Easton, Taute lead Bulldogs past CCSU, 45-25, on Homecoming

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Senior Dalton Easton (Miami, Fla.) accounted for three touchdowns and junior Hunter Taute (Norfolk, Mass.) rushed for two scores as the Bryant University football team raced by Central Connecticut, 45-25, in the Northeast Conference opener for both teams on Saturday afternoon at Beirne Stadium.

Playing in front of 4,514 fans on Homecoming and Reunion Weekend, the Bulldogs (2-2, 1-0 NEC) racked up 460 yards of total offense to christen the newly dedicated David M. '85 and Terry Beirne Stadium Complex with a victory. The Blue Devils (1-3, 0-1) have now lost their last two games in Smithfield.

Easton completed 22-of-32 passes (68.8%) for 272 yards and two touchdowns, and also scored a three-yard TD run to cap a strong afternoon. Senior Ryan Black (Joppa, Md.) carried the ball a career-high 27 times for 128 yards, while Taute caught three passes for 36 yards and carried the ball six times for 30 yards and two touchdowns. It was Black's second-career 100-yard game and his first since the 2013 season.

Bryant's defense, on the other hand, didn't allow a touchdown in the first quarter for the fourth-straight game and held the Blue Devils to just three points over their first six possessions of the game. Raamah Vaughn (Fort Washington, Md.) led the defense with a career-high eight tackles, while Aaron Gilmer (North Easton, Mass.) and Jesse Nemerowicz (Hudson, Mass.) each finished with seven.

The Bulldogs received the opening kickoff and quickly drove 71 yards in eight plays to set the tone. Redshirt freshman Jean Constant (Delray Beach, Fla.) picked up 14 yards on a reverse two plays into the game and then capped the drive with a 20-yard burst down the far sideline to make it 7-0.

CCSU answered with a 12-play, 74-yard drive that Ed Groth finished with a 20-yard field goal. Bryant then matched the Blue Devils with a 12-play, 74-yard drive that took 6:07 off the clock. Black carried the ball five times for 37 yards, including a huge 21-yard burst that put the ball to the CCSU 13. Two plays later, Taute bulldozed his way into the endzone from a yard out.

Bryant's defense forced a punt after four plays and the offense needed just seven plays to increase its lead. Easton connected with junior Matt Sewall (Portsmouth, R.I.) for 11 yards on 3rd-and-7 and then hit senior Taylor Barthelette (East Longmeadow, Mass.) for 32 yards on 3rd-and-5. With the ball at the CCSU 3, Easton kept the ball on a play-action and trotted into the endzone to make it 21-3 with 8:14 left in the second quarter.

The Bulldogs put an exclamation point on their dominant first half by scoring with just 1:26 left. Easton opened the drive with back-to-back first-down completions to senior Keenan Thompson (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) and junior Aaron Aryee (Hartford, Conn.) and then capped the drive with a perfect pass to Thompson in the corner of the endzone. Thompson turned at the perfect time and hauled in the pass for a 17-yard touchdown.

In the second half, the Bulldogs put the game away with 17 points. Taute's second touchdown of the game made it 38-11, senior Ricky Perez (Miami, Fla.) drilled a 38-yard field goal to make it 38-18 and junior Joe Fine (Cumberland, R.I.) hauled in a 34-yard touchdown pass to make it 45-25 with 1:39 remaining in the game.

Dolegala led CCSU on two scoring drives in the second half when the game was out of reach. The Blue Devils drove 72 yards in 19 plays and scored on a three-yard TD pass and then capped the scoring with a seven-yard TD pass with just seven seconds remaining.

Bryant finished the game with 27 first downs and converted 9-of-14 third downs, a new season high.

The Bulldogs head on the road this weekend when they take on the University of Maine in Orono. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 1.