By Carter Schum | November 4 2024
On Saturday, the University at Albany football team was bested by the New Hampshire Wildcats 31-14 to fall to 3-6 overall and 1-4 in CAA play.
Great Dane offensive lineman Ozzie Hutchinson (#65) blocking New Hampshire defensive end Flex Ruiz (#0) on a play.
Photo Credit: Brent Warzocha / UAlbany Athletics
“When something is not working it's usually multiple things as bad as this is,” UAlbany head coach Greg Gattuso said of his team’s performance Saturday afternoon.
The New Hampshire Wildcats struck first on their first possession of the game as quarterback Seth Morgan delivered an 86-yard touchdown to junior wide receiver Caleb Burke, who evaded several Great Dane defenders on his way to the endzone to put New Hampshire up 7-0.
A promising Great Dane possession was abruptly ended by an errant pass from quarterback Myles Burkett, which was returned to the UAlbany end zone by New Hampshire defensive back Wande Owens to double the Wildcats advantage to 14-0 late in the first quarter.
Morgan continued to shine for the Wildcats as he delivered a strike to the corner of the endzone which was hauled in by fifth year receiver Logan Tomlinson and confirmed after a brief video review to push the New Hampshire lead to 21-0.
The UAlbany offense continued to struggle to materialize anything of note as the Wildcat defense continued to pressure Burkett, leading to visible frustration from Coach Gattuso midway through the second quarter.
The Great Dane defense got their first big stop of the game with 6:17 left in the second quarter as the Wildcats failed to convert on a fourth-and-one in UAlbany territory. This was quickly followed by another turnover as Burkett fumbled the ball attempting to scramble out of the pocket and had the ball forced out of his hand and recovered by the New Hampshire defense.
The Wildcats took advantage of this turnover once again as junior kicker Nick Mazzie deposited a 40-yard field goal to increase their lead to 24-0.
Graduate student and fifth year quarterback Trey Lindsey took over for Burkett after this drive. The Great Danes pushed into Wildcat territory late in the first half, but two penalties and a sack solidified a UAlbany shutout. A kneel by Seth Morgan sent the game to half time with the score 24-0 Wildcats.
The Great Dane offense mustered just 88 yards of total offense in the first half and went just 4-9 on 3rd downs.
The Great Danes opening drive of the second half lasted a long 15 plays that ended with a turnover on downs. MarQeese Dietz dropped a sure touchdown in the endzone to further the offensive struggles the Great Danes had been suffering all game.
The third quarter ended with neither team scoring as the pace of the game grinded to a halt, but the Wildcats outmuscled the Great Dane offense who were still struggling for answers on how to crack the Wildcat defense.
The Great Danes once again drove into New Hampshire territory to begin the fourth quarter and got on the board with Lindsey rushing the ball in the endzone from the one yard line. The Great Danes attempted a two-point conversion and were successful as Faysal Aden made the score 24-8 New Hampshire with 9:56 left in the game.
“It’ll be fun to look back on down the road, but it's about the ‘W’ and we came up short,” said Lindsey on his performance in his first game of the season.
The Wildcats found the endzone one final time late in the fourth quarter as Morgan threw his fourth touchdown of the game, this time finding Colby Ramshaw in the endzone to increase the Wildcat lead to 31-8.
The Great Danes scored again late in the fourth quarter as Aden caught a pass from Lindsey that was confirmed as a touchdown after a short review, however the extra point was missed and the game finished with a score of 31-14.
“We’ve got a group of guys that are playing well and we’ve got a group of guys that when they get uncomfortable, they aren’t playing well," said Gattuso of his roster's recent performances.
The Great Danes play next on Saturday, Nov. 9, against the rival Stony Brook Seawolves, and return home on Nov. 23 when they face the Hampton Pirates as they celebrate Senior Day.