Bulldogs fall to Central Connecticut on the road, 31-14

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – The Bryant University football team pulled within three points late in the third quarter but Central Connecticut answered with a pair of scores to salt away a 31-14 victory on Saturday afternoon at Arute Field.

The Bulldogs (2-5, 0-2 NEC) were able to put up 450 yards of total offense but the Blue Devils (5-3, 3-0 NEC) capitalized on two big plays to earn their fifth-straight win. CCSU scored on plays of 70 and 76 yards in the game, finishing with 469 yards of total offense. 

Redshirt junior Price Wilson (Marietta, Ga.) threw for 295 yards and senior Tom Kennedy (Farmingdale, N.Y.) finished with five catches for 75 yards and a touchdown. Bryant's running attack, however, was held to 61 total yards and only 1.9 yards per rush. 

GAME INFORMATION
Central Connecticut 31, Bryant 14
Records: Bryant (2-5, 0-2), Central Connecticut (5-3, 3-0)
Location: Arute Field (New Britain, Conn.)
Attendance: 3,152

COACH PERRY'S COMMENTS

"We started slowly. It's not the type of football we wanted to play early in the game in all three phases. The kids at halftime, they're a hard-working group, came out and put a good effort in the second half. We missed a few opportunities that we will try and correct and get better."  

KEY MOMENT

• Bryant pulled within three late in the third quarter as Wilson found Kennedy on a 51-yard strike to cut it to 17-14 in the final minute. CCSU, however, quickly stole the momentum back as Drew Jean-Guillaume took the first play of the ensuing drive 76 yards for a touchdown, pushing the Blue Devils back up by 10. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Blue Devils scored the first 17 points of the game, with 14 coming from Courtney Rush. The junior receiver ran in the first score of the contest with 6:51 remaining in the first quarter and added a 70-yard touchdown reception 2:43 later. CCSU would add a field goal with 2:00 remaining in the half.
• The Bulldogs scored the first 14 points of the second half with Wilson playing a part in both scores. Wilson ran it in from one yard out to cut it to 17-7 with 11:01 remaining in the third quarter before connecting with Kennedy with 58 seconds remaining in the quarter to make it 17-14 CCSU.
• The Blue Devils would answer on the very next play, as Drew Jean-Guillaume ran it in from 76 yards out. CCSU would add a Cameron Nash touchdown for the final 31-14 margin.

STATS

• Wilson was 26-of-42 for 295 yards and one touchdown.
• Kennedy grabbed five passes for 75 yards and a touchdown.
• Senior Matt Sewall (Portsmouth, R.I.), junior Vincent Nisivoccia (Nutley, N.J.) and redshirt sophomore Jean Constant (Delray Beach, Fla.) each recorded 4+ receptions in the game. Nisivoccia led all receivers with six catches for 58 yards. 
• Junior Brenden Femiano (Northport, N.Y.) and senior Jake Wiswall (Great River, N.Y.) finished each finished with 32 rushing yards. 
• Sophomore Jesse Nemerowicz (Hudson, Mass.) led the defense with 10 tackles and 1.5 tackles for a loss. Sophomore Zahir Williams (Bronx, N.Y.) and junior Thomas Costigan (Stamford, Conn.) both contributed nine stops.
• Bryant finished with 364 yards of total offense and went 6-for-17 on third down. 
• The Bulldogs committed a season-high 94 yards in penalties.

GAME NOTES

• Bryant falls to 4-6 all-time against Central Connecticut.
• His 2,235 passing yards in 2017 move him up to sixth in a single season in program history.
• Kennedy has now scored a touchdown in each of the last four games and has six during the stretch.
• Constant finished with 143 all-purpose yards, giving him 1,135 AP yards this season. He is just the 10th different player with 1,000 AP yards in a single season in program history. 
• Nemerowicz posted 10+ tackles for the second-straight week and for the fifth time in his career. 

UP NEXT
The Bulldogs travel to Staten Island, New York, next week for a noon game at Wagner. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3.