Bryant football drops heartbreaker in 2015 season finale

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The Bryant University football team rallied with two late touchdowns but a missed PAT was the difference as Robert Morris was able to hang for a 21-20 victory in the season finale for both teams at Joe Walton Stadium.

The Bulldogs (5-6, 3-3 NEC) lost their final two games of the season for the second-straight year and missed out on a second-consecutive winning season. The Colonials (4-7, 2-4) have now defeated Bryant in each of the last two games in Moon Township.

Trailing 21-7 with 5:30 to go in the fourth quarter, things started to turn in Bryant's favor. The Black and Gold forced a fourth down and the Colonials tried to put the game away with a fake punt but they failed to convert, giving Bryant the ball at the RMU 29. Six seconds later, junior Dalton Easton (Miami, Fla.) threw a perfect pass to senior Jose Depadua (Frederick, Md.) for a 29-yard scoring play.

Bryant's defense forced another quick three-and-out, giving the offense the ball back at midfield. A pass interference moved the ball to the RMU 34 before Easton fired a perfect pass to senior Chad Ward (Delray Beach, Fla.) to put the ball inside the RMU 5. Two penalties, however, backed Bryant up to the 18 but Easton was able to find senior John Lavin (Falmouth, Mass.) down the seam for a touchdown to make it 21-20. The Bulldogs pushed the ensuing PAT wide left, though, keeping the deficit at one. Robert Morris then recovered the onside kick and ran the clock out to seal the victory.

Saturday's finale started well for the Black and Gold as they drove 78 yards in 11 plays to score on their first possession. A pass interference call on 3rd-and-20 kept the drive alive and Easton followed with consecutive completions to Ward and Depadua. Senior Ricardo McCray (Middletown, R.I.) did the rest, carrying the ball four-straight times, capping the drive with a seven-yard scoring plunge.

The turning point in the first half came as Bryant failed to capitalize on an 11-play drive. RMU's Andy Smigiera blocked an 24-yard field goal attempt and the Colonials used the momentum to tie the game. RMU followed with a 16-play, 88-yard drive that took seven minutes and tied the game. Matthew Barr completed all six of his passes on the drive and then finished it with a four-yard TD run to make it 7-7.

Robert Morris then stopped a Bulldogs' fake punt attempt near midfield and took over at the Bryant 46. A 36-yard completion to Kyle Buss was the big play of the drive and Rameses Owens finished it with a 13-yard TD run.

The Colonials then extended their lead in the fourth quarter after a big punt return by Warren Robinson. The speedy returner took the punt 58 yards, giving RMU the ball at the Bryant 10. Two plays later, Cole Blake ran in from nine yards out to make it 21-7.

Bryant finished the game with 20 first downs and 325 yards of total offense. McCray ran for 90 yards on just nine carries but missed the final three quarters after suffering an injury. Easton finished 12-of-29 for 165 yards and two scores. With the two passing TDs, Easton broke Charlie Granatell's single-season program record with 22. Ward finished with five catches for 68 yards in his final game.

On defense, junior LBs Marquise Watson (Hillside, N.J.) and Patrick Kenney (Camarillo, Calif.) each finished with 10 tackles. With the 10 tackles, Watson surpassed the 200 career tackle mark, becoming the ninth player in history to accomplish the feat. Senior Aaron Dixon (Danbury, Conn.) posted seven tackles and finished his career with 213 stops.