CAA Football Recap - Oct. 22
Rob Washburn
Photo courtesy of Rachel Zingerman
It was a day of thrilling finishes around the CAA as Rhode Island outlasted Monmouth in seven overtimes, Villanova kicked a game-winning field goal on the final play, and Stony Brook rallied from a 13-point deficit to get its first victory. Nationally ranked Richmond, New Hampshire, William & Mary and Delaware also came out on top.
No. 22 Rhode Island 48, Monmouth 46 (7 ot)
Box Score
In the longest game ever played between two FCS teams, No. 22 Rhode Island (5-2, 3-1 CAA) outlasted Monmouth (4-4, 2-3 CAA), 48-46, in seven overtimes as Ed Lee caught a game-winning two-point conversion pass from Kasim Hill.
In a game that went back-and-forth all afternoon, Monmouth took a 35-28 lead with 5:08 left in regulation on a 34-yard pass from Tony Muskett to Darrion Carrington. Rhode Island was able to draw even when Hill found Marques DeShields down the right sideline for a 73-yard scoring pass to make it 35-35. In the first overtime, the teams traded 1-yard TD runs from the Hawks’ Owen Wright and the Rams’ DeShields. Neither team was able to score in the second overtime, setting up a series of two-point conversions in which each team converted twice. In the seventh overtime, URI’s Jordan Jones broke up a pass to set up the winning pass from Hill.
DeShields contributed 256 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns, including a career-high 161 yards and 2 TD’s on the ground. Hill passed for 352 yards and three touchdowns, with Ed Lee making four grabs for 120 yards and a TD. For Monmouth, Muskett passed for 249 yards and three touchdowns, with Assanti Kearney making five receptions for 105 yards. Jaden Shirden topped the 100-yard mark for the sixth time this season with 141 yards and a TD on 23 carries. Evan Stewart had 14 tackles for the Rams’ defense and Thomas Joe-Kamara had nine stops and an interception for the Hawks.
No. 25 New Hampshire 40, No. 21 Elon 22
Box Score
Quarterback Max Brosmer passed for 220 yards and two touchdowns, and also ran for a 42-yard score, as No. 25 New Hampshire (6-2, 5-0 CAA) remained unbeaten in league play with 40-22 victory over No. 21 Elon (5-3, 3-2 CAA).
The Wildcats jumped out to a 14-0 advantage as Brosmer scored on a 42-run and threw a 14-yard TD pass to Sean Coyne. UNH was up 23-7 at the half, but Elon battled back as Matthew McKay hit Chandler Brayboy with a 23-yard TD pass to cut the deficit to eight. However, UNH was responded with a 25-yard scoring strike from Brosmer to Heron Maurisseau and broke the game open on a 77-yard TD run from Dylan Laube with 6:28 remaining.
Laube finished with 200 all-purpose yards, including 147 yards rushing on 22 carries. DJ Linkins made five catches for 58 yards. For Elon, McKay threw for 185 yards and 2 TD’s and Jordan Bonner made four grabs for 90 yards. Jalen Hampton chipped in 84 yards on the ground. Defensively, Dylan Ruiz tallied six tackles and 2.0 TFL’s, while Omar Rogers had 11 stops and a TFL for the Phoenix.
No. 19 Richmond 41, Hampton 10
Box Score
Quarterback Reece Udinski completed 30-of-37 passes for 314 yards and three touchdowns as No. 19 Richmond (5-2, 3-1 CAA) picked up a 41-10 road win at Hampton (4-3, 1-3 CAA).
The Spiders moved on top 17-0 in the opening 16 minutes of the game as Udinski connected with Jakob Herres on a 22-yard pass and Jerry Garcia had a 14-yard scoring run. The Pirates trimmed the deficit to 10 on a 74-yard TD catch by Darran Butts. Leading 24-10 at the half, Richmond took control as Leroy Henley caught a 13-yard TD pass from Udinski early in the third quarter. UR’s Fonnae Webb broke loose for an 87-yard scoring run late in the game.
Herres finished with seven catches for 109 yards and Jasiah Williams had nine grabs for 98 yards and a TD. Jeremiah Grant tallied seven tackles and a sack for a Spiders’ defense that held Hampton to 44 yards on the ground. For Hampton, Malcolm Mays threw for 214 yards and a TD. Ali Shockley topped the Pirates defense with 14 stops.
Stony Brook 28, Maine 27
Box Score
Freshman quarterback Charlie McKee completed 18-of-21 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns, including a game-winning 7-yard scoring pass to Khalil Newton with 5:48 remaining, as Stony Brook (1-6, 1-4 CAA) rallied past Maine (2-5, 2-2 CAA), 28-27.
After the Seawolves took a quick 7-0 lead on Ross Tallarico’s 2-yard run, Maine reeled off 20 unanswered points. Joe Fagnano hit Kobay White with a 13-yard TD pass and a 42-yard scoring strike to tight end Shawn Bowman. Trailing 20-7 at the half, the Seawolves battled back behind McKee, who threw a 10-yard TD pass to RJ Lamarre and a 1-yard toss to Tyler Devera that pulled SBU within 27-21 late in the third quarter. After getting a fourth-down stop, Stony Brook drove 68 yards for what proved to be the winning score on the pass from McKee to Newton. A 46-yard Maine field goal attempt in the final minute was off target.
Along with McKee’s big day, Jayden Cook rushed for 92 yards for SBU. Fagnano passed for 314 yards and 2 TD’s and ran for a team-high 65 yards. Bowman made six catches for a career-high 130 yards and a TD. Reidgee Dimanche made 12 tackles for the Seawolves and Adrian Otero had eight stops and a sack for the Black Bears.
Villanova 31, UAlbany 29
Box Score
Matthew Mercurio booted a 28-yard field goal on the final play of the game to lift Villanova (4-3, 2-2 CAA) over UAlbany (1-6, 0-4 CAA), 31-29.
Villanova sprinted out to a 21-0 advantage behind a 70-yard TD run from TD Ayo-Durojaiye and a pair of scoring passes from Connor Watkins to Jaaron Hayek (18 yards) and Rayjoun Pringle (20 yards). UAlbany climbed back within 21-16 at the end of three quarters as Reese Poffenbarger threw a 26-yard scoring pass to Brevin Easton and ran into the endzone from a yard out. An 80-yard Pringle TD grab put the Wildcats ahead by 28-16 with 4:44 remaining. However, the Great Danes battled back as Poffenbarger found tight end Thomas Greaney on a 4-yard TD pass with 1:54 to go. After recovering an onsides kick, Poffenbarger hooked up again with Greaney from five yards out to put UA ahead 29-28 with 53 seconds on the clock. Villanova responded with a 54-yard drive, setting up the winning kick from Mercurio.
Watkins passed for 292 yards and three touchdowns, with Pringle making four receptions for 143 yards and 2 TD’s. Ayo-Durojaiye rushed for a career-high 136 yards and a TD. For the Great Danes, Poffenbarger threw for 370 yards and 3 TD’s and ran for 44 yards and a score.
No. 12 William & Mary 44, Towson 24
Box Score
No. 12 William & Mary (6-1, 3-1 CAA) rushed for 300 yards and rolled to a 44-24 victory at Towson (2-5, 0-4 CAA).
The Tribe took a commanding 30-3 halftime lead as Donavyn Lester had TD runs of 1 and 3 yards and Caylin Newton caught a 12-yard scoring pass from Darius Wilson. W&M kicker Ethan Chang also scored on a 17-yard pass on a fake field goal. W&M tacked on a 83-yard TD pass from Wilson to tight end Lachlan Pitts early in the third period. Towson’s offense had second-half success behind quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome, who threw TD passes to Da’Kendell James and Darian Street and also scored on a 6-yard run.
Wilson threw for 164 yards and two TD’s. Malachi Imoh paced the rushing attack with 94 yards and Bronson Yoder added 81 yards. Pigrome passed for 179 yards and 2 TD’s and ran for a team-best 112 yards.
No. 13 Delaware 38, Morgan State 7
Box Score
Delaware (6-1, 3-0 CAA) held Morgan State to 158 yards and intercepted three passes as the Blue Hens pulled away for a 38-7 win over Morgan State.
UD went on top 14-0 in the opening quarter on a 17-yard TD run from Jordan Townsend and a 72-yard TD catch by Marcus Yarns from Nolan Henderson. The Bears cut the deficit to 14-7 at halftime, but an interception by Liam Trainer on MSU’s first play of the third quarter set up a 7-yard scoring run from Henderson. A 2-yard TD run by Khory Spruill early in the fourth period put the game away.
Henderson passed for 206 yards and a TD and ran for a team-high 65-yards and a score. Noah Plack and Johnny Buchanan had eight tackles apiece for the Blue Hens’ defense.