Chicago State’s first snap as a football program lasted only a few seconds, and it already had a viral moment.
On the opening kickoff of Saturday’s inaugural game against Roosevelt at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, a Cougars player wearing No. 11 sprinted downfield with his eyes on the football and was taken clean off his feet by a Lakers blocker.
The kick itself was a touchback. Jordan Zimmerman’s 65-yard boot sailed into the end zone, but that did not spare the coverage team. The unidentified No. 11 never saw the hit coming. He popped back up immediately and jogged to the sideline, appearing uninjured, as the clip circulated online within minutes of the noon kickoff.
The jersey number added a wrinkle. Running back Taryan Martin and linebacker Michael Johnson both wear No. 11 for Chicago State, and neither the broadcast nor official recaps singled out which player was involved.
The collision did not define the afternoon. The Cougars, an FCS independent playing the first Division I football game in Chicago since the University of Chicago dropped the sport in 1939, led 7-3 after Michael Dabney Jr.’s five-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Roosevelt answered and pulled away for a 44-28 victory.
Head coach Bobby Rome II’s program still marked a milestone years in the making. Alumni filled the tailgates, and Mayor Brandon Johnson handled the coin toss. The debut was never going to be polished. The first play made that clear.
