The Illinois Wesleyan University football team began the 2026 season with a 24-10 win at Albion College at Sprankle-Sprandle Stadium Saturday, Sept. 5. The win marked IWU's first nonconference road win since 2016 and saw the Titans pick off the Britons three times.
The Green and White defense limited Albion to 264 yards of total offense, including just 92 yards on the ground en route to the win. Senior Nathan Frank (Hoffman Estates, Ill.-Hoffman Estates) as well as juniors Lucas Lappin (Lake Zurich, Ill.-Lake Zurich) and Clint Teater (Morton, Ill.-Morton) registered interceptions, while senior Ian Whitaker (Bloomington, Ill.-Central Catholic) was credited with a team-high two sacks. Seniors Nathan Schmidt (Chicago, Ill.-IC Catholic Prep) and Marcheon Griffin (Elmhurst, Ill.-IC Catholic Prep) tacked on two tackles for loss apiece.
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Senior Austin Brown (Lemont, Ill.-Lemont) was one of three Titans to accrue double-digit tackles, finishing with a career-high 14. Brown's stat line included 1.5 tackles for loss, half a sack and two quarterback hurries. Senior John Gavin (Mt. Prospect, Ill.-Prospect) followed with 13 tackles, while senior co-captain Joey DeMaio (Woodridge, Ill.-Lemont) tacked on 10. Lappin followed closely, posting nine tackles alongside his interception and a forced fumble.
On the offensive side of the ball, Illinois Wesleyan compiled 325 yards total. The Green and White rushed for 188 yards and threw for 137. Senior Dermot Smyth (Chicago, Ill.-Marist) completed 12-of-21 passes for 137 yards and two scores and added 83 yards rushing. Senior Malik Gray (Chicago, Ill.-IC Catholic Prep) led the ground game with 90 yards on 15 carries, including a 43-yard touchdown run. Junior Will Nazha (Barrington, Ill.-Barrington) picked up right where he left off a season ago, hauling in a game-high nine catches for 121 yards. It marked the fourth 100-yard receiving game of his career and pushed him across 1,000 yards for his career.
A 32-yard first-quarter field goal by the Britons stood as the only points scored in the opening half as each team's offense worked to find a rhythm. Albion had two promising scoring opportunities, but the Green and White defense held the home team without anything further. After the Titans saw the ball punched loose on a rushing attempt and recovered by Albion, Frank picked off the Britons' quarterback at the IWU 33-yard line along the home team sideline.
Later in the half, AC marched 82 yards down the field to set up first-and-goal from the Illinois Wesleyan 5-yard line. Sophomore Mathew Gasior (Northbrook, Ill.-Glenbook North) and Brown made a stop on first down before Schmidt and DeMaio stopped the Brits at the 1-yard line. On third down, Griffin and senior Alex Jackson (Harvey, Ill.-Bremen) blew up a play in the backfield for a 4-yard loss. Albion elected to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 5, but the toss to the corner was picked off by Teater with 14 seconds left in the first half.
Illinois Wesleyan took full advantage of the first possession of the second half, handing the ball off to Gray for carries of 10 and 12 yards to move across midfield. Facing third-and-long after a stop behind the line and an incompletion, Smyth dropped back and delivered a dart into the outstretched arms of Nazha. The 44-yard touchdown toss marked the 50th of Smyth's career and put Nazha over 1,000 yards receiving for his career. Sophomore Lach Sullivan (Rochester, Ill.-Rochester) converted the point after to push the Titans ahead, 7-3.
Albion came right back, taking the ball all the way to the Titans' 38-yard line, but IWU registered its third interception of the day as Lappin pulled in a desperation heave around the 10-yard line.
The Britons struck for a 5-yard scamper into the end zone to reclaim a 10-7 lead, but the Titans leveled the score at 10-all with a 22-yarder by Sullivan.
Tied entering the final stanza, the Green and White took over at their own 40-yard line following a punt. Smyth completed three straight passes before calling his own number on an 18-yard rush down the left side to give IWU a fresh set of downs at the Albion 9-yard line. After Gray picked up 5 with a carry up the middle, Smyth hit a wide-open Tony Noto (Mokena, Ill.-Lincoln-Way Central) in the end zone for a 4-yard strike. Sullivan's point after touchdown upped the lead to 17-10 with 9:06 to play.
Illinois Wesleyan's defense silenced the Britons from there, holding the home team to three-and-out on back-to-back possessions. Gray broke through a gap for a 43-yard touchdown run to close out the scoring late in the fourth to put a bow on a 24-10 Titan victory.
The Green and White returns to action for its home opener next Saturday, Sept. 12, as Trine University visits Tucci Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. and will see the Titans' senior class recognized pregame.
