Football Extends Win Streak to Five; Downs Bryant, 31-14

The Central Connecticut football team won its fifth straight game with a 31-14 win over Bryant in Northeast Conference action on Saturday at Arute Field. CCSU scored on its first two possessions and sophomore Drew Jean-Guillaume finished with  a career-high 123 yards on the ground to help the Blue Devils match their longest win streak since 2010.

With the win Central improves to 5-3 overall and 3-0 in the Northeast Conference. CCSU is off to its best NEC start since opening 5-0 in 2010. 

Bryant slips to 2-5 overall and 0-2 in conference play.

The Blue Devils scored on each of their first two possessions to open the game. After forcing a Bryant punt to start the game, Central opened the scoring with a nine-play, 61-yard drive. Junior Jacob Dolegala completed thre passes on the drive, which was capped off by a three-yard run by junior Courtney Rush.

On their next drive the Blue Devils pushed the lead to two touchdowns. CCSU went 85 yards in four plays, but the score came on a 70-yard throw from Dolegala to Rush in stride to make it 14-0 at the 4:08 mark in the first quarter.

A 34-yard field goal by junior Frankie Palmer would cap an eight-play, 50 yard drive with two minutes left in the half to increase the lead to 17-0. 

Bryant would cut the deficit to 17-14 with a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter. After forcing a CCSU punt to begin the second half, the Bulldogs would go 58 yards for their first score of the day. Price Wilson would score from the one-yard line to cap the drive.

The Bulldogs would get the ball back with 2:58 left in the quarter and cover 80 yards in six plays to get within a field goal. Wilson would hit Tom Kennedy for a 51-yard pass play to cap the drive with 0:58 to go in the third quarter and make it 17-14.

On the ensuing possession, CCSU would regain the momentum when Jean-Guillaume took a first down handoff through the middle for 76 yards and the touchdown. Palmer's kick on the extra point would push the lead back to 24-14. 

The Central defense would seal the win with a pair of turnovers. After the Blue Devils recovered a Bryant fumble, senior Cameron Nash would cap the drive with a one-yard run for the score and the Blue Devils extended the lead to 31-14 with 6:34 to play. Senior Randall Laguerre would later recover a Bryant fumble on the one-yard line to clinch the win.

Central finished with 469 total yards of offense. Dolegala would finish the game 16-of-26 for 252 yards and a touchdown. He moved into second place on the all-time passing yardage list at CCSU with 5,319 yards. He passed Keith Toolan (5,145) and is behind only Scott Dolch (5,728) on the career chart. 

Rush led the receivers with 70 yards on his only catch of the day. Freshman Xavier Bass caught four passes for 59 yards.

Defensively, Laguerre finished with a season-high 16 tackles. Senior Najae Brown added 11 stops and junior Kenneth Keen had 10 tackles.

Following a bye week this upcoming week, CCSU will return to action on Saturday, Nov. 4, when it hosts Saint Francis U at Arute Field.