DAVIDSON, N.C. – The University of Dayton football team closed out the 2023 season on a high note, going on the road to defeat Davidson 45-14.

The Flyers got big performances across the board in the win.  Freshman running back Luke Hansen ran 27 times for 162 yards, quarterback Dante Casciola completed 16 of 19 passes for 151 yards and three touchdowns, fellow quarterback Cole Dow threw two times for two touchdowns and 15 yards, ran three times for 45 yards and caught two passes for seven yards.  Defensively, safety Ca'ron Coleman had 14 tackles (eight solo), and Nathan Arthur had 12.

Dayton finished the year 4-7 overall, and 2-6 in the Pioneer Football League, while Davidson ends 2023 7-4, and 6-2.

GAME RECAP
1st Quarter – Dayton 7, Davidson 0
•    Dayton took the opening kickoff and drove 68 yards in six plays to score.
•    Gavin Lochow took the ball on a forward pitch on a jet sweep and ran 31 yards for a 31-yard TD pass from Dante Casciola.
•    Good kickoff coverage by Nathan Arthur and Grant Russell put Davidson on its own 14 on its first possession.
•    The Wildcats moved the ball to the Dayton 46 before punting.
•    Dayton started the drive at its own three-yard line and moved to the Davidson 23 until quarter's end.
•    Dayton gained 123 yards compared to 40 for Davidson.
•    Dante Casciola, getting the start in his home state, was five-for-five passing for 69 yards.
2nd Quarter – Dayton 28, Davidson 0
•    UD continued the drive that started on its own three-yard-line, driving those 97 yards in 13 plays.  Cole Dow lined up at wideout took the end around and then hit tight end Alec Keathley for a 10-yard TD.
•    On the second play of the next series, Flyer cornerback Josh Anderson came up with a 32-yard pick-six to put Dayton up 21-0 with 12:13 left in the half.
•    Five plays later, Sam Mueller forced a fumble that was recovered by Jerell Lewis at the Dayton 41.
•    Dow hit his second TD pass of the quarter, a five-yarder to Luke Hansen at the 6:26 mark, completing an eight-play, 59-yard drive. 
•    The Flyers gained 115 yards, while the Wildcats had 89.
3rd Quarter – Dayton 38, Davidson 7
•    Davidson took the second-half kickoff and did what exactly what it needed to do, driving 75 yards in just four plays, scoring in just two minutes and six seconds.
•    On the next possession, UD did exactly what it needed to do as well, answering with a five-play, 65-yard scoring drive.  Casciola hit Lochow for a 10-yard score to put the Flyers up 35-7 with 10:03 left in the quarter.
•    Dayton got the ball back on downs, but was forced to punt for the only time in the game.  Logan Forcum boomed his best punt of the year, a 55-yarder to pin Davidson back at the 11-yard-line.
•    Davidson had the advantage in total offense in this quarter, 127-82.
4th Quarter – Dayton 45, Davidson 14
•    The Flyers opened the scoring with a 38-yard field goal by Will Holt with 11:42 left in the game.
•    Davidson scored again with 8:11 to go after an 10-play, 71-yard drive.
•    Keathley recovered the onside kick at the Wildcat 45, and Dayton chewed up over six minutes on the clock.
•    Hansen carried the ball eight straight times to the eight, Dow ran it to the six, and then Casciola hit senior co-captain Derek Willits for his first career touchdown to close out the scoring with 1:52 left.

BY THE NUMBERS
•    Davidson came into the game first in the FCS football in rushing offense (313.9), second in scoring offense (42.6) and third in total offense (475.1).
•    The Flyers held the Wildcats to 262 yards rushing, two touchdowns and 349 yards in total offense.
•    Ca'ron Coleman led Dayton with 14 tackles (8 solo), and Nathan Arthur added 12.
•    Josh Anderson had an interception for second consecutive game, and his first for a TD.
•    Davidson enter the contest allowing 125.5 yards a game on the ground.  UD had 215 yards as a team, with Luke Hansen getting 162 himself.  It was his second straight game over 100 yards.
•    The Wildcats were also fourth in the nation in third-down defense, allowing their opponents to convert 29.6% of their third downs.  Dayton converted seven of 11 (63.6%).
•    UD's offensive line allowed one sack, and four other negative yards rushing.