UAlbany Football Remains Undefeated In NEC With Victory Over C.Connecticut State At University Field

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – David McCarty rushed for 101 yards and scored on a 72-yard screen pass late in the third quarter as UAlbany held off Northeast Conference-rival Central Connecticut State, 24-22, in the Great Danes’ home opener on Saturday, Oct. 4 before 2,436 fans at University Field.

Central Connecticut State (4-2, NEC 1-1) tried to rally from a 24-9 deficit with two fourth-quarter touchdowns. The Blue Devils’ defense set up the first score when cornerback Dominque Rose intercepted a pass at the UAlbany 43. Junior tailback James Mallory, who led all rushers with 109 yards on 26 carries, later took an option pitch on third down and raced six yards around the left side to close the gap to 24-16.

After the Great Danes punted, CCSU marched 80 yards in 10 plays for another touchdown. Quarterback Hunter Wanket, a junior college transfer who connected on 16 of 24 attempts for 198 yards, threw four completions and ran for a first down on the drive. He finished off the sequence by hitting tight end Tyler Rossnagle on a crossing pattern for a 14-yard TD. The two-point pass failed when UAlbany linebacker Justin Brancaccio broke up Wanket’s intended throw for wide receiver Nick Colagiovanni in the back of end zone.

UAlbany (3-3, NEC 2-0) recovered the subsequent on-side kick, but the Blue Devils used all three of their timeouts to force a punt. Chris Lynch placed a perfect 37-yarder, out of a quick-kick formation on fourth-and-three, out of bounds at the CCSU 4. The wild finish ended when on the last play Wanket’s short completion to Mallory over the middle was lateraled three times before the quarterback himself was tackled at the UAlbany 39.

“We had worked on the two-point pass in a similar scenario this week,” said UAlbany linebacker Justin Brancaccio, who had a team-high 11 tackles. “We knew we had to dig down deep. I could feel him (the receiver) come off my back and the quarterback turned his head toward him. I was in the right place at the right time.”

The Great Danes, who were making their home debut after five consecutive road games to begin the season and eight in a row since last November, built a 17-9 advantage at the intermission in a half where neither team punted. Quarterback Vinny Esposito put his team ahead, 7-3, with a one-yard sneak on fourth down with 6:44 left in the opening quarter. Lynch later added a 19-yard field goal for a 10-6 lead midway through the second period.

CCSU’s Joe Izzo, who had attempted just one field goal this season entering the contest, booted his third of the game, a 26-yarder that capped a 12-play drive, to slice the margin to 10-9. The teams would trade turnovers in Blue Devils’ territory toward the end in the half. Esposito was picked off by strong safety Alondre Rush at the CCSU 23, before UAlbany defensive tackle Tom Pandolf sacked Wanket and forced a fumble. The Great Danes capitalized when Esposito delivered an 11-yard scoring strike to widepit Jason Poore with just three seconds remaining.

“It was important that we have up field goals instead of touchdowns in the first half,” offered UAlbany coach Bob Ford, whose team has won eight straight and 12 of its last 13 in conference play. “I thought the quick kick at the end was important. But you could identify six plays in any close game as being huge. We’re happy to get out of here with the win.”

In the third quarter, Esposito, who hit on 17-of-26 through the air for 254 yards, led his team on a 14-play drive that bogged down inside the visitors’ 10-yard line. But the Great Danes came up empty when defensive tackle Danny Rodriguez blocked Lynch’s 21-yard field goal. Following a CCSU punt, UAlbany converted a third-and-18 situation from its own 28 when Esposito hooked up with McCarty on screen pass that went the distance up the left sideline. McCarty, who had three receptions to add to his rushing total contest, finished with 197 all-purpose yards.

“They brought three or four defenders from the right side and Vinny (Esposito) just got it off in time,” said McCarty about the screen pass for a touchdown. “When I turned there was no one there, and I got some great downfield blocking.”