UAlbany Football Falls in Opener to Perennial Power Georgia Southern, 29-26, on Last-Minute Field Goal - UAlbany Sports 2009

Statesboro, Ga. - Adrian Mora kicked a 44-yard field goal with 40 seconds remaining to lift Georgia Southern to a 29-26 non-conference victory over UAlbany in the season opener for both teams on Saturday, Sept. 5 before 18,118 fans at Paulson Stadium.

In a contest that featured four lead changes and two ties, Georgia Southern took a 26-23 lead early in the final period when quarterback Lee Chapple fired a 28-yard scoring pass to Jamere Valentine. The 6-foot-1 freshman worked past one-on-one coverage up the left side line to haul in the pass and complete the 70-yard drive.

UAlbany responded with an 11-play sequence that tied the game at 26 apiece. Justin Gannon, who ran for 42 yards on 12 carries, had two first-down runs on a drive that resulted in Herb Glass' 33-yard field goal with 6:31 to play. However, Chapple, who completed 30 of 43 passes for 259 yards and two scores, steadily drove his team down the field. He hit running back Adam Urbano for 16 yards past midfield and found Nick Kyles with an 11-yard throw. Mora, who made 10 of 12 field goals last year, would later comfortably make the winning points.

The opening half produced unusual moments, trick plays and plenty of mistakes. Trailing 10-3, Georgia Southern punter Charlie Edwards back up the Great Danes near their goal line with a 64-yard punt. Cornerback Laron Scott would later come underneath the intended receiver and return an interception 15 yards for a touchdown to draw his team even.

UAlbany turned the tables on fourth-and-four from its own 41, when Andrew Smith took a direct snap on a faked punt and rumbled 30 yards deep into GSU territory. The Great Danes later overcame a penalty that took an apparent score off the board. Quarterback Vinny Esposito found Tim Bush on a crossing pattern for 13 yards and a first down. Bush dove for the marker to set up David McCarty's 2-yard TD run. However, the extra-point attempt was blocked by defensive lineman Brent Russell and Darrell Pasco scooped up the ball and sprinted 88 yards to paydirt on the two-point defensive play.

The Eagles took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter when Pasco recovered Justin Gannon's fumbled punt return. Mora booted a 24-yard field goal. The Great Danes went ahead with a 16-play, 67-yard march that took more than eight minutes off the clock. UAlbany converted four times on third down en route to McCarty's one-yard blast through the middle. Glass drilled a 48-yard field goal with 5:52 left in the second period for a 10-3 advantage.

"They were prepared and played well enough to win," said UAlbany coach Bob Ford about a program that has won six NCAA Division I FCS national titles and eight Southern Conference crowns. "We just made too many mistakes and gave them 12 points with the interception, fumble and blocked extra point. I thought we also did some positive things and showed a fighting spirit."

The Eagles, who have won 84 percent of their home games at Paulson Stadium, including their 150th in tonight's opener, took a 19-16 lead in the third quarter. Chapple and Valentine against teamed up for the touchdown, when the freshman took a receiver screen 36 yards to the end zone. UAlbany would go back in front with 3:36 to play in the period, when Smith bounced off the left side on a fourth-down quarterback sneak and raced 39 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. Smith moved behind center when Esposito was suffering from heat cramps.

Smith, a redshirt freshman, led his team in rushing with 99 yards on eight carries. McCarty added 63 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. The Great Danes had their eight-game win streak, the third-longest among FCS programs, halted.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany 2009 FCS Football Begins Schedule with Perennial Power Georgia Southern on Saturday - UAlbany Sports 2009

Statesboro, Ga. - UAlbany begins its 2009 football schedule against Georgia Southern, one of the best NCAA Division I FCS programs at collecting hardware with six national championships and eight Southern Conference titles. Kickoff on Saturday, Sept. 5 is 6:00 p.m. Eastern. Fans can listen to the game on Fox Sports 980 (WOFX-AM), beginning with the pre-game show. Rodger Wyland will provide the play-by-play from Paulson Stadium, an 18,000-seat facility.

The Eagles fielded one of the youngest FCS squads in the nation last season. The results were a 6-5 record that included three losses by a combined four points and victories in three of four overtime decisions. Quarterback Lee Chapple finished the 2008 campaign as the starter. He threw for 787 yards and five touchdowns. Adam Urbano is the top returning rusher with 304 yards and seven TDs. GSU has a veteran offensive line that is led by right tackle Cole Fountain, a 6-foot-3, 305-pound athlete.

Cornerback Ronnie Wiggins is among seven starters returning on defense. Wiggins, who has a 40-inch vertical leap, totaled 39 tackles and three interceptions. Adrian Mora, a preseason honorable mention All-America placekicker, made 10 of 12 field goals, including three 40-plus yarders, last year.

Bob Ford, who leads all active FCS head coaches with 234 career victories, has 14 starters back from a UAlbany squad that won its second consecutive Northeast Conference championship and became the first NEC team to win the Gridiron Classic. Walter Payton Award candidate David McCarty rushed for 1,852 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior. Quarterback Vinny Esposito passed for 1,934 yards and 13 scores, plus ran for 10 TDs. All-NEC wide receiver Tim Bush broke the school's single-season receptions mark.

Dave Casale, a first-team All-ECAC and All-NEC free safety, leads a defense that ranked first in the league in points allowed and rushing yards. All-NEC inside linebacker Justin Brancaccio (91 tackles) and outside linebacker Dave Nicomini, who was granted an extra year by the NCAA due to a medical hardship, make the second level strong.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information