Smithfield, R.I. - The Robert Morris University football team set season highs in points and total yards Saturday afternoon at Bryant, but the Bulldogs were the last to score and came away with a 38-35 victory in a back-and-forth affair in Northeast Conference (NEC) action at a chilly and breezy Bulldog Stadium.

Despite the setback, one Colonial senior had a day to remember as defensive lineman Nolan Nearhoof (Gibsonia, Pa. / Mars Area) broke RMU's all-time program record for career sacks. Nearhoof tied his single-game career high with three sacks and, in the process, became the first Colonial ever to surpass 20 sacks as he finished his day with 21.5. Ray Gensler held the previous record with 19.

Robert Morris put up 406 yards of total offense, its best output in its past 14 road games. That total included 197 rushing yards, RMU's best road rushing sum in over six years, as the Colonials averaged over six yards per carry.

RMU had fewer turnovers than its opponent for the third consecutive game as it picked off Bulldog quarterback Mike Westerhaus twice and was also a perfect 4-for-4 on converting red zone opportunities into touchdowns.

Senior Jeff Sinclair (Natrona Heights, Pa. / Highlands) threw for 209 yards and two scores and rushed for 44 yards and another touchdown as he continued to climb the career ranks in multiple offensive categories. He jumped into third place in career total offense, surpassing 5,500 yards, and moved into fourth place in career TD passes with 48. Sinclair's rushing TD was the 16th of his career, which gave him as many rushing touchdowns as all other RMU quarterbacks combined prior to Sinclair becoming the starter under center.

Sophomore wide receiver Duane Mitchell (Monroe Falls, Ohio / Stow) caught both of Sinclair's touchdown passes, one for 15 yards and another for 13. Mitchell finished with a career-best 72 receiving yards while posting the first multi-TD game of his career.

Senior linebacker Brad Banas (Houston, Pa. / Chartiers-Houston) scored RMU's second defensive touchdown in the past three games as he picked off a pass at his own 45-yard line and brought it 55 yards to the end zone for his first-career touchdown. The pick was Banas' second-career interception and marked the ninth-longest interception return in school history.

Junior Evan Taylor (Redding, Calif. / Shasta) notched his second straight triple-digit rushing performance as he ran for 105 yards on 18 carries, averaging 5.8 yards per rush.

After stopping the Bulldogs on their opening drive, Robert Morris scored a touchdown on its first possession as it drove 80 yards on nine plays before Sinclair hooked up with Mitchell fewer than eight minutes into the first quarter.

Bryant soon found its offensive groove, though, as it scored touchdowns on drives of 58 and 75 yards and added a field goal on its next three possessions to take a 16-7 lead with 8:15 left in the second quarter.

The Colonials would bounce back soon as they drove 73 yards on seven plays, including a 31-yard run by junior wide receiver Donte Jeter (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Oliver), before Sinclair found Mitchell in the left corner of the end zone to pull RMU within two points.

True freshman defensive back Brian Jones (Monroeville, Pa. / Gateway) came up with his first-career interception on the ensuing drive as he corralled an errant pass before it fell to the field. RMU was unable to capitalize on the turnover, and the teams would eventually head into the half with the Bulldogs leading, 16-14.

After each team failed to score on its opening possession of the second half, the two squads each hit paydirt on their next two drives. RMU drove 80 yards on 10 plays, capped off by a Sinclair 2-yard rushing TD, but Bryant came right back and scored on a 43-yard screen pass.

The Colonials then drove 90 yards on just seven plays as senior fullback Nick Groat (Youngstown, Ohio / Austintown-Fitch) rumbled into the end zone from five yards out for his first-career touchdown.

The Bulldogs came right back and scored on a seven-play, 66-yard drive to take a 31-28 lead with 14:45 remaining in regulation.

After RMU punted on its next possession, the defense came up with a big play as Banas tallied a 'pick-six' to put the Colonials back on top, 35-31, with under nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

Bryant then came up with what proved to be the winning score as it drove 65 yards on eight plays, taking the lead for good on a 16-yard pass play.

RMU went three-and-out on its next possession, and Bryant ended up with fantastic field position. The Colonial defense came up with a huge fourth-and-goal stop to give its offense one last chance, albeit a long shot.

Robert Morris took over on its own 2-yard line with just 51 seconds left and no timeouts remaining and was unable to move the ball into field goal range before the clock ran out.

RMU produced six sacks on the day as Nearhoof tallied three, junior Chris Thompkins (Webster, N.Y. / Webster) posted a career-best two, and added another tackle for loss, and Banas added one.

Junior D.J. Myers (Aliquippa, Pa. / Pittsburgh Central Catholic) registered a team-high eight tackles, including one tackle for loss.

RMU was 5-of-11 on third downs Saturday and fell to 61-23-1 all-time when having a 100-yard rusher.

The Colonials will hope to get back on track next Saturday, Oct. 20, when they host Central Connecticut State at Noon. It will be the first matchup at Joe Walton Stadium between these teams since RMU beat the Blue Devils to clinch its 2010 NEC championship.