FULL GAME NOTES
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Northeast Conference Regular-Season title is on the line Saturday as the No. 21 Bryant University football team heads to Fairfield, Conn., to take on defending league champion Sacred Heart. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:04 p.m. on ESPN3.
GAME INFORMATION:
Date: Saturday, Nov. 15
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Listen: WOON 1240 (onworldwide.com)
Watch: ESPN3
Stats: Live Stats
LAST TIME OUT: BULLDOGS HOLD ON AGAINST DUQUESNE
Bryant and Duquesne came out swinging but a missed field goal with 58 seconds left was the difference as the Bulldogs held on for a 20-17 victory in Pittsburgh. The Black and Gold and the Dukes each scored on their first possessions but were unable to score a single point in the second half. Dalton Easton threw touchdown passes of 36, 3 and 23 to account for all of Bryant's points on the day. He hooked up with Keenan Thompson on the first drive of the game, found John Lavin on a three-yard pass and hit Ricardo McCray on a fourth down to break a 14-14 tie. The Dukes had a chance to tie the game but Austin Crimmins's 28-yard field goal sailed wide left. McCray finished with 117 yards rushing and the Bulldogs had 454 yards of total offense.
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
The Pioneers, the reigning NEC champions, enter today's contest with their sights set on a second-straight title. Sacred Heart is 8-2 overall and 4-1 in league play entering its final game of the year. The Pioneers only league loss was a 30-27 decision against Saint Francis U. two weeks ago. A SHU win would earn them at least a share of the regular season title and the league's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
Sacred Heart features one of the best quarterbacks in the NEC in sophomore RJ Noel. He currently leads the conference with 2,091 passing yards and 19 touchdowns. Noel has thrown 12 interceptions but has also rushed for 578 yards and four scores. SHU also features a duo of threatening skill players in Keshaudas Spence and Tyler Dube. Spence has rushed for 716 yards and three scores, while Dube has caught 65 passes for 753 yards and 13 touchdowns. The Pioneers are averaging 398 yards of offense per game.
Defensively, the Pioneers are one of the best teams in the country. SHU is fifth in the country in total defense (274.8), fifth in rushing defense (88.5) and 10th in scoring defense (17.5). The Pioneers also lead the league and are third nationally with 16 interceptions. Gordon Hill leads the team with 78 tackles, James Rentz has a league-high 10.5 sacks and J.D. Roussel has five INTs. The defense also features reigning NEC Defensive Player of the Year Troy Moore (53 tkls, 4.5 TFL).
INSIDE THE SERIES
Bryant and Sacred Heart will be meeting for the sevent time overall and the sixth time at the Division I level. The two program first met in 2000 when the Bulldogs were still playing at the DII level. Bryant won three-straight meetings before the Pioneers earned a decisive 56-28 victory last season in Smithfield.
BEST START FOR BULLDOGS
With a victory over Duquesne last weekend the Bulldogs are off to their best start in program history. Bryant eclipsed the 2007 Bulldogs who started the year 7-0 before dropping back-to-back games.
EIGHT WINS
Last Saturday's win also allowed the Bulldogs to tie the program record for wins in a season with eight. The eight victories are a DI record and they tie the mark set in 2006 and 2007.
WHATS AT STAKE
Today's game between the Bulldogs and Pioneers is primed to be one of the best games in the NEC in many years. If the Pioneers, who are playing their final game of the season, defeat the Bulldogs, they will claim the NEC title and the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. If Bryant wins and Wagner loses to Duquesne, the Bulldogs would win the league title. If both Bryant and Wagner win, their regular season finale on Nov. 22 would be for the crown.
