Olivet, MI – Millikin University Football opened the 2026 season on the road on Thursday evening, taking on The University of Olivet. The Big Blue were defeated by a final of 39-19.
Millikin scored first to open the game, with an
AJ Lee 12-yard touchdown rush capping a six-play, 78 yard drive with 10:21 to go in the opening quarter. Olivet struck back with a long drive of their own, but a missed PAT kept Millikin ahead, 7-6. When the visitors got the ball back, they needed just one play, as Lee took the first handoff of the drive 75 yards to the house to extend the MU advantage to 13-6 with 3:08 to go in the first.
Entering the second quarter, the Comets offense heated up. Olivet fired three straight passing touchdowns, holding Millikin off the scoreboard at the same time, to take a 26-13 lead with 17 seconds to play in the half. A big kick return would give Millikin good field position, and a pair of efficient plays from
Sylas Gomez got the Big Blue to move 48 yards in just nine seconds.
Giovanni Natale would connect on a 22-yard field goal to end the half, with the score 26-16 in favor of Olivet.
Out of halftime, the Comets scored quickly to take a 17-point lead at 33-19, and limited Millikin to another 30-yard Natale field goal in the second half. One more Olivet touchdown moved the score to its final of 39-19.
Sylas Gomez completed 16 of 31 pass attempts for 183 yards, and
AJ Lee led Big Blue rushers with 167 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries.
Tyreon Key led Millikin receivers with 92 yards on four catches. Defensively,
Keith Thompson was the leading tackler for Millikin, totaling 10 tackles in the contest.
"We have a lot to build on and learn from." Said Head Football Coach
Billy Riebock. "We all have to use this result in the right way, and propel ourselves forward as we move on from today. Everyone in the organization has to be better and grow, which I know that we will. We are lucky that God gave us "tomorrows", and we'll build on the positives while correcting the negatives. We're looking forward to hosting Luther College and be back on our home field next week. GO BLUE."
Millikin starts the season 0-1, and will take on Luther College in their home opener on September 12.
