Upland, Ind. - For the third time in as many weeks, the Marian football team overcame a fourth quarter deficit by scoring a touchdown in the final two minutes of regulation, needing an overtime period to take down Taylor University 35-34 on a rainy Saturday night. Marian's first overtime game since the 2013 season improved the team's record to 4-0 as they close the month of September. 

Looking for a fast start, Marian received the opening kickoff and put together a positive series with a big pass connection between Tristan Polk and Jake Reichard marching the team into Taylor on their opening series, but on the drive's sixth play Reichard coughed up a fumble. The Trojans looked to add to their NAIA-leading offensive numbers as they drove into the red zone on their opening series after the fumble, only to see a missed 34-yard field goal. The Knights failed to capitalize off the momentum swing and punted away to Taylor, who moved the ball methodically down field to cap a 10-play drive with a Dakhota Sonnichsen touchdown run.

Marian responded in a big way after giving up the first points of the night, as junior Keagan La Belle took a handoff on the next play from scrimmage and raced 80-yards to the end zone for his longest career run, bringing the game to a 7-7 tie following Kenny Curry's point-after-try. The stalemate on the scoreboard was short-lived, as Taylor answered the La Belle run with a 60-yard rip by Kyle Turanchick, setting up Sonnichsen's second touchdown run of the night. Taylor's quick 70-yard drive put the home team back in front with 1:56 remaining in the opening quarter.

After surrendering the lead to Taylor, Marian looked primed to score as the game shifted into the second quarter, but the offense hit a wall in the red zone on back-to-back drives as Polk was intercepted twice by the Trojan defense. Taylor was unable to score off the pair of giveaways, ending one drive in a punt and another in an interception by JT Downey. The Knights managed to find the end zone for a second time after Downey's interception, driving eight plays behind runs from Polk and La Belle, with the running back plunging in from six yards to tie the game. 

With 1:56 to play Taylor took over and looked to score one final time before the half, but their field goal attempt from 37 yards out was blocked by Deon Pettiford, giving Marian a chance to score before the break. The Knights drove the ball to the Taylor 20 as Polk completed four passes on the drive, but the 37 yard field goal from Kenny Curry stayed right of the upright, keeping the game tied 14-14 at the half.

The scoring slowed as the third quarter began, with the defensive units from both teams making their presence felt after halftime. Taylor's first series of the half ended in a turnover on downs as Zion Woods knocked down a pass on a fake punt, while Marian's first series lasted one play, with Polk throwing his third interception of the evening. Marian would stand tall and force a punt from Taylor, but on the ensuing series La Belle saw a long 34-yard carry end prematurely as he lost a fumble forced by Reese Pinckney.

Both teams would punt twice before the end of the third quarter, but sandwiched in between the kicks was a Taylor scoring drive, as the Trojans turned a fourth down and two into points, with backup quarterback Kyle Stratton marching 56 yards to the end zone for a score. The third quarter ended with a long 52-yard carry by Keagan La Belle and the Knights trailing by seven, but unlike the second quarter, Marian finished their series into the fourth quarter with points, seeing Polk dive for the goalline from five yards out to bring the game back to a tie.

Knotted 21-21 in the fourth quarter, the turnover bug hit Taylor in a big way, as Stratton tossed interceptions on consecutive drives. Dwight Lewis III nabbed the first pick of the quarter to end a Trojan series in the red zone, while Jayshawn Underwood snagged a deflected pass for his third interception of the season. Despite Marian's defense making plays to stay in the game, the offense came up empty on consecutive drives, ending both in Mason Miller punts. Miller's second punt pinned the Trojans at their own one-yard line, but failed to keep Taylor off the scoreboard, as a rapid two-play, 99-yard drive gave the home team a 28-21 lead with 4:58 to play.

Needing a score to tie the game, Marian entrusted Tristan Polk for a third-consecutive week, with the redshirt-junior manufacturing a game-tying series. Passes to Drew Byerley and Jake Reichard helped move Marian across mid-field, while a quarterback run pushed Marian to the 30-yard line at the two-minute timeout. Two plays after the stoppage, Polk connected with Reichard on a 21-yard touchdown pass, tying the game as Curry converted his fourth extra point of the game. Marian's score came with 1:22 to play, and with the game tied the defense stepped up, getting a sack to force a Taylor punt. Marian attempted to score on their final play of regulation with a hook-and-ladder, but came up short of the end zone, sending the game to overtime.

Marian would go on offense first as they lined up for their first overtime game since the 2013 season, and used eight plays on their first drive of the period with La Belle scoring his third rushing touchdown of the game. The Knights led 35-28 as Taylor took the field, but were soon standing on the goalline as the Trojans scored in two plays. The Trojans elected to go for two and the win after Jameson Chesser scored, but on the two-point play Kyle Stratton's roll-out pass was partially deflected by Lewis, falling to the turf and out of bounds, ending the game with Marian standing on top 35-34.

The overtime victory is the second in the history between Marian and Taylor, with the Knights previously winning in double-OT in 2013. Marian ended the game out-gaining Taylor 572-548, with the Trojans running for 459 yards to Marian's 331. 

For Marian, Polk came up in crunch time once again, leading the Knights on a go-ahead or game-tying drive for the third consecutive week. The starting quarterback ran for a career-high 57 yards and his fifth rushing touchdown of the season, while passing for 241 yards and one touchdown. Reichard had a career-night hauling in 11 passes for 149 yards, and Kegan La Belle ran for a career-best 261 yards, scoring three touchdowns on the night. La Belle's performance was the first 200-yard rushing game and three-rushing touchdown performance since 2021, when Daylen Taylor ran for 203 and a trifecta of scores on St. Francis (Ind.). 

Marian's defense was led in tackles by Cade Houseman and Isaiah Street, who each made nine stops. Street recorded a sack in the victory, as did JT Downey who made eight tackles and intercepted a pass. Underwood made four stops with his interception, and Lewis made one tackle and broke up the would-be game-winning two-point conversion. Wyatt Woodall made eight stops on the night for Marian, and Sean Pennington recorded his first collegiate sack as the freshman started at cornerback.

Marian's bye week is scheduled for October 5, with the Knights returning to game action on Saturday, October 12 in a matchup with current No. 6 Indiana Wesleyan. Kickoff for the October 12 clash is slated for 1:05 p.m.

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