Blue Devils Open Season With 26-23 Road Victory at Fordham on Saturday

The Central Connecticut football team used a last second 31-yard field goal from senior placekicker Francis Cole to come away with a season-opening 26-23 road victory at Fordham on Saturday.  The win is the second straight for the Blue Devils over the Rams, a member of the Patriot League.  Central rushed the ball for 254 yards in the win, including 108 from senior quarterback Aaron Winchester.  Winchester was making his first start as a member of the Blue Devils.  A huge 48-yard interception return for a touchdown from sophomore Dexter Lawson Jr. in the third quarter helped propel the Blue Devils to the victory.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: Central Connecticut 26, Fordham 23
Records: CCSU (1-0), Fordham (0-1)
Location: Jack Coffey Field – Bronx, NY

KEY MOMENTS

• Cole's 31-yard field goal, after missing a pair earlier in the game, gave the Blue Devils the win on the road.
• The Blue Devils put together a six-play, 61-yard drive in the final 1:53 of the game to answer a Fordham touchdown and come away with the victory.
• Lawson's first career interception for CCSU came in the third quarter and gave the Blue Devils a 23-16 lead.
• CCSU was 2-for-2 on 2-point conversion attempts in the win.  The also converted on one fourth down attempt.
• Cole had three attempts at the final field goal.  Fordham called timeouts on the first attempt (miss) and the second attempt (make), and then made the third for the win.

COACH QUOTE | GAME WINNING DRIVE AND POST GAME INTERVIEWS
"When you get a 1:40 or whatever we had, you're not playing for overtime.  We were going to get the ball down the field and get a field goal or a touchdown.  We haven't been real good in two-minute (drill) in preseason camp, Aaron and Arthur Gilmore came up big, and the guys up front, and then, Francis came through.  He's a guy who has unbelievable talent and he can put it in the pipes from anywhere."

NUMBER TO KNOW
48 – The interception return by sophomore Dexter Lawson was the first of his career and went 48 yards for the score to give CCSU a 23-16 lead in the fourth quarter.

NOTES

• Tonight marked the 3rd meeting between Fordham and CCSU.  All three meetings have come in the last three seasons. The road team has won everygame in the series.
• Winchester threw his first touchdown as a Blue Devils to junior Tyshaun James in the second quarter.  The play was good for 14 yards.
• Huston scored his first touchdown in a CCSU uniform in the first quarter.  The run came from 34-yard out and was his first carry of the season.
• Lawson's first interception in a CCSU uniform gave CCSU the 23-16 lead when he returned it 48-yards for the score.  The second two-point conversion of the day gave CCSU the seven-point edge.
• The Pick-6 marked the second time in as many seasons that a CCSU defensive back returned an interception for a touchdown at Fordham.

UP NEXT
The Blue Devils host Merrimack next Saturday night, Sept. 7, at 6 p.m. at Arute Field.