Bryant wins first-ever home night game, 37-27

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Redshirt senior Price Wilson (Marietta, Ga.) threw for 375 yards and three touchdowns as the Bryant University football team defeated Marist, 37-27, in the first-ever home night game Saturday at Beirne Stadium.

Playing under the lights at home for the first time in program history, the Black and Gold jumped out to a 17-7 lead in the first half but then had to battle back from a 23-20 deficit in the third quarter. Redshirt sophomore Alfred Dorbor (Pawtucket, R.I.) gave Bryant the lead back and ankle-breaking moves from redshirt junior Jean Constant (Delray Beach, Fla.) and redshirt freshman Shelton McNeal (Lakeland, Fla.) produced touchdowns to put the game away.

Wilson completed 32-of-50 passes, the third-most completions in school history, for the fifth-most passing yards in a game in school history. Constant finished with six catches for 95 yards and two scores, while McNeal had four catches for 81 yards and his first-career touchdown.

Paced by the return of junior Jesse Nemerowicz (Hudson, Mass.), Bryant's defense allowed just 17 first downs and held the Red Foxes to 378 yards of total offense and 3-of-15 on third down. Nemerowicz posted a team-high nine tackles, senior Thomas Costigan (Stamford, Conn.) surpassed 200 career tackles with five and the Bulldogs posted five sacks in the game.

GAME INFORMATION
Bryant 37, Marist 27
Records: Bryant (2-1), Marist (0-2)
Location: Beirne Stadium (Smithfield, R.I.)
Attendance: 3,673

Coach Perry's Comments

"I'm really proud of the guys. I knew we'd have great emotion. We played a lot of plays and the kids played hard. We got a win against a very good football team. I'm proud of how they played and the effort. You can't beat the atmosphere. You can't get a better atmosphere to play football anywhere, especially at the FCS level. That is the epitome of a great atmosphere."

Key Moment

• After Marist had taken its first lead, 23-20, the Bulldogs were driving at midfield when senior Brenden Femiano (Northport, N.Y.) lost the football. In the scrum, however, Femiano was able to recover the ball and the keep the drive going. Three plays later, Dorbor pounded it in from one-yard out to give the Black and Gold the lead back for good.

How it Happened

• Bryant took the early lead with a quick 5-play, 65-yard drive four minutes into the game. Facing 3rd-and-5, Wilson ran a beautiful play action and found Constant down the middle of the field for a 49-yard touchdown.
• Marist tied the game with 4:20 left in the first quarter with a quick offensive strike. Moments after a Bryant missed field goal, Mike Husni connected with Juston Christian for an 80-yard touchdown.
• The Black and Gold responded with a 14-play, 58-yard drive to retake the lead. Freshman Daniel Adeboboye (Toronto, Ont.) and Femiano both converted on 4th-and-short to keep the drive alive and Adeboboye capped the drive with his first-career touchdown to make it 14-7.
• Junior Gavin Rowley (Hampstead, Md.) then capped an 11-play drive with a 28-yard field goal to make it 17-7.
• Marist, however, would score the next 13 points to take a 20-17 lead. Grant Dixon intercepted Wilson's pass and returned it 62 yards for a touchdown with just 25 seconds left in the first half.
• The Red Foxes then took the lead with their first drive in the second half. Darryn Jordan picked up 30 yards to open the drive and then added 19 more to put the ball at the Bryant 20. Christian then made a beautiful grab in the endzone to make it 20-17.
• After Marist missed a 45-yard field goal, the Bulldogs retook the lead with a seven-play, 73-yard drive. After Femiano recovered his own fumble, junior Alex Rasmussen (Fallston, Md.) hauled in a 15-yard pass and senior Vincent Nisivoccia (Nutley, N.J.) took a reverse 30 yards to the Marist 5. Dorbor then plowed it in from a yard out.
• Bryant put the game away with scores on each of its first two drives of the fourth quarter. Runs from three different Bulldogs got the ball to the Marist 25 to set up the score. Wilson fired a bubble screen to Constant and the athletic wideout made two men miss for a 25-yard score.
• Four minutes later, McNeal matched Constant's ankle-breaking moves. The rookie caught the pass in the open field, made one man miss and then was able to get across the goal line despite the defender pulling on his facemask. The scoring strike went for 62 yards.
• Husni's eight-yard TD run with three seconds left in the game accounted for the final score.

Stats

• Bryant finished the game with a season-high 568 yards on a season-high 99 plays.
• The Bulldogs limited Marist to 378 yards of offense and just 3-of-15 on third down.
• Bryant picked up 34 first downs and held the ball for 34:15.
• The Bulldogs finished 6-of-19 on third down and 3-for-3 on fourth down.
• Bryant posted a season-high 193 yards rushing.
• Bryant posted a season-high five sacks.
• Wilson finished the game 32-of-50 for 375 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.
• Femiano led the rushing attack with 87 yards on 20 carries.
• Adeboboye picked up 47 yards on nine carries.
• Nisivoccia added 39 yards on two carries and also caught six passes for 46 yards. He finished with 146 all-purpose yards.
• Sophomore Isaac McCray (Middletown, R.I.) picked up 26 yards on six carries in his return.
• Dorbor finished with 11 yards and a touchdown on six carries.
• Constant caught six passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns.
• McNeal hauled in four passes for 81 yards and a score.
• Rasmussen made three catches for 65 yards.
• Freshman David Zorrilla (Everett, Mass.), Femiano and redshirt freshman Tyrrell Washington (Sebastian, Fla.) all caught three passes.
• Nemerowicz led the defense with nine tackles and two sacks.
• Junior Tomas Wright (St. Augustine, Fla.) posted six tackles and a sack.
• Costigan added five tackles and two tackles for a loss.
• Redshirt senior Kevin Lazo (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) and redshirt freshman James LoChirco (Everett, Mass.) each posted a sack.

Game Notes

• Saturday's game was the first-ever home night game for the Bulldogs.
• Bryant picked up its first-ever win in three tries over Marist.
• The 568 yards of total offense is the third-most in a single game in program history. The 99 plays are also the third most.
• Wilson's 375 yards were 18 shy of his single-game program record.
• Wilson has now posted three games of 30+ completions in his career. He is the only QB in program history to do so.
• Wilson became just the fifth QB in school history with 4,000+ career passing yards. He has 4,200 in 14 career games. 
• With his 87 yards, Femiano became just the seventh player in DI program history with 1,000+ career rushing yards. 
• Constant posted his second multi-touchdown game of the season and now has five receiving TDs and six total TDs.
• Constant also became just the ninth player in program history with 1,000+ career receiving yards. 
• Constant now has 18 career touchdowns, tied for ninth all-time. His 13 receiving touchdowns are now tied for fifth all-time. 
• Adeboboye and McNeal both scored their first career touchdowns on Saturday.
• Dorbor has now scored a touchdown in three-straight games and four of the last five.
• McCray returned after having missed the last eight games dating back to last year. It was his first action since Sept. 24, 2017.
• Costigan's five tackles give him 201 in his career. He is just the 11th player in program history to accomplish the feat.
• Nemerowicz posted the first two sacks of his career.

Up Next

The Bulldogs open Northeast Conference play next Saturday when they welcome Robert Morris on Homecoming and Reunion Weekend. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.