Ashland University's football team earned a 23-20 win over McKendree in the 2023 America's Crossroads Bowl on Friday (Dec. 1) night in Hammond, Ind. – ending the 2023 season with an eight-game winning streak.
The Eagles, the first Great Midwest Athletic Conference team to win the Crossroads Bowl, concluded the campaign at 9-3, and with the program's longest win streak since 11 games in 2017. Ashland has won 19 games over the last two seasons, the program's best back-to-back seasons since 2016-17 (20 wins).
McKendree is 5-6.
Sophomore defensive end
Michael Shimek was the top highlight for the Eagles on Friday night, setting a new program single-game record with four sacks. He finished the night with nine total tackles (six solo), four tackles for loss and a forced fumble.
Shimek broke the previous program mark of 3½ sacks in a game, done three times and first set by College Football Hall of Famer
Bill Royce at Wayne State on Oct. 2, 1993.
The scoring in the first-ever meeting between the two teams started with Ashland's 53-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback
Trevor Bycznski to junior wide receiver
Jent Joseph. The Bearcats tied the game at 7 on a first-quarter touchdown run, then the Eagles re-took the lead at 14-7 in the second quarter on an eight-yard scoring toss from Bycznski to freshman wideout
Jamari Croom.
After McKendree scored back-to-back touchdowns to end the first half on a pass and an interception return, the Bearcats led 20-14 going into halftime.
Ashland shut out McKendree in the second half – taking the lead with 2:07 to go in the game when Bycznski found sophomore wide receiver
Tyler Davis for a 39-yard score, then capping the game off when senior defensive end
Deeb Alawan's sack in the end zone resulted in a safety with 27 ticks to play.
POST-GAME NUGGETS
- Bycznski finished 20-for-31 for 283 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, and Joseph grabbed six passes for 142 yards and a score.
- In his first collegiate start, junior tailback Patrick Blubaugh rushed for 108 yards on 20 carries.
