IWU vs Millikin

Illinois Wesleyan University and Millikin University have played each other 114 times in football since 1904.

The rivalry has often been heated and, as far back as 1927, IWU’s student newspaper, The Argus, under a sub-headline stating “CAMPUS SPIRIT INCREASES AS GAME WITH WESLEYAN’S OLD RIVALS DRAWS CLOSER",” reported this:

“Wesleyan student spirit, outwardly at least sleeping during the first part of the week, roused itself yesterday, and today and tomorrow will be brought to a higher and higher pitch as one of the biggest events of the school year approaches—the football game with Millikin.”

The record between the teams is astonishingly close as—believe it or not—each school has 52 wins! There also have been 10 ties. IWU’s longest winning streak is 10 games and her longest losing streak 9, but the Titans have won 13 of the last 14 matchups and still hold the record for largest margin of victory at 62-0 in a 1965 contest.

Still playing for stickers

You may have notice white football stickers popping up on players’ helmets throughout the season. Illinois Wesleyan Football has a Fightin’ Titan Team and Individual Award System to recognize players who “Think, Act, and Look Like Undisputed Champions.”

As with every major program, coaches review film after each game. Beyond their usual grading of plays and players, however, Titan coaches are on the lookout for a series of good deeds on the field that can net players a new sticker for their hats. There are team awards for each side of the ball like No Turnovers, 400 yards of Offense, and 100% Scoring in the Red Zone for the Offense, 3 Takeaways, Less than 13 points allowed in a Win, and No Big Plays for Defense, and Punt Return Average <5 yards, 100% PAT, or scoring on a Kickoff Return for Special Teams. Individuals add to their white football collection for efforts like 100 yards of rushing (both the Rusher and the entire O-Line) and Key Blocks on Offense, 10 Tackles or a Sack on Defense, and BIG HITs on KO and Punts or a 40-yard FG (Kicker, Holder, and Snapper) on Special Teams.

Enjoy the geometry as you scan the various shapes the boys choose for their personal designs and, next time you notice a new decoration on your favorite player’s helmet, ask him what it’s for. We bet he’ll know exactly why he got it.

Homecoming Traditions?

Many Titan Traditions go on display each year at Homecoming. Thankfully, however, there are some that are no longer evident.

In 1975, Illinois State’s daily newpaper, The Vidette, reported that, “around the time of the 1921 Homecomings, Illinois Wesleyan and ISU used to try to burn each others bonfires and rivalry between the two schools was evident. In fact, [ISU Faculty member J. Russell] Steele said, borderline vandalism often resulted, with letter painting on buildings and sidewalks, rockthrowing fiascos, and some personal injury.”

We’re not privy to all the priorities IWU’s Administration sets for Homecoming weekends, but are confident that they are actively seeking to avoid any rockthrowing fiascos.

The “Watermelon Scrimmage”

Each Fall, IWU football players celebrate the close of preseason camp with their Green White Scrimmage. After three weeks of intense practices, unrelenting study, and welcome team chemistry activities, the current crop of Titans usually are more than ready for a chance to show their progress on the field and to enjoy a moment to unwind with their teammates and families before the season kicks off.

Both of those things happen when the annual Green-White Scrimmage morphs into the Watermelon Scrimmage. As Titan players leave the field from their inter-squad skirmish, tables full of fresh-cut, ice-cold watermelon greet them. In what became a Titan Tradition over 60 years ago, Coach Don “Swede” Larson began rounding up a truckload of fresh watermelons and a line-up of Titan dads to provide the boys a cooling snack on their way to the locker room. The knife used then still sees action today, kept under lock and key in an undisclosed location until its lone appearance at this game each year. Coach Eash remembers his initial taste of the cold fruit from his first year as a player at IWU and has said, “there’s never been anything like it.”

Passing Image

Sadly, one Titan Tradition that we no longer will be able to enjoy is going to tomdphotos.com after literally every game to review the great photos IWU Football photographer Tom Dittmer posted of our Titans in GameDay action. Tom, just 64, passed away in March of 2021. Since at least 2014, he and daughter Aubrey were fixtures on all 4 sidelines of Titan Varsity and JV football games no matter where—or in what conditions—they were played, capturing 1000s of images of our boys for all of us to enjoy.