ELMHURST, Ill. – The Carroll University football team needed to head to its second 2OT game of the season to put away the Elmhurst Bluejays on Saturday night by a score of 31-28. Jacob Laurent kicked the game-winning 36-yard field goal to walk off the game. Will Campbell was everywhere for the Pioneers, tallying 13 tackles with three tackles for loss and a pass breakup.  
 
The Pioneers (4-2, 3-2 CCIW) did not have their best on offense tonight, despite recording 405 yards of total offense. Carroll gave up the ball twice including two fumbles. Josh Raby passed for two touchdowns and two interceptions going 24-49 for 251 yards. Raby also had 43 rushing yards on eight carries with a score. J.R Muth caught both touchdown passes with Josh Hill recording eight catches for 96 yards. Nick Leganioli and Jaxon Case combined for 97 yards rushing on the ground. Carroll's defense had two fumble recoveries of their own, one by Hill and another by Jim Klem. The Pioneers recorded 10 tackles for loss and three sacks on defense. Holding Elmhurst to just 74 yards rushing.
 
The Pios started the game by forcing a three-and-out for the Bluejays, and followed it up with a seven-play drive that spanned two minutes as Raby found Muth for a 2-yard score. Carroll's next offensive possession stalled at the 30-yard line, and the field goal attempt came up short.
 
A fumble deep in Carroll territory gave Elmhurst the scoop and score opportunity to tie the game at 7-7. Carroll responded with another touchdown drive, capped off by Muth's second touchdown catch six plays later. The Carroll defense surrendered a quick touchdown to the Bluejays three plays later, and both teams traded punts for the remaining 7:23 of the first half. Laurent's second field goal attempt before halftime sailed wide right.
 
Raby's first offensive drive stalled deep in Elmhurst territory as the quarterback threw an interception in the end zone for a touchback. Klem and Campbell stopped Elmhurst on a fourth and one play  to give Carroll the ball back, but a Pioneer fumble by Muth gave the Bluejays the ball back two plays later. Neither team managed to score nor gain possession in the third, as Carroll finished 0-4 on third downs.
 
The Bluejays' drive at the end of the third carried into the fourth, and the home team took the lead 21-14 with 10:57 to play in the game. The Pioneers got the ball back and were driving down the field before another interception by Raby in the red zone. After Carroll forced a three and out, the offense orchestrated a seven-play, 91-yard drive that ended with a 16-yard Raby scramble for a touchdown.
 
Campbell broke up a pass on 3^rd and 16 with under two minutes to play to help force a punt and give Carroll a chance to score before overtime. Laurent's attempt from 46 yards out with one second remaining hit the left post and the Pios went to overtime for the second time this season.
 
Case scored the first touchdown of overtime as Carroll got the ball first. The Pioneer defense allowed the Bluejays to find the end zone on a 4^th and goal from the six-yard line, and the game went to a second OT period. With the Bluejays on offense first, Carroll was successful in their second attempt to stop them. The Pioneers forced a field goal attempt from 48 yards out and that missed short.
 
Carroll went down to the 19 yard line and came up short on third down on their next offensive possession. Laurent's fourth attempt of the night flew straight through the uprights from 36 yards out for the win.
 
Carroll will travel again next week, this time visiting the top-25 Wheaton Thunder in Wheaton on Saturday, October 22.