Sophomore quarterback Wyatt Ellis' 3-yard touchdown run with 2 minutes, 7 seconds left in the game rallied the host Blue Jays to the UMAC win over the Highlanders on Saturday.
Westminster College - which pulled within 30-27 on junior kicker Brad Hammel's 39-yard field goal with 9:41 to play - stopped a two-game losing streak. The Blue Jays, who scored the game's final 16 points, are now 2-4 overall and 2-2 in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference.
MacMurray College (2-3, 2-1) quickly opened the scoring on Bobby Tedesco's 13-yard touchdown pass to Tanner Sussenba with 13:01 remaining in the first quarter. Westminster made it 7-3 on Hammel's 25-yard field goal with 7:55 to go in the quarter, but the Highlanders answered with a field goal of their own on Luke DesNoyers' 26-yard kick with 11:38 left in the first half.
The Blue Jays tied the game at 10-all when Ellis scored from 1 yard out at the 4:43 mark. MacMurray, though, went back in front at halftime on Tedesco's 26-yard touchdown pass to Demetrius Curry with 1:59 to play.
Westminster then took its first lead at 17-16 after Ellis bolted 26 yards for a touchdown with 9:08 remaining in the third quarter. Hammel's extra point put the Blue Jays on top.
The Highlanders regained the lead on Ethan Downs' 1-yard scoring run at the 4:59 mark. After recovering a Westminster fumble on the ensuing kickoff, MacMurray quickly stretched its advantage to 30-17 on Tedesco's 25-yard touchdown pass to Sussenba with 4:50 to go.
The Blue Jays then began their comeback on Ellis' 7-yard scoring pass to sophomore wide receiver Cornell Young with 2:04 left in the quarter.
Ellis rushed for 114 yards on 16 carries as Westminster produced 388 yards of total offense. Ellis completed 19-of-29 passes for 157 yards.
Sophomore running back DeQuintin Smith added 82 yards rushing in 16 attempts for the Blue Jays.
Tedesco was 26-of-35 passing for 300 yards and one interception as MacMurray tallied 339 yards of total offense. Curry had nine catches for 114 yards.
Westminster remains at home for a UMAC contest against Martin Luther at noon next Saturday.