MEAC
Norfolk State def. Howard - 21-20
N.C. Central def. Morgan State - 16-7
S. C. State set. Delaware State - 69-35
Norfolk State def. Howard - 21-20
NORFOLK, Va. - Norfolk State delivered a Homecoming victory to a sold-out crowd at William "Dick" Price Stadium on Saturday afternoon, taking down Howard 21-20 with a gritty performance against the defending MEAC champions.
Kevon King led Norfolk State (3-6, 1-1 MEAC) with 78 rushing yards, scoring the go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Howard (3-5, 0-1) outgained NSU 371-287, but lost the turnover and special teams' battle.
BOX SCORE | RECAP
N.C. Central def. Morgan State - 16-7
DURHAM, N.C. - The North Carolina Central University football team celebrated Homecoming with a 16-7 victory over Morgan State on Saturday at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium, holding the Bears to just over 200 yards of total offense.
The No. 20/21 Eagles (6-2, 2-0 MEAC) have won five straight games.
The Eagles got on the board first when quarterback Walker Harris connected with Markell Quick on a deep pass up the middle for a 49-yard touchdown to take a 7-0 lead. That play, at the 7:06 mark of the second quarter, capped a 4-play, 76-yard drive.
BOX SCORE | RECAP
S.C. State def. Delaware State - 69-35
ORANGEBURG, S.C. – The Bulldogs dominated the Hornets 69-35 on homecoming improving to 5-2 and 1-0 in MEAC play.
S.C. State amassed 477 passing yards with five TDs en route to the victory.
BOX SCORE | RECAP
MVFC
NEC
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LIU 24, CENTRAL CONNECTICUT 21
In a back-and-forth battle, LIU delivered the final blow by way of a quarterback-to-quarterback touchdown to score a thrilling 24-21 home win over Central Connecticut in Brookville on Saturday. Redshirt sophomore and starting signal caller Ethan Greenwood, who threw a pair of first-half touchdowns, caught a 26-yard pass from classmate Luca Stanzani to secure the Sharks’ second triumph in NEC play.
DUQUESNE 48, STONEHILL 34
Graduate students John Erby and Joey Isabella combined for 256 receiving yards and a trio of touchdown catches to extend Duquesne’s win streak and lead their team to a commanding 48-34 victory. Throwing for five touchdowns for the second time this season, senior Darius Perrantes compiled 412 yards in the air — the seventh-most by an FCS signal caller this season — to propel the Dukes past the Skyhawks for the first time in program history.
ROBERT MORRIS 17, SAINT FRANCIS U 0
Limiting Saint Francis U to 61 rushing yards and 69 receiving yards, Robert Morris pitched its second shutout of 2024 and improved to 3-0 in the conference for the second straight season as an NEC member on Saturday with a 17-0 triumph inside Joe Walton Stadium. It marked the first time since 1999 that the Colonials shut out multiple opponents in the same season.
Sacred Heart 31, MERCYHURST 14
Sacred Heart scored three times in the first half and never looked back as the Pioneers defeated visiting Mercyhurst by a 31-14 final on Saturday. Senior Adam Urena threw for 229 yards, a pair of touchdowns and zero interceptions as the Lakers held a 229-141 advantage in passing yards in the contest.
UMass 35, WAGNER 7
Wagner dropped a 35-7 decision in non-conference action at FBS and MAC opponent UMass on Saturday. The Seahawks enjoyed a dominant third quarter that saw them rack up 121 yards on a 75-yard touchdown drive and a 46-yard drive to the UMass seven-yard line, but the Minutemen, who opened the game with 21-straight points, closed out the afternoon with a pair of scores in the final quarter.
Patriot
Mountain Hawks, Crusaders and Hoyas all earn League victories
AT LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS (4-4, 1-1 PL) 33, FORDHAM RAMS (0-8, 0-3 PL) 19
Goodman Stadium/Bethlehem, Pa. Noon (ESPN+)
BOX SCORE
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – First-year running back Jaden Green rushed for a career-high 147 yards and one touchdown on 17 carries to lead Lehigh to a 33-19 victory over Fordham at Goodman Stadium.
*Green raced for a 44-yard touchdown late in the first quarter to put the Mountain Hawks in front, 7-3.
*First-year quarterback Matt Machalik scored on a pair of two-yard touchdown runs as part of a Lehigh ground attack that rushed for 246 yards. Sophomore running back Luke Yoder added 75 yards on 19 carries.
*First-year quarterback Hayden Johnson connected with first-year receiver Matt D’Avino with 34 seconds left in the first half to give Lehigh a 31-3 lead at the break. The Mountain Hawks would add a safety in the third quarter.
*Graduate student linebacker Mike DeNucci finished with 11 tackles, 4.0 TFLs and three sacks, while junior linebacker Brycen Edwards also posted 11 tackles.
*Lehigh junior defensive lineman Matt Spatny posted 1.5 sacks, and sophomore defensive back DJ Brown recorded an interception for a Mountain Hawks’ defense that held Fordham to 226 yards.
*Fordham’s defense was led by freshman linebacker Jaylen Dawson, who recorded a game-high 12 tackles.
*Senior defensive lineman Matt Jaworski added 10 tackles, 3.0 TFLs and one sack.
*Freshman quarterback Tripp Holley found the end zone on an 11-yard run in the fourth quarter for the Rams’ first touchdown of the day.
*Fordham senior running back Julius Loughridge rushed for a team-high 77 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. He also rushed for a two-point conversion early in the fourth quarter.
RECAP:
FORDHAM |
LEHIGH
HOLY CROSS CRUSADERS (4-5, 3-0 PL) 34, AT LAFAYETTE LEOPARDS (4-4, 1-2 PL) 28
Fisher Stadium/Easton, Pa. 1:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
BOX SCORE
EASTON, Pa. – Senior quarterback Joe Pesansky completed 14-of-21 passes for 183 yards and two first-quarter touchdowns to help Holy Cross improve to 3-0 in League play with a 34-28 victory at Lafayette.
*Pesansky opened the game with a 58-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Max Mosey and a six-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Justin Shorter to take a 14-0 first-quarter lead.
*Mosey, who finished with four receptions for 74 yards, rushed for a four-yard score early in the second quarter to give the Crusaders a 21-0 lead.
*Sophomore running back Jayden Clerveaux rushed for 95 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown in the second quarter, on 19 carries.
*Crusaders’ sophomore placekicker Daniel Porto connected on a program-record and Patriot League season-long 53-yard field goal at the end of the first half. He also hit a 24-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
*Senior safety Curtis Harris-Lopez posted a Holy Cross team-high nine tackles and 1.0 TFL, while sophomore linebacker Cam Santee added five tackles and 2.0 TFLs.
*Lafayette junior quarterback Dean DeNobile completed 26-of-36 passes for 261 yards and two touchdowns.
*He spurred a Leopards’ comeback in the second quarter with a two-yard touchdown pass to sophomore tight end Ethan Hosak before rushing for an eight-yard touchdown to bring the Leopards within a touchdown in the second quarter. He also completed a 12-yard touchdown pass to junior tight end Dallas Holmes in the fourth quarter to bring Lafayette within six.
*Junior running back Jamar Curtis rushed for a game-high 117 yards on 18 carries. He added a 30-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
*Senior safety Saiku White registered eight tackles, and senior linebackers Semaj Cross and Preston Forney added six apiece.
RECAP:
HOLY CROSS |
LAFAYETTE
AT GEORGETOWN HOYAS (5-3, 2-1 PL) 21, BUCKNELL BISON (3-5, 1-1 PL) 20
Cooper Field/Washington, D.C. 2 p.m. (ESPN+)
BOX SCORE
WASHINGTON – Freshman running back Savion Hart and sophomore running back Bryce Cox each eclipsed 100 yards rushing to lead Georgetown to a 21-20 victory over Bucknell to improve to 2-1 in League play.
*Cox, who finished with 104 rushing yards on 17 carries, plunged into the end zone from the one-yard line with 5:56 remaining in the third quarter for what proved to be the game-winning touchdown.
*Hart rushed for a team-high 112 yards on 17 carries and a 40-yard touchdown to cut Bucknell’s early 14-0 lead in half. The Hoyas’ rushing attack finished with 274 yards on 50 carries.
*Junior quarterback Danny Lauter completed 13-of-23 passes for 130 yards, one touchdown and one interception. His 11-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Nicholas Dunneman tied the score at 14 in the second quarter.
*Senior safety Zayid Aziz recorded nine tackles and two pass breakups. Sophomore linebacker GianCarlo Rufo added five tackles and one sack for a Hoyas’ defense that held the Bison to a pair of field goals in the second half.
*Bucknell freshman running back Tariq Thomas rushed for a career-high 145 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries to lead the Bison.
*Thomas scored on touchdown runs of 15 and 27 yards in the first half to give the Bison an early 14-0 lead.
*Senior quarterback Ralph Rucker IV completed 17-of-29 passes for 226 yards.
*Bison junior wide receiver Josh Gary caught five passes for 91 yards.
*Sophomore linebacker Gavin Willis posted a game-high 13 tackles, while senior linebacker Brad Jamison added eight tackles and 1.0 TFL.
*Junior cornerback Roman Pearson recorded his second interception of the season.
RECAPS:
BUCKNELL |
GEORGETOWN
AT MERRIMACK WARRIORS (4-4, FCS INDEPENDENT) 51, COLGATE RAIDERS (2-6, 1-1 PL) 17
Duane Stadium/North Andover, Mass. 1 p.m. (ESPN+)
BOX SCORE
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Colgate could not keep pace with Merrimack’s offense in a 51-17 loss at Duane Stadium on Saturday.
*Sophomore quarterback Jake Stearney completed 15-of-28 passes for 155 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
*Junior running back Marco Maldonado led the Raiders with 75 rushing yards on 16 carries, while senior running back Brendan Cassamajor added 20 rushing yards and a second-quarter touchdown.
*Colgate junior receiver Brady Hutchison caught three passes for 50 yards, including a 47-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter. Junior receiver Treyvhon Saunders caught a team-high seven passes for 47 yards.
*Junior linebacker Cole Kozlowski led the Raiders’ defense with nine tackles, a half TFL and a forced fumble.
*Junior defensive lineman Dane Picariello finished with six tackles and 2.0 TFLs.
RECAP:
COLGATE
Pioneer
Saturday, Oct. 26
Morehead State 14, Dayton 6
Valparaiso 17, Marist 14
Butler 48, Davidson 38
Presbyterian 42, Stetson 14
St. Thomas 34, San Diego 14
Morehead State 14, Dayton 6
DAYTON, Ohio – Carter Cravens threw two touchdowns, leading Morehead State to its first win against Dayton since 2008, with a 14-6 victory on Saturday. Cravens two-yard touchdown pass to Christian Pedersen gave the Eagles a 7-0 lead that they carried into halftime. Dayton recorded only 198 offensive yards for the game and used two Danny Baker field goals to cut the deficit to 7-6 with 4;16 remaining. However, Morehead State struck 17 seconds later when Cravens connected on an 88-yard touchdown pass to Nate Garnett to set the final score. Cravens completed 16-of-25 passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns, with Garnett catching nine passes for 212 yards and a touchdown. The Eagles defense harried the Dayton offense, recording 10 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks. Dayton quarterback Drew VanVleet completed 12-of-27 passes for 91 yards.
Valparaiso 17, Marist 14
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Michael Mansaray ran for two touchdowns and Ryan Hawk hit a go-ahead field goal late in the third quarter as Valparaiso secured its first PFL win, 17-14, against Marist on Saturday. Mansaray bookended Marist’s two touchdowns with a 58-yard run on the game’s first drive and a game-tying touchdown on a four-yard score with 18 seconds left in halftime. After Valparaiso’s opening score, Marist replied on its first drive, with Tristan Shannon’s one-yard touchdown run capping the 75-yard drive. Sonny Mannino gave Marist the lead late in the second quarter with an eight-yard touchdown pass to Will Downes, but Valparaiso scored on the following drive. The second half’s only points came off the foot of Valparaiso’s Ryan Hawk, who hit a 25-yard field goal with two seconds left in the third. Mansaray amassed 135 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. Mannino led Marist with his 21-of-38 passing effort for 162 yards and a touchdown.
Butler 48, Davidson 38
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Butler struck quickly and led wire-to-wire in a 48-38 victory against Davidson on Saturday. The Bulldogs saw Billy Dozier rumble for a 63-yard touchdown run early in the first quarter and then doubled their lead on Devon Holman’s 20-yard pick-six four minutes later. Davidson would close within four points on Mari Adams’ five-yard touchdown run with 2:28 left in the first half, but the Bulldogs used Griffin Caldwell’s 13-yard touchdown run to take a 28-17 halftime lead. Butler extended its lead to 38-17 late in the third quarter thanks to a Nick Howard four-yard touchdown run then traded scoring drives with the Wildcats the rest of the game. Butler outgained Davidson 283-187 on the ground and scored five rushing touchdowns. Quarterback Reagan Andrew ran for 98 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries and added 112 yards in the passing game. Adams led Davidson with a 103-yard, two-touchdown effort on 18 carries.
Presbyterian 42, Stetson 14
DeLAND, Fla. – Presbyterian scored four unanswered touchdowns before halftime and made the lead hold up for its first PFL victory, 42-14, against Stetson on Saturday. After the Hatters and Blue Hose traded touchdowns in the opening nine minutes, Presbyterian took the lead for good on CJ Johnson’s three-yard touchdown run with 4:24 left in the first. The Blue Hose solidified their lead with three rushing touchdowns in the second quarter, one each by Collin Hurst, Johnson, and Quante Jennings, to take a 35-7 halftime lead that would not be threatened. Jennings and Antonio Wright ran for 106 yards each to lead Presbyterian’s 329-yard, five-touchdown rushing performance. Bready Meitz led Stetson with a 27-of-54 passing outing for 287 yards and a touchdown.
St. Thomas 34, San Diego 14
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Hope Adebayo ran for 277 yards and three touchdowns to power St. Thomas past San Diego, 34-14, on Saturday. Adebayo set the tone with a 42-yard touchdown run to open the day’s scoring, then added a 60-yard scoring dash in the third quarter before closing the scoring with a 70-yard touchdown run. Adebayo’s rushing performance outgained San Diego, which was held to 265 offensive yards. Toreros running back Logan Gingg ran for 120 yards on 23 carries.
SoCon
Saturday's Football Roundup
Johnson shines as The Citadel pushes past Samford
The Citadel got off to a slow start on Saturday afternoon, but ultimately turned it up to won against Samford by a final score of 28-11.
Garrison Johnson starred in the ground game for The Citadel, rushing for two touchdowns. Johnson got help as well, particularly from Johnathan Bennett and Johnny Crawford III. The Bulldogs' recorded three sacks on defense.
Samford was led by quarterback Quincy Crittendon, completing 29-of-36 passes for 223 yards.
ETSU leaves Gibbs Stadium with a win over Wofford
ETSU and Wofford battled in a competitive first half on Saturday afternoon before the Buccaneers pulled away in the second half to take the 24-7 victory.
Jaylen King led ETSU with an impressive performance, accumulating 198 yards through the air and 88 on the ground. Karim Page collected five receptions for 88 yards as King's favorite target on the afternoon.
Mercer tops Western Carolina
Mercer weathered a quick start from Western Carolina, coming back from 14 down in the first quarter to claim the victory 44-34.
Tailback Dwayne McGee led the way for Mercer, accumulating 223 yards on 18 rushing attempts. Bears quarterback Whitt Newbauer completed 10-of-21 passes for 234 yards and one touchdown.
Cole Gonzales found the endzone multiple times in Western Carolina's loss. He threw for two touchdowns and rushed for another one. Wide receiver Zion Booker collected seven receptions for 78 yards and one touchdown for the Catamounts.
Chattanooga wins against VMI
The first half of Saturday evening's matchup between Chattanooga and VMI was a competitive back-and-forth affair. Chattanooga made a statement in the second half, however, pulling away for the 31-10 victory.
Chase Artopoeus' dual-threat ability was on full display to lead Chattanooga. He put up 114 yards through the air and 82 yards rushing. In the ground game, tailback Reggie Davis was the Mocs' main contributor, amassing 131 yards.
