GAME NOTES
Smithfield, R.I. – The Bryant University football team closes out its season this Saturday, Nov. 19, when Central Connecticut State University visits Bulldog Stadium for a noon kickoff on Senior Day. The Bulldogs will honor their 28-member senior class prior to the game with the Blue Devils.
In order to send the seniors off on a high, the Bulldogs (7-3, 5-2) will need to beat the Blue Devils (3-7, 2-5) for the first time in program history. The preseason favorite in the Northeast Conference, CCSU was the first team Bryant played as a Division I program in 2008. This senior class will also try and help this team become just the third team in program history to win eight games in a season. The last time it occurred came in 2007, the year before this class were freshmen.
This year, the Blue Devils have struggled, dropping six-straight games during one stretch. They will come into Saturday's game well rested, however, thanks to a bye week last week. Prior to the week off, CCSU ended its six-game skid with a 31-24 victory over Robert Morris at home. The Blue Devils were led by the duo of quarterback Gunnar Jespersen and running back Chris Tolbert. Jespersen completed 15-of-20 passes for 206 yards and two scores, and Tolbert ran for 162 yards on 29 carries.
Those are two key players the Bulldogs will to have to contain if they want to be successful. One of the most mobile quarterbacks in the NEC, Jespersen has completed 55 percent of his passes for 1,581 yards and 10 touchdowns. And when he can't find a receiver, he's more than able to run the ball, gaining 370 yards and scoring six TDs on 112 carries. Tolbert is the team's leading rusher, averaging 67.4 yards per game but Brian Fowler has been the go-to option in the red zone, scoring a team-high six rushing touchdowns.
Bryant, on the other hand, enters the final game season clicking on all cylinders. Winners of three straight, the Bulldogs put up season highs in points (45) and total offense (564) in their 45-34 victory over Saint Francis (PA) last weekend. It was just the second time all season that Bryant had allowed an opponent to score over 30 points in a game.
One of the main contributors to this recent winning streak has been senior quarterback Mike Croce (Waterbury, Conn.). Over the last three games, Croce has completed 71 percent (56-of-79) of his passes for 855 yards and nine touchdowns. The Connecticut native also carries a 163.12 passer efficiency into the final game of his career, a number that ranks him third in the FCS. Another offensive force has been junior running back Jordan Brown (Glastonbury, Conn.). The reigning NEC Offensive Player of the Week, Brown became the first player in program history to accumulate over 5,000 all-purpose yards in a career. He heads into the final week of the regular season as the national leader in rushing yards, rushing yards per game, all-purpose yards and all-purpose yards per game.
Last season, the Bulldogs jumped out to a 10-0 first-quarter lead before CCSU rattled off 20-straight points to take the lead for good. Bryant pulled within three points on two occasions in the second half but a pair of late touchdown runs gave the Blue Devils a 41-24 victory at Arute Field in New Britain, Conn.
In addition to Croce, the Bulldogs will honor seniors Mike Abany, Cody Aughney, Juan Aviles, Jack Barons, Raymond Bundy, Tyler Carter, Julien Dumont, Brian Gonzalez, Paul Hanley, Matthew Hunt, Eloma Johnson, Matthew Kelley, Brendan Lane, Jon Lewis, Matt Llewellyn, Shayne Millette, Nick Sengotta, Andrew Snell, Luke Steinke, Connor Sweeney, Franck Tebou, Samad Wagstaff, Stefaun Whitehead, Zach Wilson, Joshua Janes, Tony Edwards and Matt Tracey. Bryant will also be honoring Kristen Castellano, a four-year member of the Bulldogs managerial staff that has performed all the duties involved with equipment and filming.
