QUINCY, Ill. - On a picture-perfect Senior Day at QU Stadium, Quincy University capped the 2025 season with a thrilling 37–35 victory over Southwest Baptist, finishing the year 6–5 overall and 4–4 in GLVC play, marking the first time since 2006–2008 the Hawks have posted three straight winning seasons. Before kickoff, Quincy honored 14 incredible seniors, and by the time the clock hit zero, one senior in particular delivered a moment that the entire stadium will remember forever.

Quincy opened the day with a defensive stop and turned early field position into points as Conor McAneney drilled a 32-yard field goal to give QU a 3–0 lead. SBU responded quickly, hitting a 57-yard touchdown strike to go up 7–3.

Bradyn Little and the Hawks offense answered with a crisp 9-play, 62-yard drive capped by Blake Walls' first career touchdown, a 7-yard grab from Little that put QU ahead 10–7.

But the Bearcats punched right back, going 75 yards for another score to regain a 14–10 lead. Quincy closed the quarter with another McAneney field goal, a 29-yarder, to cut the deficit to 14–13.

The quarter nearly turned disastrous when McAneney's 41-yard attempt was blocked and returned 60 yards for a touchdown, putting SBU up 21–13. But the Hawks did not blink. Just two plays later, Collin Parsons broke loose, exploding for a 35-yard touchdown run to bring Quincy back within 21–20.

Then, one of the best moments of the season.

With 10 seconds left, the Hawks lined up at the SBU 2-yard line and sent out senior defensive lineman Jaylin Vaughn in the Wildcat. The crowd roared as Vaughn took the direct snap, surged through the line, and muscled his way across the goal line for a Senior Day touchdown every Hawk fan will remember forever.

As Vaughn sprinted to the sideline, the entire team mobbed him, helmets flying, players jumping in celebration, as the senior delivered a storybook highlight in his final home game. Quincy entered halftime leading 27–21, and the sideline was electric.

Quincy controlled the third quarter on both sides of the ball. McAneney drilled a 43-yard field goal on the opening possession to extend the lead to 30–21. The defense then delivered several of its biggest stops of the day, highlighted by sacks from Jaylin Vaughn, Julius Barfield, and Brock Inman that pushed SBU out of scoring range. Inman later added a key interception to halt another SBU push, preserving the Hawks' nine-point advantage heading into the fourth.

Early in the fourth, Quincy's defense delivered a big blow. On just the third play of an SBU drive, Ayden Bowe jumped a route at the SBU 21 and walked untouched into the end zone for a pick-six, stretching the lead to 37–21. It was QU's second interception of the game and Bowe's first career interception and touchdown.

But SBU wouldn't go away quietly. They pieced together a long 13-play drive, scoring on a 24-yard touchdown pass and converting the two-point try to pull within 37–29. After a stalled Quincy drive, the Bearcats struck again, this time on a 54-yard deep ball that cut the game to 37–35 with 2:38 remaining.

With the season on the line, Quincy turned to its workhorse. Collin Parsons carried the ball six times on the final drive, picking up multiple first downs, including a crucial 4th-and-1 conversion at the SBU 27. Quincy then kneeled out the clock to secure the Senior Day victory.

Quincy finished with 459 total yards compared to SBU's 348, controlling possession by more than 20 minutes, a massive 40:03 to 19:57 edge, thanks to a powerful run game and sustained drives. The Hawks ran 77 plays to SBU's 57 and picked up 26 first downs while converting nine third downs and a pivotal fourth down late in the game. Quincy's defense generated four sacks, forced two interceptions (including a defensive touchdown), and held SBU to only 36 rushing yards at just 1.6 yards per carry. On special teams, McAneney was 3-for-5 on field goals, and QU's kickoff coverage pinned SBU repeatedly, with five touchbacks on eight kicks.

Bradyn Little delivered the second 300-yard passing game of his season, completing 30 of 39 passes for 304 yards. He was efficient, turnover-free, and spread the ball to seven different receivers.

Collin Parsons had the best game of his career. The junior running back carried a massive workload with 28 carries for 142 rushing yards, surpassing his previous career best of 125 against Missouri S&T earlier this season. He also added a career-high 59 receiving yards on seven catches, totaling over 200 yards from scrimmage and scoring his fourth rushing touchdown of the year.

Derrick Miller posted career highs with seven catches for 112 yards, providing chunk plays all afternoon. Freshman Jackson Burnett added a season-high eight receptions for 80 yards, continuing his late-season emergence as a reliable weapon. Blake Walls hauled in the first touchdown of his career in the opening quarter, while Owen Hampton, Collin Parsons, and Troy Crozier all added multiple receptions to help round out a balanced passing attack.

Defensively, Brock Inman recorded seven tackles and a momentum-swinging interception, Jaylin Vaughn had a sack plus his unforgettable rushing touchdown, and Julius Barfield and Jai Williams combined for multiple tackles for loss and backfield disruption. Ayden Bowe's pick-six stood as the defining defensive play of the game.

Quincy ends the 2025 campaign with a 6–5 record and 4–4 GLVC mark, the program's third straight winning season, something the Hawks haven't accomplished since 2006–08. A Senior Day victory, a big-man touchdown, and a thrilling shootout finish made it the perfect closing chapter for this resilient group.