Moon Township, Pa. – The
Robert Morris University football team christened its 2019 season Thursday with a 38-10 setback to Buffalo at UB Stadium in Buffalo, N.Y.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The Buffalo special teams came up big to lead to the first score of the contest, as Theo Anderson blocked a punt from
George Souders III, allowing the Bulls to set up their offense for the first time on the 2019 campaign at the RMU 25-yard line. Three players later, Matt Myers punched it in from a yard out and Buffalo grabbed an early 7-0 lead.
TAKEAWAY
The Colonials (0-1) garnered their first takeaway of the season courtesy of their special teams, as Anderson fumbled at the Robert Morris 49-yard line after a 21-yard punt from Souders. Senior wide receiver
DeLano Madison recovered the loose ball, but RMU couldn't sustain the momentum, going three-and-out. Buffalo then engineered a 10-play, 82-yard drive that featured runs on each play and was capped by a four-yard touchdown scamper by Jaret Patterson at the 4:10 mark of the first quarter.
ANSWERING THE BELL
George Martin, making his first collegiate start against the Bulls, got the offense in a groove on the next possession for Robert Morris. On the first play of the drive, Martin tossed a gem toward the sideline to Madison, who hauled in a 34-yard catch on a diving play. Four plays later,
Alijah Jackson found a hole and raced 28 yards to pay dirt to put the Colonials on the board and trim their deficit in half, 14-7.
WILD FIRST HALF
The two teams combined for 38 points in the first 30 minutes of action. Buffalo scored on its final two drives of the first half, posting drives of 79 and 75 yards en route to a 28-10 advantage at halftime.
Nick Bisceglia connected for a 28-yard field goal with 4:21 left in the first half for RMU, which capped the longest drive of the night for either team at 18 plays. Jackson ran for 42 yards during the drive for the Colonials.
PICKING RIGHT UP
Jackson paced the RMU ground game, averaging 6.5 yards per rush thanks to 85 yards on 13 attempts. He was part of a balanced rushing attack, as
Jordan Johnson also carried 13 times (45 yards) and
Terence Stephens, Jr. 11 (19 yards). Martin, meanwhile, finished 7-for-9 passing for 92 yards.
UP NEXT
Robert Morris opens the home portion of its 2019 slate Saturday, Sept. 7, with a 1:00 p.m. kickoff against Kentucky State at Joe Walton Stadium. It marks the first of two consecutive home games, as the Colonials will welcome Dayton Saturday, Sept. 14, for a 3:00 p.m. kickoff that is part of the University's Homecoming festivities.
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