Southern Connecticut State 083018
Matt Mead Photography LLC
14
Winner Gannon GAN 1-0
7
Southern Connecticut SCS 0-1
Winner
Gannon GAN
1-0
14
Final
7
Southern Connecticut SCS
0-1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
GAN Gannon 0 0 14 0 14
SCS Southern Connecticut 0 0 0 7 7

Game Recap: Football | | David Rung, Director of Athletics Media Relations

Defense Steps Up in Big Moments To Preserve Win In Opener At Southern Connecticut

THE RUNDOWN
  • Final Score: Gannon 14, Southern Connecticut State 7
  • Records: Gannon (1-0) | Southern Connecticut State (0-1)
  • Location: Jess Dow Field — New Haven, Conn.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
KEY SEQUENCE
  • After a scoreless first half that didn't see many opportunities for either team to score, Gannon jumped on a chance midway through the third quarter. After chewing up yardage on the longest drive of the night that ended in the first score of the game, Keith Thompson (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge) snagged his second interception to get the ball right back in the hands of the offense. Facing a short field, Gannon capitalized on its first red zone opportunity as Jimmy Keefe (Middleburg Heights, Ohio/St. Edward) found Joey Cox (Costa Mesa, Calif./Calvary Chapel) in the back of the end zone to give the Golden Knights two touchdowns in the span of four minutes and a 14-0 lead.

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • The Keefe-to-Cox connection worked on the first play of the game, netting 13 yards and a first down. Both offenses stalled from there though, and neither side could move the sticks for the next eight minutes.
  • The Gannon defense forced three incompletions and posted a sack during that stretch. The offense finally got the ball moving once again to get into SCSU territory for the first time, but the drive stalled.
  • Penalties helped the Owls move the ball late in the opening quarter, getting down to the Gannon 1-yard line, but an illegal man downfield call and a missed field goal kept the game scoreless early in the second. A diving effort from Thompson netted him his first pick of the night to end the next Southern Connecticut drive.
  • A steady diet of the run game got the hosts back in solid shape near the end of the half, as the Owls got down to the 30 before a holding flag pushed them back. A 12-yard pass wasn't enough for the first down, and Romell Jones (Woodbridge, Va./Brentsville District) broke up the fourth-down pass attempt to send the teams into the intermission in a 0-0 deadlock.
  • Southern Connecticut began to move the ball steadily in the second half, but the Golden Knight defense, despite bending, would not break. The Owls got to midfield on their first possession of the half, and Gannon forced a three-and-out later in the third quarter to lead into the first scoring drive of the night.
  • A pair of 10-yard strikes from Keefe to Cox were key for first downs on the drive, but chunk plays from Melvin Blanks (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) made the difference. A 28-yard scamper on the second play got the Knights out of the shadow of their own goal line, and capped the drive when he caught a short toss over the middle and muscled his way through a would-be tackler. In the clear, he burst 32 yards for the score.
  • The defense got the shutdown response it needed, getting a sack from Jay Bullock (Garfield Heights, Ohio/University School) two plays before Thompson reeled in his second pick. Keefe cut the ensuing field in half with a 17-yard scramble, and a pass interference call put the ball in the red zone. On third down from the 7, he found Cox streaking across the back of the end zone on a crossing pattern to put the guests up two scores.
  • From there, Southern Connecticut had four more possessions. They made it to the Gannon 3 early in the fourth quarter, but Dorian Jones (Gaithersburg, Md./Quince Orchard) streaked in from the left side to cut down the runner on 4th and 1 and get the turnover on downs. A long pass set the Owls up for their only touchdown to make things interesting with 9:46 to play.
  • A.J. Satcher (Buffalo, N.Y./Canisius) ripped the momentum back by coming down with a tipped ball on the next SCSU drive, but the Owls would get the ball back facing 85 yards to go with 5:37 to play. They converted one fourth down at midfield, and another with 40 second to play that gave them a 1st and goal at the Gannon 7.
  • After a rush for no gain on first down, the Gannon defense stepped up three straight times for huge plays. Romell Jones (Woodbridge, Va./Brentsville District) played perfect defense on a fade to right side of end zone on second down, Tre McNeill (Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle College HS) reacted to break coverage for the tackle on a quarterback scramble on third, and Satcher was in the right spot to swat down a pass back toward the middle of the end zone on fourth down as the clock ran out.
     
GAME NOTES
  • While it gave up yardage, the Gannon defense was stout when it mattered. Five of SCSU's seven drives in the second half ended in Gannon territory, with only one ending in points for the Owls. The Knights shut down four of Southern Connecticut's red zone chances.
  • The 21 combined points was the lowest in a game involving Gannon since Oct. 27, 2012, when the Golden Knights topped Lock Haven 13-7. Gannon hasn't allowed fewer than seven points since a 44-6 win over Cheyney in 2015.
  • Eight different Knights posted at least five tackles, led by a career-high 13 stops from Aaron Webb (Baltimore, Md./Franklin). Satcher added seven to go with his interception and three pass breakups.
  • Cox hauled in eight passes for 87 yards, marking the second straight season he opened with 87 against Southern Connecticut.
  • Blanks finished with 82 all-purpose yards, rushing for 47 and adding 35 receiving.
 
UP NEXT
  • Gannon returns home for a challenge in its home opener, facing off against defending PSAC champion West Chester Sept. 14.
  • Live video, live stats and live audio will be available for the noon kickoff at McConnell Family Stadium.
  • The Golden Rams face Bentley in their season opener Saturday.
  • West Chester holds a 3-0 lead in the all-time series, with all three meetings coming as PSAC crossover games.
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