'This was a special day': Judson plays first football game in history
The dark skies and steady rain did not hinder the historic night for Judson University on Saturday.
Amid fall-like weather and in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd, the Judson Eagles started its first venture into collegiate football by hosting Taylor University at Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville.
Taylor University played the spoiler role, though, scoring the first 14 points en route to 42-26 victory over Judson.
Still, Eagles junior outside linebacker Jontrell Mitchell, a 2016 Lake Park graduate, called it a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“I'm really proud of the guys because we didn't know how we would react,” he said. “We're a young team, but we kept our heads up and kept fighting to give ourselves a chance to win in the fourth quarter. We were all grateful for the opportunity.”
Junior wide receiver Dakari Ferguson earned a special place in Judson history — albeit a little too late for the home faithful. Breaking several tackles, Ferguson scored on an electric 31-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Aubrey Williams for the first points in program history at the 12:14 mark of the third quarter.
Judson, a private evangelical university in Elgin founded in 1913, celebrated its first football game with a festive atmosphere. Even with Dundee-Crown's logo plastered all around the stadium, the Eagles (0-1) added their own touch to create a college-like atmosphere.
Four large Judson Eagles' banners lined the walkway from the entrance to the main grandstand.
The Eagles, a member of the Mid-States Football Association, are slated to play 11 regular season games this season.
Mistakes, on and off the field, were an expected part of Saturday's first football experience. The Eagles lost a fumble early in the game, and failed to score from the 1-yard line in the final seconds of the second quarter. The scoreboard clock was an issue throughout the game, while game-day operations dealt with several other hiccups.
But it was a special day for Judson nonetheless, partly due to a furious second-half comeback that kept the fans tuned in throughout the game.
“We are all honored to be here,” Judson coach Dan Paplaczyk said. “It was awesome to walk out here, to see the crowd and what it meant for the people who have been around Judson for a long time. This was a special day. These guys have been hitting each other in the same jerseys for three years.”
Back on Oct. 2018, Judson University President Dr. Gene C. Crume announced to the public the beginning of the football program. Competing in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the Eagles officially joined the Chicago area football scene with a memorable 26-point second-half outburst.
Before the game, the public address announcer declared after “33 years we welcome the Judson football team to the field” to a rousing applause, with the 70-plus players storming the field and sprinting to the 50-yard line. As the Judson players lined up from the far end zone all the way to the opposite 30-yard line, Mitchell, Williams, DaMarius Farmer, and Wesley Thompson all walked to the 50-yard line for the program's first coin toss.
Although the Eagles lost the coin toss, Taylor elected to defer until the second half, which opened the door for Judson to start on offense. Starting the offense out of the shotgun, Williams tossed a screen pass to Ferguson for a 4-yard completion on the first offensive play from scrimmage in program history. The Eagles showed some moxie on their opening drive, choosing to pass the ball on fourth down deep in their own territory. Fifty-plus minutes later, Taylor put an end to Judson's epic comeback bid, scoring on a 41-yard touchdown reception on fourth down with 1:31 remaining in regulation.
“This was three years in the making, but some people would say 58 years in the making,” Paplaczyk said. “This is something to build on from the way we played today.”