28-13.

Carnegie Mellon outgained Chicago 428-287 in total yards, as the Tartans tallied 340 yards on the ground. Blanks led all Tartan rushers with a career-high 171 yards on 16 carries and three scores.  Garcia finished the contest with 90 yards while Nardone tallied 64 in the win.

Junior linebacker Nick Karabin (Ruffs Dale, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic) led the Tartans with nine tackles while sophomore inside linebacker Eric Rolfes (Cincinnati, Ohio/Madeira) had eight. Senior defensive lineman Andrew Medenbach (Muskegon, Mich./Mona Shores) recorded two sacks while totaling four tackles. Also in the win, junior cornerback Sam Thompson (Alcoa, Tenn.) recorded two interceptions, tying the school record with seven for the season.

The Tartans will conclude the regular season, as they play host to Case Western Reserve University Saturday, November 12 on the turf of Gesling Stadium.  Kick is slated for 2:00 p.m.

Take a look back at our football history as we celebrate the run to 500 wins.