Football Tops Albany, Matches Best Start Since 1973 with 31-29 Home Victory

Senior James Mallory rushed for 204 yards and three touchdowns as the Central Connecticut State University football team won for the sixth straight game and improved to 7-1 overall and 5-0 in Northeast Conference play with a 31-29 victory over Albany. Mallory scored three touchdowns in the victory as Central beat Albany for the first since 2005 and snapped the Great Danes 18-game conference winning streak. Central takes to the road next week to face Wagner beginning at 1 p.m.

Central trailed at the half and came back to win for the fifth time this season, outscoring the Great Danes 17-6 after the break. Albany had a chance to tie the game with a two-point conversion with 59 seconds left in the game but was unsuccessful. Last season the tables were turned, as the Blue Devils missed a two-point attempt with under a minute to play and fell 24-22. The Great Danes were successful on their first attempt at the PAT, but were called for offensive pass interference. The second try was stopped when senior Ray Saunders sacked Albany quarterback Vinny Esposito to keep it a two-point game.

Albany did not go away however, as they recovered the onside kick and had another chance to score. Saunders again sacked Esposito on the first play from scrimmage putting the Great Danes in a hole with under 50 seconds to play in the game. On a fourth down and two from the 50, Dominique Rose picked off Esposito to end the drive and give Central the victory.

Mallory's 204 yards and three scores gives him 2,801 yards in his career. His three touchdowns move him into second place in school history in career points with 184. It was the second-highest rushing total of his career (256 against Bryant last season) and his best performance of the season. He goes over 900 yards on the year with his performance.

Turnovers were costly for both teams in the game. For the Blue Devils it was a pair of first half turnovers that led to Albany taking the lead.

With the Blue Devils up 14-9 in the first half, Albany used a five-play, 59-yard drive to take a 16-14 lead. On the ensuing kickoff, junior Josue Paul fumbled and Albany recovered at the Blue Devils 33-yardline. They needed only six plays to score again and go up 23-14 heading into the half.

The Blue Devils scored 17 unanswered points to open the second half, including a pair of touchdown runs by Mallory and a 28-yard field goal from Joe Izzo, to take a 31-23 lead.

The first touchdown came following an Esposito interception by Alondre Rush which gave the Blue Devils the ball at the 21-yardline. They needed only three plays and Mallory rushed in from 14 yards out for the score to cut the lead to 23-21.

They scored again with 42 second to play in the third quarter, this time it was Mallory from one-yard out, and they regained the lead for good, 28-23. The drive went 75-yards and took only six plays. The key play was a 49-yard strike from senior quarterback Aubrey Norris to Paul. Paul finished the game with five catches for 131 yards, his second 100-yard performance of the season.

On the next drive, the Blue Devils drove 71-yards on 11 plays leading to the Izzo field goal. A 43-yard pass to Paul helped drive Central down the field for the insurance score. Izzo is now 4-for-4 on field goal attempts this season.

Albany opened the scoring in the first quarter with a 12-play, 56-yard drive that gave them a 6-0 lead. Esposito rushed from one-yard out to give the Great Danes the lead. The extra point snap was mishandled and the PAT attempt was no good.

The Blue Devils wasted little time answering the score. On the first place from scrimmage Mallory rushed 79 yards to the touchdown and Central led 7-6. Izzo's extra-point was good. The run was the longest of the season for the senior running back.

Rose and Rush led the defense for the Blue Devils. Rose had 11 tackles and the interception to seal the victory in the final seconds. Rush had the interception in the first half to set up the score. Jeff Marino added 10 tackles. Saunders finished the game with the big sack on the two-point conversion attempt and added another on the final drive of the game.

The Central defense held all-conference running back David McCarty to only 65 yards and one score in the game. As a team the Blue Devils held the Great Danes to only 110 yards on the ground.

Norris finished the game 10-of-19 for 184 yards. Paul had 131 through the air and senior Nick Colagiovanni had a key catch for 45 yards in the second quarter. Senior wide receiver Richie Martin rushed once for 10 yards, it was good for the second touchdown of the game for Central in the first half.

The win is the eighth straight home win for Central as head coach Jeff McInerney improves his home record to 16-2 in his four seasons, they are 3-0 at home this year. McInerney also raised his overall record to 28-13 in his four seasons.

The Blue Devils return to action next weekend at Wagner, the Seahawks have only one loss in the conference this season. The Blue Devils remain the only unbeaten team in the league following the win over Albany.