Bulldogs, Blue Devils open NEC play Saturday on ESPN3

FULL GAME NOTES

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University football team will celebrate Homecoming and Reunion Weekend as it welcomes Central Connecticut to Bulldog Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:04 p.m. and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN3 as part of the "#NECFB on ESPN3" TV package.

The Particulars

Opponent: Central Connecticut

Kickoff: 1:04 p.m.

Watch Live: ESPN3

Listen Live: WOON 1240 or onworldwide.com

Live Stats: BryantBulldogs.com

Series History

Saturday will mark the ninth all-time meeting between Bryant and Central Connecticut. The Blue Devils lead the series 5-3 after earning a wild 35-33 victory last fall in New Britain. Bryant and CCSU traded the lead four separate times in the final eight minutes of last year's game. The loss snapped Bryant's three-game winning streak against the Blue Devils.

Notes and Notables for Week 4

Bryant has posted 250+ yards rushing in each of the last two games against Central Connecticut. The Bulldogs put up 250 yards in a loss last season and 352 rushing yards in 2014.

The Bulldogs will hope to find their running game on Saturday after posting just 95 total rushing yards in their last two games.

Saturday will be the second time the Black and Gold and Blue Devils will play on ESPN3. In 2014, Bryant earned a 31-3 victory over CCSU on a rainy and cold afternoon in Smithfield.

The Black and Gold enter Saturday's Homecoming Game with a record of 10-2 under head coach Marty Fine. Bryant won the first eight games before losing in 2013 and 2013. The last two years, Bryant has defeated Maine (13-10) and Duquesne (38-17).

Bryant wide receivers Taylor Barthelette (East Longmeadow, Mass.) and Matt Sewall (Portsmouth, R.I.) became the first teammates in program history to record 100-yard receiving games in the same season.

A bit about the Blue Devils

Central Connecticut enters Saturday's game with a 1-2 record on the young season. The Blue Devils opened the year with back-to-back losses to Lafayette and No. 12 James Madison before scoring 44 points in last weekend's victory over Bowie State. Cameron Nash and Brenden Lytton provide a 1-2 punch in the backfield, while Jacob Dolegala is back for his second year as the starting QB. Randall Laguerre leads the NEC with 31 tackles.