Bulldogs outscore SFU, 45-34

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Searching for its second three-game winning streak of the season and the programs sixth seven-win season in the last seven years, the Bryant University football team racked up a season-high 564 yards of total offense and put a season-high 45 points on the board, defeating Saint Francis (PA), 45-34, Saturday afternoon at Bulldog Stadium.

In winning its fifth conference game of the season, the Bulldogs (7-3, 5-2) have now won the most Northeast Conference games in school history and remain a game behind Duquesne and Albany in the NEC standings.

Facing one of the nation's porous defenses on Saturday, the Black and Gold had no trouble putting crooked numbers on the board, it was keeping them off that made the game interesting. Bryant built a 24-7 first-half lead thanks to three touchdown runs from junior running back Jordan Brown (Glastonbury, Conn.) but 14-straight points by the Red Flash (2-9, 1-7) in the second half, whittled the Bulldogs' lead to three, 31-28.

As they have done all season, the Bulldogs responded immediately, scoring 1:11 later to push the lead back to 10 on a five-yard TD pass from senior quarterback Mike Croce (Waterbury, Conn.) to classmate Matt Tracey (Littleton, Colo.). SFU scored again two minutes later but Jordan Harris's (Lincoln University, Pa.) 23-yard TD reception with 8:17 remaining sealed the victory for Bryant on Hall of Fame Weekend.

A game that was suppose to feature the FCS's top two rushers, ended up only featuring one. SFU received the opening kickoff and on the second play from scrimmage, standout running back Kyle Harbridge carried the ball up the middle for what appeared to be a routine five-yard gain. It was anything but, however, as Harbridge dropped the ball – it was recovered by the Red Flash – and then left the game with a lower body injury. He never returned to the huddle.

Things progressively got worse for the Red Flash after that. Their opening drive stalled at the Bryant 41 but their defense, one that was allowing 44 points per game heading into Saturday, forced a three-and-out from the Bulldogs. Forced to punt, Brendan Lane (Annapolis, Md.) launched a high kick into SFU territory that appeared to be lost in the sun by return man A.J. Alexander. The ball bounced once at the SFU 43 and then glanced off a unknowing Red Flash player. Bryant's Michael Johnson (New Market, Md.) alertly recovered it and just like that the Bulldogs had the ball back. And just like that they were in the end zone. Brown carried the ball three consecutive times, scoring from 15 yards out on the final carry to put the Black and Gold on top, 7-0.

Bryant forced a three-and-out on the next Red Flash possession and put together an eight-play, 85-yard drive that ended with freshman Tom Alberti (Marshfield, Mass.) knocking down a 19-yard field goal.

Saint Francis put together a strong drive following the field goal, driving to the Bryant 45, but freshman Jeff Covitz (Reading, Mass.) broke through and brought down SFU quarterback John Kelly in the backfield, recording a sack for the third-straight week. Andrew Penksa's punt pinned the Bulldogs inside their own 10 but it didn't stop Brown. The nation's leading rusher, Brown carried the ball four-straight times to get the Bulldogs away from their own end zone, freshman Ricardo McCray (Middletown, R.I.) picked up 10 yards on consecutive rushes and then Brown exploded for a 62-yard touchdown. With nowhere to go on the right side of the field, Brown made a gorgeous cut-back, found a lane and scampered to pay dirt. That score, his second of the afternoon and the 39^th total touchdown of his career, pushed him past Lorenzo Perry and into first place all-time at Bryant.

The Red Flash would finally find the end zone with 4:14 remaining in the second quarter. A trio of rushes from Kelly pushed SFU inside Bryant territory, and a personal foul on the Bulldogs put the ball at the 12. Replacing Harbridge in the backfield, Keion Wade found a hole up the middle, scoring from 12 yards out.

It took the Bulldogs just three plays to respond. Sophomore Jeremy Woodson (Fresno, Texas) returned the kickoff 32 yards before Brown's 53-yard scamper was called back due to a holding penalty. The call didn't phase the Bulldogs as Croce connected with Shavoy Lawrence (Patterson, N.J.) down the middle of the field for a 60-yard completion to the SFU eight. Brown was in the end zone two plays later and the Bulldogs were up by 17, 24-7.

Following that score, however, the Red Flash came alive. Starting their drive with just 2:11 remaining in the half, SFU quickly drove into Bulldog territory thanks to a 34-yard return by Alexander on the kickoff. It took the Red Flash just five plays to get inside the Bryant 10 and Kelly capped the efficient drive with a six-yard scoring strike to Anthony Howze.

The second half turned into a old fashion shootout. Bryant looked like it would put the game out of reach early in the half, driving to the SFU 21 in just five plays, but Alberti's 38-yard field goal attempt was no good. After the Red Flash had their drive stall at the Bryant 31 on an unsuccessful fourth-and-three attempt, the Bulldogs drove 69 yards in eight plays to make it 31-17. McCray's 18-yard run broke up six runs from Brown and Croce connected with classmate Zach Wilson (Yarmouthport, Mass.) and the burly fullback extended the ball across the goal line for his third touchdown reception of the season.

Comfortable playing in offensive battles, Saint Francis quickly responded. Wade broke free for a 25-yard run and Kelly hit Alexander in stride for a 38-yard touchdown. Needing a big defensive stop, the Red Flash got it on the next Bryant possession, stopping Brown on a fourth-and-one from the SFU 10. Kelly quickly hit Alexander for a 31-yard gain to get the Red Flash out of the shadow of their end zone and then, four plays later, again found Alexander for another 38-yard scoring strike, pulling SFU to within three.

That score set off a string of 27 points in the first seven minutes of the fourth quarter. Immediately following Alexander's touchdown grab, Croce and Harris connected for a 49-yard gain that put the Bulldogs at the SFU 10. Two players later, Croce hit a wide open Tracey in the corner of the end zone. The scoring drive took all of one minute and 11 seconds.

Not to be outdone, the Red Flash marched right back down the field. Kelly completed three-straight passes to start the drive and instead of throwing to Alexander, handed him the ball and the Florida State transfer scored from five yards out just 2:12 after the drive had started.

It took Bryant just over three minutes to respond. On the first play of Bryant's next drive, Tracey caught Croce's pass along the sideline and barreled down through two different Red Flash defenders for a 31-yard gain. Saint Francis eventually forced Bryant into a fourth-and-15 from the SFU 23, but Croce found Harris wide open over the middle for a touchdown, Harris's program-record eighth this season. He has now caught a TD pass in each of the last seven weeks.

Trailing by 11, SFU ran out of options and the Bryant defensive line put pressure on Kelly in the backfield. The Red Flash got the ball back one more time with 3:58 remaining in the game, but Covitz continued his stellar play on defense. On fourth down, Kelly tried to make something happen, running around in the backfield, but Covitz eventually tracked him down for his second sack of the afternoon.

Brown finished the afternoon with 243 yards and three touchdowns on 33 carries. McCray averaged 11 yards per carry with 55 yards on five carries and Croce completed 14-of-21 passes for 278 yards and three scores. Harris recorded his fourth 100-yard receiving game in the last six weeks, Tracey caught three passes for 66 yards and Wilson caught a TD pass for the second-straight week.

Woodson, one of the Bulldogs starting corners, not only led the defense with 10 tackles, but helped the offense to an average field position of its own 39. He returned five kickoffs for 163 yards, finishing 15 yards shy of the kick return record set by Jon Zenquis in 2005.

The Bulldogs close out their 2011 season next Saturday, Nov. 19, when they host Central Connecticut State University at 12:00 p.m. A Bryant win and losses by Albany and Duquesne will give the Bulldogs a share of their first-ever NEC regular season championship.