Comeback falls short in loss at Bryant

Saturday, October 2

Smithfield, R.I.

4:00 PM

Brown University

0-3 , 0-1

Bryant

3-2 , 1-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Brown

Bryant

Photo by: David Silverman Photography

10/2/2021 8:42:00 PM | Football

Box Score

S:30MITHFIELD, R.I. – The Brown football team staged a furious comeback but fell short, dropping its game to Bryant 36-29 on Saturday (Oct. 2). The Bears were down 33-0 before scoring 29 points in the fourth quarter but could not pick up a late third down stop in the loss.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

EJ Perry threw for 306 yards, going 24-for-39, and two touchdowns. Perry also threw one interception. Perry also ran for 10 yards and scored two touchdowns on the ground.
Wes Rockett was the leading receiver for the Bears with 111 yards on seven catches. Rockett had the longest completion of the night at 34 yards.
Hayes Sutton caught a touchdown and had 67 yards on five catches.
Zachary Targoff caught one touchdown, a 17-yard score.
Brown was held to just 45 yards rushing, led by Jordan DeLucia, who ran for 15 yards. Allen Smith carried nine times for 14 yards.
Bryant outgained Brown 472-351, including 137-45 on the ground.
Both teams fumbled the ball three times but Bryant recovered all three of its fumbles while Brown lost two fumbles.
The Bears struggled on third down, going just 2-for-11. Bryant converted 9-of-16 third downs in the game.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Bryant forced a quick three-and-out on Brown's first drive and turned that in to a touchdown after a 13-yard completion to finish a seven play, 55-yard drive.
Brown ran just nine plays in the first quarter for no yards on three drives in the first quarter.
Bryant took over near the end of the first quarter, converting on third down as the game went to the second quarter. Brown stopped Bryant three times on first and goal from the three but Zevi Eckhaus scored on a one-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal to put the Bulldogs up 14-0.
After the first first down of the game for Brown, Perry's pass was deflected and intercepted around midfield. The interception was returned to Brown's 16 yard line and Bryant capitalized with a 16-yard touchdown pass on the next play.
The turnover bug bit Brown again on the ensuing kickoff as Smith fumbled on the return and Bryant recovered giving the Bulldogs the ball at the Brown 26. Three plays later, Bryant scored on an 18 yard run to make the game 26-0 after a failed two-point conversion.
Brown's best offensive chance so far in the game came on its first drive in the second half. The Bears drove deep in to Bryant territory, converting on a fourth-and-five but on fourth-and-nine from the 25, Perry's pass was over the head of Sutton to end the drive.
Bryant added another touchdown on a 24-yard toss before Brown started to make its comeback down 33-0.
25 yard gains by Graham Walker and Rockett kickstarted Brown's first scoring drive. The Bears got inside Bryant's five with another pass to Rockett. Perry finished off the drive with a two-yard touchdown run to cap an 8-play, 84-yard drive.
Afer a field goal by Bryant, Brown drove 80 yards on 12 plays with Perry connecting with Targoff for 17 yards. Targoff broke a tackle and took a defender in to the endzone to score Brown's second touchdown.
The Bears recovered an onside kick and catches by Sutton and Rockett got the Bears down the field. On fourth-and-one at the Bryant three, Perry called his own number again, scoring from three yards out to make the game 36-22.
Brown recovered its second-straight onside kick and made quick work after a 34-yard pass to Rockett to start the drive. In just three plays and 39 seconds, Perry hit Sutton for another touchdown to pull the Bears within one score.
Brown forced a third down on Bryant's drive with under two minutes left on the clock but Bryant completed a 29-yard pass to run out the clock.

QUOTES FROM COACH PERRY
"We played a really good team who played very good football today. Credit to Bryant and for a large part of the game they were outplaying us and outcoaching us. It was good to see our kids play hard until the end."

"I'm pleased that the kids played hard. As a coach I'm scratching my head about how to get them to play better during the game. We played particularly poorly in the first half offensively. It was nice to see them work hard to the bitter end. We have a lot to work on and a lot to get better."

"As coach we have to change something. We are practicing really well, as a coach I am disappointed in myself. What am I doing to prepare these guys a little better to start more appropriately for how good of a team we are."

"I'm proud of the kids, they play hard. I was proud to see how hard they played right to the bitter end. They have a terrific group of kids over there and it was good to see us battle against a good football team."

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