Blue Devils Win in Final Seconds at Saint Francis
Quarterback Nick SanGiacomo pushed into the end zone with 11 seconds left to play to give CCSU a 22-17 victory on Saturday afternoon.
The Central Connecticut football team defeated Saint Francis U on Saturday afternoon at DeGol Field in Loretto, PA. The Blue Devils (3-9, 1-5 NEC) scored a go ahead touchdown with 11 seconds remaining to win the game 22-17 over the Red Flash (5-6, 3-3 NEC).
With his team trailing 17-16 with 2:24 left, quarterback Nick SanGiacomo led the Blue Devils on a 10-play, 75-yard drive to take the lead. SanGiacomo capped the drive by plunging into the end zone on a one-yard sneak with 11 seconds remaining.
The CCSU defense delivered an incredible performance on Saturday afternoon, limiting the nation's leading rusher Khairi Dickson to just 58 yards on 27 carries.
In addition to bottling up Dickson, the Blue Devils limited the Red Flash to just 176 yards of total offense. CCSU held SFU to 90 yards through the air and 86 yards on the ground.
The Blue Devil special teams unit also came through by blocking a field goal, the sixth straight game the CCSU has recorded a block on special teams.
Senior Chris Abner who blocked the field goal, his third of the season, also led the defense with seven tackles. On the defensive line sophomore Asia Bolling recorded a team-high eight tackles with a pair of sacks, including a sack and forced fumble on the final play of the game.
The Blue Devils scored three touchdowns on the day with SanGiacomo contributing to all three. SanGiacomo connected with junior Brennden Cullen late in the first quarter for a seven-yard touchdown pass.
SanGiacomo then ran for a touchdown with 5:35 left in the second quarter, as he plunged into the end zone from one-yard out. SanGiacomo's second rushing touchdown, was also a one-yard rush and gave the Blue Devils their first conference win of the season.
Earlier in the fourth quarter the Blue Devils had closed the gap to 17-16 on a career-long 39-yard field goal by sophomore Ed Groth.
The Red Flash scored 10 points in the first six minutes after CCSU's first two drives stalled and Saint Francis was able to start inside the Blue Devil 20 yard line. SFU scored on a Lance Geesey field goal and a rush by Dickson.
The two first half CCSU touchdowns gave the Blue Devils a 13-10 lead, but SFU recaptured it on a touchdown pass from Zack Drayer to Anthony Abeid early in the fourth quarter.
SanGiacomo finished 11-of-23 for 165 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for two scores. He passed Sam Trione for third on CCSU's career passing list early in the game.
Senior Tyrell Holmes caught three passes for 71 yards in the victory. Senior Rob Hollomon finishes his career with a school record 3,672 rushing yards.
