All-American running back Jaden McGill used a full-body approach Saturday afternoon, scoring four touchdowns as No. 1 College of DuPage closed the regular season with an impressive 37-21 victory over Division I and No. 11-ranked Georgia Military College in NJCAA football Saturday afternoon.
 
McGill caught one TD pass, and ran for three more as COD closed the regular season with a 10-1 overall record.
 
Not since the Bob MacDougall-coached era has a Chaparral team earned 10 victories in a season, marking the first time since 1995 when COD accomplished the achievement and only the eighth time in school history.
 
Maybe the victory was meant to be when the Chaps donned throw-back jerseys in tribute to the late MacDougall, sporting the Green and Yellow in tribute to that era.
 
"No question, our best team effort of the season,'' head coach Matthew Rahn said. "Our defense got a little bit lax, but since coach (Trevor) Cipriano took over the defense, they've shown that we can settle down and we pressured them hard. Our offense sputtered, but we controlled the ball, sustained drives and cashed in.''
 
The tone was set early on GMC's opening drive when sophomore defensive back Kamron Gothard picked   off QB Chip Cooper's pass on a third-and-10 play from the COD 20 and returned the ball to the 10.
 
One play later, wide receiver Deszmund White scored on a in-motion play and pitch around the left side for a 6-0 score with 13:28 left in the first.
 
GMC's Jamarion Walker gave the Bulldogs a 7-6 lead on a 16-yard run early in the second quarter. That tally was part of the sophomore's unofficial 108 first-half rushing yards, but he was a non-factor in the second half.
 
McGill then hooked up with back-up quarterback Robert Brazziel on a 15-yard screen pass that gave the Chaps the lead for good with 5:52 left in the half, capping a 10-play, 70-yard drive that ate up 4 minutes and 17 seconds.
 
The Chaps then outscored the Bulldogs 17-6 in the third, thanks to a pair of TDs from McGill and a 29-yard field goal from Casillas.
 
GMC closed to within nine points on Cooper's 17-yard TD early in the fourth quarter, but nine points was as close as the Bulldogs would get.
 
McGill finished his scoring day with a 17-yard run with 9:44 to go.
 
"We played hard all day,'' Rahn said. "I think it showed how tough our kids can play.''
 
The Chaps now await the NJCAA call on the participants for the National Championship at the Red Grange Bowl on Dec. 2 at COD.
 
That announcement will take place on Nov. 20.
 
College of DuPage 37, Georgia Military 21
Ga. Military 0-7-8-6_21
COD 6-7-17-7_37
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
COD — Deszmund White 10 run (Kick failed), 13:28
Drive: 1 play, 10 yards, :09
Second Quarter
GM — Jamarion Walker 16 run (Britton Williams kick), 10:09
Drive: 5 plays, 63 yards, 1:49
COD — Jaden McGill 15 pass from Robert Brazziel (Christian Casillas kick), 5:52
Drive: 10 plays, 70 yards, 4:17
Third Quarter
COD — McGill 2 run (Casillas kick), 10:57
Drive: 10 plays, 62 yards, 3:51
COD — FG 29 Casillas, 6:41
Drive: 4 plays, -6 yards, 1:48
GM — Frank Osorio Jr. 94 kickoff return (Osorio Jr. pass from Cooper), 6:28
COD — McGill 6 run (Casillas kick), :18.6
Drive: 12 plays, 55 yards, 5:25
Fourth Quarter
GM — Chip Cooper 17 run (run failed), 13:08
Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 2:16
COD — McGill 17 run (Casillas kick), 9:44
Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:24