Dayton suffers most lopsided loss in 100 years, but scoring streak lives on

Scoring streak survives thanks to third-quarter field goal

Credit: David Jablonski

Credit: David Jablonski

The Dayton Flyers narrowly avoided their first shutout loss in 45 years on Saturday night.

A 28-yard field goal in the third quarter by Sam Webster extended Dayton’s scoring streak — the longest active streak in college football — to 489 games, but the Flyers (1-1) lost 55-3 to No. 8 Southern Illinois (2-1) in Carbondale, Ill.

Dayton suffered its most lopsided loss since 1921 when it fell 78-0 to Bethany and surrendered its most points since a 56-14 loss to Illinois State in the first game of the 2012 season.

This was Dayton’s lowest points total since Wagner beat it 19-3 in the NCAA Division III playoffs in 1987. Only two other opponents have limited Dayton to three points since 1976: Eastern Kentucky in 1981 and Butler in 1983. Dayton still has not been shut out since it lost 9-0 to Marshall on Oct. 16, 1976.

Southern Illinois outgained Dayton 658-218. The Flyers averaged 1.9 yards on 41 carries. Jack Cook completed 14 of 24 passes for 131 yards.

Dayton failed to score in the first half for the second straight game. It trailed Eastern Illinois 3-0 at halftime in its opener but won 17-10.

Webster’s field goal came after Cook completed a 19-yard pass to Michael Neel on 4th-and-12 from the Southern Illinois 26-yard line. The kick ended a 15-play, 65-yard drive, Dayton’s longest of the night.

Dayton’s only other drive of more than 30 yards ended when Webster missed a 37-yard field goal late in the second quarter.

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