fb 2023 Game #6: 10/7/23 - 4PM at Towson

[cwdickens]

Perhaps, the time is right to ask former UAlbany punter Paul Layton if his brother-in-law is available to do our games on Saturday or is Paul's brother-in-law too busy doing NFL games on Sunday. Just a silly thought.  

UALBANY 24, TOWSON 17

 

Goal-line stand lifts Danes to win

UAlbany opens 2-0 in the CAA for the first time in school history

 

By Mark Singelais

Courtesy of ENP Photography

UAlbany running back Griffin Woodell of Glens Falls had a 12-yard touchdown catch in Saturday's victory at Towson.

A goal-line stand in the final minute gave the University at Albany football team a 24-17 victory at Towson on Saturday that made the Great Danes 2-0 in the Coastal Athletic Association for the first time in program history.

On fourth-and-goal from the 1, Towson handed the ball to running back Devin Matthews, who was immediately met up the middle by UAlbany defensive tackle Elijah Hills.

 

After Hills’ initial hit, Great Danes linebackers Dylan Kelly and Ori Jean-Charles combined to tackle Matthews for a 2-yard loss that turned the ball over on downs with 55 seconds remaining. UAlbany quarterback Reese Poffenbarger took a knee twice and the game was over.

“It’s been all year, really,” UAlbany coach Greg Gattuso said. “Our red-zone (defensive) stuff’s been unbelievable. I told the coaches I don’t know if I’ve ever had a defense that plays this well in short-yardage situations. Sometimes it’s just tenacity. We’re good up front.”

UAlbany won its third straight game to improve to 4-2 overall, 2-0 in the CAA. It’s the program’s first three-game winning streak since reaching the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs in 2019.

“I’m just happy we’re 2-0 in the league,” Gattuso said. “If you want to have a chance to win the league, you’ve got to win games.”

Kelly led the Great Danes with 23 tackles, including nine solo. Jean-Charles added17 (seven solo) and had an interception.

One play before the fourth-down stop, cornerback Bill Hackett and linebacker Michel Lucien raced to the left sideline to push Matthews out at the 1 after a 10-yard reception.

“These guys are growing up and giving me a ton of confidence,” Gattuso said. “Even though we didn’t have our fastball, we fought through and made big plays in big moments, which is huge in tight football games. It’s a good win.”

Poffenbarger ran for a 6-yard touchdown that gave the Great Danes their 24-17 lead with 9:22 remaining. Poffenbarger completed 18 of 25 passes for 225 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

Great Danes kicker John Opalko tied the score at 17 with a 22-yard field goal on the final play of the third quarter.

UAlbany took a 14-3 lead in the second quarter on Poffenbarger’s 12-yard touchdown pass to Griffin Woodell of Glens Falls and 2-yard strike to MarQeese Dietz.

Towson’s Keegan Vaughan kicked field goals of 28 and 37 yards, sandwiched around UAlbany’s muffed kickoff return, to slice the Great Danes’ lead to 14-9 at halftime.

The Tigers (2-4, 1-2) seized a 17-14 lead in the third quarter when Matthews scored on a 1-yard run, followed by Nathan Kent’s two-point conversion pass to Carter Runyon with 4:02 remaining in the quarter.

UAlbany plays next Saturday at New Hampshire.

[nysteve661]

OT:  U of Miami had a 20-17 lead vs Ga. Tech with 30 sec to go and didn't take a knee, sound familar, and of course fumbled and lost on a 44 yd TD pass with 2 sec left.  

[HOF2013]

14 hours ago, Dane96 said:

THat was a gritty, hard hitting game.  We lost our LG early in the game, and that had an impact on pass protection...with Scotty out as well.

We lose that game the last three years...every time.  Good teams find a way to win, and they did.

I think we are all set going to Maryland for a bit...two of our four FCS games were there this year...and they were the hardest, most physical games we have been in. 

Yep - and Def stood tall again.  How many stops ?  That last goal line stand was incredible - same as last week..

[MRuler 79]

1 hour ago, HOF2013 said:

Yep - and Def stood tall again.  How many stops ?  That last goal line stand was incredible - same as last week..

Not that the offense didn't do well, they did fine but the 3 TO's made this closer than it should of been. As great as our D is we cant always lean on them this much. Between Morgan State and Towson we need to give them a week off so to speak. That last drive had to be exhausting having them go all the way down to the 1 and stopping them!! That game should of been at least 27-9 or 27-17. I love that this year we are bitching about wins hahahahah!

[Dane96]

8 minutes ago, MRuler 79 said:

Not that the offense didn't do well, they did fine but the 3 TO's made this closer than it should of been. As great as our D is we cant always lean on them this much. Between Morgan State and Towson we need to give them a week off so to speak. That last drive had to be exhausting having them go all the way down to the 1 and stopping them!! That game should of been at least 27-9 or 27-17. I love that this year we are bitching about wins hahahahah!

Or we just stay the Bing out of the State of Maryland.  I am all set with that state for the time being.  LOL.  We clearly don't like playing there...

[Clickclack]

3 hours ago, MRuler 79 said:

Not that the offense didn't do well, they did fine but the 3 TO's made this closer than it should of been. As great as our D is we cant always lean on them this much. Between Morgan State and Towson we need to give them a week off so to speak. That last drive had to be exhausting having them go all the way down to the 1 and stopping them!! That game should of been at least 27-9 or 27-17. I love that this year we are bitching about wins hahahahah!

Poff's interception wasn't horrible...yes he underthrew it but I believe it was 3rd down and not close to a 1st down...by yardages probably as good or better then a punt. 

[cwdickens]

From an UAlbany Instagram posting:

ualbanyfootball

 

𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 💥

@dylan_kelly12 is a FORCE 😤

#UAUKNOW #WinTheDay 🟪🟨

[cwdickens]

Kelly Named FedEx Ground FCS National Defensive Player of the Week

[godanesgo99]

9 hours ago, cwdickens said:

Kelly Named FedEx Ground FCS National Defensive Player of the Week

Not the best proofread article.

Offensive player of the week?

[godanesgo99]

No idea where to put this, so here is as good as any...

https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2023-10-12/why-albany-fcs-playoff-sleeper-midseason-mark?amp

[BestDaneSinceHamlet]

Also this.  Juncaj mentioned, Amir Hall mentioned. Simon referenced and Dylan Kelly not mentioned despite player of the week.  wow.

how things are different

https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2023-10-10/best-fcs-players-every-position-halfway-through-season?utm_campaign=inline-article