Staten Island, N.Y. – Junior
Connor Shennan connected on a 19-yard field goal with 24 seconds remaining to lift the
Robert Morris University football team to a come-from-behind, 9-6, victory over Wagner in each team's Northeast Conference opener on a blustery day at Wagner College Stadium.
RMU used a fantastic defensive effort in partnership with Shennan's leg to rally from a halftime deficit for the second time this season as Robert Morris took down the defending NEC co-champions.
The Colonials held the Seahawks to 170 yards of total offense, more than 100 fewer than their previous season low that came against a FBS program. Robert Morris, which did not allow a scoring drive longer than 35 yards, posted 7.0 sacks on the day, tying its single-game record against a Division I foe. RMU also held Wagner below a 50% completion mark and a 1-for-14 figure on third down while tallying 10.0 tackles for loss.
Shennan hit on all three of his field goal tries, no small feat on a day in which the winds were gusting. In resetting his career high for field goals in a game, Shennan became the fifth Colonial in program history to make at least a trio of field goals in a contest.
Redshirt senior captain
Mike Stojkovic led the defensive effort with a game-high 11 tackles. He added a tackle for loss in reaching double digits in stops for the fourth time in five games this season.
Fellow linebackers
Kimani Smith and
Jake Tkach each added 10 tackles with the former notching a career high in that category.
A Colonial three-and-out to begin the game and a wind-blown punt gave the Seahawks the ball at the 50-yard line on their first drive. Wagner did net one first down, but RMU then was able to force a field goal attempt from 44 yards that was missed.
Robert Morris punted on its next two drives while Wagner used good field position to launch a pair of drives that culminated in field goals.
Each team then punted on its first full drive of the second quarter.
RMU got on the board in the middle of the second quarter, a scoring drive that began with a bang as sophomore
Cole Blake rushed for 52 yards up the middle. True freshman
Dante Satcher rushed for a first down later in the drive to set up a Shennan 30-yard field goal.
Wagner looked poised to take a bigger lead into the half as it drove into the red zone late in the first half, but a fumble by the Seahawks was pounced on by sophomore linebacker
Joseph Uhatafe. The turnover essentially brought the first half to a close.
RMU forced a punt to open the second half without allowing a first down.
True freshman
Tyler Brown, who came on in relief of RMU's starting quarterback who left the game due to injury, threw a 20-yard completion on RMU's first offensive play of the second half to move the ball into Wagner territory. Shennan would hit from 36 yards out to cap the drive and tie the game early in the third quarter.
A sack by junior linebacker
Jimmy Masson and a pass breakup by sophomore cornerback
Drew Allen helped force a Wagner punt on its next drive.
RMU again moved into Wagner territory, this time on a 30-yard pass from Brown to redshirt freshman
Kyle Buss, but it would be forced to punt.
Robert Morris then forced a three-and-out before it committed its lone turnover of the day on an interception.
After the takeaway, the Seahawks had momentum and a drive start in RMU territory, but the Colonials rallied to force a three-and-out as redshirt senior captain
Forrest Mason tallied a sack on third down.
Each of the game's next six drives ended in punts as RMU netted 16 yards on its possessions while holding Wagner to -34 yards on its trio of drives.
Robert Morris took over on its own 33-yard line with 4:24 remaining with the game still tied. Brown hit Buss for a 13-yard completion on the first play before the rookie QB took things into his own hands with his legs. On the next seven plays, Brown rushed for first downs four times, contributing 37 yards overall, as he helped move the ball into the red zone. On second-and-goal, Blake nearly found the end zone with a rush but came up inches short. It proved to be no matter as Shennan hit a 19-yarder in the final minute after waiting out a long delay.
Wagner had one final chance for a miracle, but junior defensive end
Ryan Lewis notched a solo sack on the second play of the Seahawks' drive to run the clock out.
Mason tied his career high with 2.0 sacks among his four tackles while redshirt junior
Austin Trgovcich posted a career-best 2.5 tackle for loss, including a sack. Allen tied his career high with seven stops and finished with two pass breakups.
Blake rushed 16 times for 89 yards while Buss had five receptions for 55 yards.
Robert Morris had advantages in rushing yards and passing yards while holding an opponent to a single-digit point total on the road for the first time since September 2010, also at Wagner.
RMU improved to 14-8 all-time against Wagner and has now won five of its past six on Staten Island. The Colonials have not allowed a touchdown pass to the Seahawks in the last five games played between the teams.
True freshman quarterback
Reid McCoy and sophomore defensive end
Grant Lanza each made their first-career start Saturday.
RMU will return home next weekend as it continues NEC play by hosting a tilt against defending co-champion Sacred Heart.
