Kenvorris Campbell rushed for 72 yards as part of WashU’s 769-yard outburst against Millikin. (Sydney Strominger | Contributing Photographer)

Within the first two minutes of WashU football’s game against Millikin University, it was clear that the Bears had a chip on their shoulder. 

Just one week ago, a loss to No. 23 Wheaton College dashed the Bears’ postseason hopes. After the loss, WashU would have to win out to have a chance at the NCAA tournament or the Culver’s Isthmus Bowl. The Bears needed a fast start against Millikin, and they got one when sophomore quarterback Levi Moore connected with senior receiver Taidhgin Trost in the end zone, just one minute and 37 seconds into the game. 

The Bears’ offense didn’t look back, defeating Millikin 70-21 on Nov. 2. The Bears set a program record with 769 yards of total offense, breaking the previous mark of 726 yards set against Grinnell College in 1948 when the Bears were led by future NFL head coach, Weeb Ewbank. Three WashU players — senior running back Ken Hamilton, sophomore running back Cal Newell, and senior receiver Collin Goldberg — all had over 100 yards in the win. 

“Our theme of the week was to come out and shut them down quick,” Hamilton said. “We wanted to overpower them and shut them down, and we did.” 

After Trost’s early touchdown, the Bears added two more scores in the first quarter. Just four minutes after Trost’s touchdown, junior running back Fred Ware ran for a touchdown on a goal-line play. On their next drive, Millikin quarterback Aiden Lombardo ran for 76 yards into the red zone. But the Bears’ defensive line stood tall, with senior lineman Nate Light making a crucial tackle on fourth down to prevent a score. 

WashU received the ball at their 4-yard line. Moore cast a deep ball to Goldberg, who beat the Millikin cornerback for a 96-yard touchdown. The sophomore from Nashville had a career-best 221 passing yards in the win. 

“This year, [Moore] came in with a lot more confidence, better knowledge of our plays, and a lot more speed,” head coach Aaron Keen said. “I think he can be a difference-maker for us.” 

Quarterback Levi Moore evades a Millikin defender. (Sydney Strominger | Student Life)

WashU’s run game, which has dominated opposing defenses all season, set the tone early in the second quarter. Ware added a 20-yard rushing touchdown 43 seconds into the second frame. After the Bears’ defense forced a quick three-and-out, Hamilton ran for a 58-yard score just over a minute after Ware’s touchdown. 

With WashU up 35-0, the Bears sat back. Millikin took advantage of some WashU mistakes in the second quarter, cashing in opportunities from a Hamilton fumble and a Moore interception to bring the score to 35-14. The Bears, however, were immediately able to respond to their unforced errors. On the next drive, Moore connected with graduate receiver Collin Hoyhtya for a 36-yard reception. Later in the drive, Hamilton ran in for a 4-yard touchdown.

After stopping the Big Blue on their next possession, WashU converted a 12-play drive for Hamilton’s third rushing touchdown of the afternoon. The senior was named the CCIW’s Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 155 yards and three scores.

“It’s just a fun game to be a part of,” Hamilton said. “The team came out really powerful and really fast, and everyone’s just juiced up making plays.” 

Millikin received the second-half kickoff and scored on the opening drive of the third quarter. However, that was the only offense that Millikin could muster in the second half. WashU senior running back, Kenvorris Campbell, responded with a touchdown off of a direct snap on the next drive. After forcing a fumble on a Millikin punt return, Newell found the end zone towards the end of the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, first-year quarterback Jack Atkinson rushed for a touchdown on the first snap he took for the Bears. 

Every healthy player on the WashU sideline played on Parents and Family Day, a tradition that Keen started last season. In the win, WashU’s young quarterbacks — Moore, Atkinson, sophomore Gino Martino, and first-year Alexander Singh – took all of the snaps under center for WashU. The Bears showed off their depth against Millikin, a promising sign for an offense with many key contributors graduating this spring. 

“It was a goal for us this week to play the way we’re capable of playing so that everyone could go out and get the job done,” Keen said. “I think that challenged all of our young guys, but they did a nice job of stepping up and executing when they got in.”

With the loss, Millikin fell to 0-8 on the season. The Big Blue has lost its last 18 games, dating back to 2022, and has not beaten WashU since the 2019 season. On Oct. 27, Millikin fired head coach Carlton Hall; the blowout loss was the first game that Millikin played under the leadership of interim coach Patrick Allgeier.  

The Bears will travel to Chicago next weekend to face North Park University. The winner of that matchup will clinch third place in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, and likely a bid to the Isthmus Bowl. With WashU’s postseason hopes on the line, Hamilton and the Bears are fired up. 

“We’ve got to go week by week and handle them, and we’ll do our business,” Hamilton said. “It’ll be fun.”