DAYTON -- The University of Dayton football Flyers went to extremes to follow their season-long script, scoring a touchdown with 53 seconds left to edge Marist 28-21 and win a share of the Pioneer Football League title and clinching a place in the FCS championship playoffs. Dayton, 10-0, has come from behind seven times in the second half, but none were as late in the game as this one.
The Flyers were paced by an exceptional running game, led by
Tucker Yinger with 237 yards. The Flyers got off to a hot start, building a 17-0 lead thanks to strong passing defense and running game. Marist responded in the second half with two quick touchdowns by Marcellus Calhoun Jr, and eventually took a 21-20 lead with 3:38 left in the game.
But thanks to a 48-yard run by Yinger, UD engineered a six-play, 66-yard drive, which was capped by an
Alex Jeske seven-yard TD run (after he faked it to Yinger). The ensuing successful two-point conversion gave the Flyers a 28-21 lead they would not relinquish. Marist moved the ball to the Dayton 31 but the final Hail Mary pass at game's end fell incomplete and out of bounds.
SCORING• The Flyers took an early 7-0 lead on
Christian Searles' 50-yard interception return for a touchdown.
•
William Will connected on a 37-yard field goal to extend the Flyer lead to 10-0 in the first quarter.
• The Flyer offense took advantage of strong field position with a 16-yard touchdown run by
Jack Adams early in the second quarter.
• Marist got on the scoreboard early in the third quarter from a seven-yard touchdown run by Marcellus Calhoun Jr.
• Calhoun Jr. quickly got back in the end zone with a three-yard rush to cut the Red Foxes deficit to 3.
•
William Will connected on his second field goal of the day, this time for 30 yards, giving the Flyers a little breathing room with a 20-14 lead.
• Marist took its first and only lead of the game with one-yard touchdown rush by Calhoun Jr., his third of the day.
• The Flyers quickly re-claimed the lead for good with a seven-yard touchdown rush by
Alex Jeske, followed by a successful two point conversion.
STATS•
Tucker Yinger paced the Flyers with 237 yards rushing on 23 carries. Yinger had 194 yards in the second half
•
Alex Jeske had 74 yards passing on the afternoon, completing 13 of 27 passing along with eight rushing yards and a touchdown.
• Sophomore
Tyler Tumpane led the Flyers in receiving with 24 yards on six receptions.
•
Ryan Schwenke and Chris Beaschler had 11 total tackles each. Schwenke also had eight solo tackles.
• The Flyers intercepted Marist three times with one each by Searles,
Nolan Harmotto, and
Cameron Stubbs.
NOTES• Dayton has scored in 441 consecutive games, the longest active streak in in college football. The streak is also the FCS record, and goes back to 1976.
• The Flyers' victory clinches the 2015 PFL Title, their 12th all-time, as well as the PFL's automatic bid to the Division I Football Championship.
• Since the injury of
Connor Kacsor, Yinger has had 11 plays (8 rush, 3 reception) that have gone for over 25 yards.
• In his last 23 games,
Cory Stuart has recorded at least one reception.
• Dayton honored its 33-man senior class in pre-game ceremonies.
• At halftime, senior running back
Owen Williams was named the winner of the Lt. Andy Zulli Memorial Trophy, a character-based award that is considered the most prestigious in the program.
• Dayton is one of two FCS teams who are still undefeated in 2015. Southland Conference champion McNeese State, who is off this week, is the other at 9-0.
• UD's 12-game winning streak is the longest active streak in FCS football.
UP NEXT UD looks to close out on its undefeated regular season against Drake in Des Moines, Iowa. Kickoff will be at 2:00 p.m. EST.
