Blue Devils Hang On for 24-23 Victory on the Road at Bryant on Saturday

The Central Connecticut State University football team improved to 6-1 overall and 4-0 in Northeast Conference play on Saturday with a 24-23 road victory at Bryant on Saturday afternoon. Bryant scored a touchdown with nine seconds left but missed the extra-point as the Blue Devils held on for their fifth straight win. Senior running back James Mallory rushed for 89 yards and the game-winning touchdown for CCSU. They play Albany at home next week in a battle of NEC unbeaten teams, beginning at 12 p.m. on Saturday.

The Blue Devils got on the board first after a Bryant miscue in the first quarter. After the Blue Devils were stopped on their first drive, a Greg Migdal punt was misplayed by the Bulldogs and it gave the Blue Devils possession on the Bryant 32-yardline. Senior quarterback Hunter Wanket rushed from 16-yards out for his first scoring run of the season to give the Blue Devils the 7-0 lead with 9:39 left in the first quarter.

The Bulldogs answered. After a Chris Bird 35-yardline field goal cut the Blue Devil lead to 7-3 with 7:08 to play in the quarter, the Bulldogs special teams gave them great field position on their next drive. Jordan Brown returned a Migdal punt 59 yards to the Blue Devil six yardline. On the first play of the drive Bryant quarterback Mice Croce hit fullback Mike Canfora from six yards out for the score and the 10-7 lead.

Senior quarterback Aubrey Norris came in at quarterback for the Blue Devils, and on his second drive he led CCSU down the field for their second touchdown of the game. Norris drove the Blue Devils 58 yards on nine plays to take a 14-10 lead with under a minute to play before the half. Norris hit sophomore wide receiver Rob Fisher from 17-yards out for the scoring strike to give CCSU the halftime lead for the first time since the first week of the season.

The scoring pass for Norris was his first for the season. He has also rushed for a touchdown and caught a touchdown in his senior season.

The Blue Devils got a 20-yard field goal from junior Joe Izzo in the third quarter to take a 17-10 lead, but the Bulldogs answered to tie the game at 17-17.

Wanket was intercepted for just the fourth time this season in the fourth quarter, and the Bulldogs used an eight-play, 46-yard drive to tie the game with 12:22 left in the game. Jerell Smith ran from 13-yards out for the score.

Mallory and Norris led a Blue Devil drive that gave CCSU the lead with 47 seconds to play in the game. He ran from one-yard out to cap a 46-yard drive that took 3:08 off the clock and gave CCSU the 24-17 edge.

With just 47 seconds on the clock, the Bulldogs drove 53 yards in six plays and scored with nine seconds on the clock. Croce hit Matt Tracey on a fourth down play from the seven yard line to cut the lead to 24-23. The Blue Devils called a timeout before the extra point, and Bird missed the PAT to give CCSU the 24-23 win.

Mallory finished the game with 89 yards and the touchdown. As a team the Blue Devils rushed for 240 yards and scored twice on the ground. CCSU outgained the Bulldogs 314-208 on the day and had 17 first downs in the game.

Wanket finished the day with 66 rushing yards and his score in the first quarter. Norris rushed for 46 yards, caught one pass for nine yards and had 65 yards passing, including his first passing touchdown of the season.

Freshman Lawton Arnold led the defense for Central with 10 tackles including a pair of sacks and four tackles for a loss. He also forced a fumble in the victory.

The Blue Devils are now 6-1 overall and guarantee their sixth consecutive winning season with the win on Saturday. They are 4-0 in the NEC and set-up a showdown with 5-0 Albany next weekend in New Britain.

CCSU will host Albany at 12 p.m. on Halloween at Arute Field in New Britain. Fans can listen to the game on ESPN Radio 1410 beginning at 11:45 a.m.