The Case Western football team is no longer ensured a bid for a UAA championship on Saturday. The Spartans now stand at 1-1 in UAA play following a rough 29-0 loss to Washington University in St. Louis.

With this loss the Spartans, who stand at 4-4 overall, will need a win on Saturday to possibly clinch a share of the UAA title. The game on Saturday is already a big game for the Spartans as they play Carnegie Mellon in the 28th Annual Academic Bowl.

Washington controlled the first half Saturday’s match. The Bears had possession for 21:25 in comparison to a mere 8:35 for Case. Washington used that extra time to their advantage, recording 221 yards to the Spartans’ 69 in the first half alone.

The dominance began early as the Bears ate 9:30 off the clock on a monstrous 73-yard 18-play drive which ended in a 21-yard field goal. A 10-yard touchdown run by Washington’s Cody Ratermann, followed by the extra point, made the game 10-0 with 7:46 left before halftime.

The Spartans were unable to move on the ensuing possession and turned it over on downs deep in their own half. This led to another Washington field goal, making the score 13-0. Hoping to stop the bleeding, the Spartans took possession but were unable to score or run out the clock and the Bears took advantage. With just 48 seconds left in the half, their quarterback Eric Daginella broke away with a 51-yard touchdown run. The extra point was good, making the score 20-0 at the half.

In the second half, Daginella threw a 38-yard TD pass to Tim Bartholomew at 2:29 in the third quarter, and the Bears added a safety with 7:45 left to play to make the final score 29-0.

Case was led on offense by freshman wide receiver John Mangelluzzi who had 51 yards on six receptions. Defensively, linebackers Scott Campbell and Aaron Weisberg and safety Scott Suren all tied with 10 tackles each.

Following the rough game for the Spartans, the team must refocus and be prepared heading into Pittsburgh for the final game of the regular season for the Spartans. The UAA championship is not entirely out of reach and that fact is not out of the team’s mind as it prepares to take on Carnegie Mellon and hopes, with a little help from the University of Chicago, to come home UAA Champions for the fifth time in seven years.