Smithfield, R.I. – Playing its second consecutive Big South-OVC road game, the RMU football team dropped a 43-24 decision at Bryant on Saturday evening at Beirne Stadium. The Colonials fall to 2-5 overall, with a 0-2 mark in conference action. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs improve to 3-3 this season behind a 1-0 record in league play.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
It was a slow start for RMU in the opening quarter as Bryant took advantage of the sluggish start and a pair of miscues by the Colonials. The Bulldogs turned it over on downs on their opening possession before RMU went three-and-out on their opening series. Bryant would mount a six play, 65-yard drive to get on the board first before a punt that pinned the Colonials deep on their own 1-yard line, ended in a safety for the Bulldogs, 9-0. Bryant would put together a pair of touchdown drives as they held a 22-0 lead early in the second quarter.
SECOND QUARTER STINGERS
It was a different story in the second stanza as the Colonials carded a pair of impressive touchdown drives to trim the deficit. After a Bulldog score, RMU responded with a five play, 70-yard drive to get on the board. After a rush by quarterback
Anthony Chiccitt brought up fourth down, the Colonials caught the Bulldogs off guard with a fake punt. Garrett Fairman took the snap on his own 37-yard line and took it around the left side to the Bryant 30. A personal foul at the end of the play set the Colonials up in the Bryant red zone. On the very next snap, Chiccitt connected with running back
DJ Moyer over the middle to get RMU on the board.
After forcing a three-and-out, the Colonials rattled off a 13 play, 92-yard drive in just over six minutes to trim the Bulldog lead. After a rush by
Cyrus Bonsu to start the drive, Chiccitt and Moyer posted consecutive 15 yard runs to get to the RMU 40. Later in the drive, Chiccitt connected with
Trenell Ridgley for 16 yards and
Trevor Wilson for 15 yards to consecutively move the chains and get inside the Bryant 10-yard line. Moyer would post back-to-back runs before Chiccitt took it himself and found paydirt around the left side. A
Michael Velasco extra point cut the RMU deficit 22-14 with 45 seconds remaining before half.
THE SECOND HALF
Bryant held a 22-14 lead coming out of the break before an RMU fumble on the opening drive of the second half set up a Bulldog score just five plays later. The Colonials would respond on the following possession as Velasco connected on a 34-yard field goal, 29-17 with 4:23 to go in the third. After consecutive punts from both teams, Bryant would tack on a pair of scores in the fourth quarter to stretch its advantage. RMU would find the endzone late in the fourth quarter as quarterback
Tyler Szalkowski connected with wide receiver
Landen Lucas for a 24-yard touchdown pass, capping a 94-yard drive on 11 plays.
ON THE DEFENSIVE
Rob Carter, Jr. paced the Colonials on the defensive, registering seven solo tackles while collecting a blocked field goal in the second quarter.
Tony Brown finished the evening with six total stops, five coming on the solo while
Joe Casale and
Diassa Diakite each posted five tackles. Casale carded four solo stops and
Jamar Shegog ended with three quarterback hurries.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Chiccitt finished 12-of-21 for 117 yards with two total touchdowns and one pick while Moyer rushed for 60 yards on 14 attempts. Seven different receivers registered a reception as Lucas paced the team with five catches, 62 yards and a touchdown. Ridgley collected a team-high seven receptions for 54 yards while Moyer secured four catches for 29 yards and a score.
UP NEXT
The Colonials are idle for a week before returning home to Joe Walton Stadium to host Tennessee Tech for a Big South-OVC contests on Saturday, Oct. 28, with kickoff set for 12:00 p.m.
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