Indianapolis – The Marian University football team forced a turnover and scored the game's opening touchdown in the 2026 Monumental Matchup, but ultimately fell at UIndy, 39-7, in the season opener Thursday night on the city's south side.
TEAM STATISTICS
- UIndy out-gained Marian, 474-162
- The Greyhounds picked up 21 first downs to nine for the Knights
- UIndy picked up 262 rushing yards; MU had 71 yards on the ground
- The Greyhounds out-gained the Knights through the air, 212-91
- UIndy led in time of possession, 31:14 to 28:46
- The Greyhounds converted 7 of 11 third downs; Marian was 4-for-15 on third downs and 0-for-1 on fourth down
- UIndy totaled four sacks, while the Knights had one
INDIVIDAL LEADERS
- RJ Griffin was 9-for-20 with 50 yards passing and a rushing touchdown
- Jake Dunn added 41 yards passing on three completions
- CJ Harris picked up a team-high 41 rush yards on seven carries
- Montasi Clay hauled in four passes for 38 yards
- Cade Houseman tallied 10 tackles with one for loss
- Wyatt Woodall chipped in 10 tackles of his own
- Jacarei Markey registered a sack in his collegiate debuted
- Dean Mason nearly 45 yards per punt on eight boots
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER
- Marian won the toss and elected to take the ball first in 2026, but the UIndy forced a three-and-out
- Luke Swartz punched the football out on the Greyhounds' first play from scrimmage and Armonte Jackson recovered to give the Knights a short field
- Griffin punched in the game's first score on a four-yard keeper to give MU the early 7-0 lead
- A 51-yard scamper from Garrett Sherrell got UIndy into Marian territory and he answered the Knights' score with an 11-yard touchdown run
- The extra-point was missed as MU held a 7-6 lead early on
- Marian drove into the UIndy red zone, but the drive stall and a 33-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right
SECOND QUARTER
- UIndy's 11-play, 80-yard was capped by Juseters Fataki's four-yard touchdown run as the Greyhounds took the lead
- The Knights were unable to advance on its ensuing possession, as Sherrell added another TD score from 19 yards out to extend the Greyhound lead to 20-7
- UIndy added to its lead with a seven-yard score on a keeper from Nick Patterson, taking a 26-7 lead into the halftime locker room
THIRD QUARTER
- The MU defense stiffened to start the second half, forcing UIndy to three-and-outs on its first three possessions of the third quarter
- The Greyhounds broke through on a 32-yard catch and run by Anthony Crowell, leading 32-7 after three periods
FOURTH QUARTER
- Marian was forced to punt on its first possession of the fourth quarter and the Greyhounds went 88 yards in 10 plays to extend the lead to 39-7 on Caiden Verrett's one-yard plunge
- After the teams traded a pair of punts, Jake Dunn entered the game at quarterback and led an 81-yard drive that ended in a turnover on downs
UP NEXT
- Marian opens up its NAIA slate on Saturday, Sept. 5, traveling to Defiance College
- Kickoff with the Yellow Jackets is set for 1 p.m.
