Late Touchdown Helps Football Take Down Bryant in Wild Season-Opener

Saturday, September 16

Smithfield, R.I.

4 p.m.

Brown University

1-0 , 0-0

Bryant

1-2 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Brown

Bryant

Photo by: Emma C. Marion

Late Touchdown Helps Football Take Down Bryant in Wild Season-Opener

9/16/2023 9:08:00 PM | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – After Bryant took a 25-22 lead with 1:03 remaining in regulation, the Brown football team rallied with a dramatic game-winning drive, ending on a four-yard touchdown pass from Jake Willcox to Dillon Golden with 13 seconds left to give the Bears a thrilling 29-25 season-opening victory on Saturday night.

Brown's game-winning drive covered 76 yards in just 43 seconds, with Willcox going 4-for-6 on the drive and completing passes to four different receivers. Graham Walker had a 30-yard catch to move the ball into the red zone, which preceded Golden's first career touchdown reception on a four-yard strike.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Willcox went 36-for-49 through the air for 357 yards (setting a new career-high by one yard) and three touchdowns.
Wes Rockett led all players with eight catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns, while also adding in 94 kickoff return yards.
Graham Walker added 72 yards receiving on seven catches, including a key 30-yarder in the final minute.
Ian Franzoni added a career-high 40 yards receiving and rushed for 31 yards.
Stockton Owen led the team by tying a career-high with 52 yards on the ground and one touchdown.
Isaiah Reed helped lead the defense by tying two career-highs with 9.0 tackles and three pass breakups.
Brown's defense forced four turnovers, including two interceptions and two fumbles.
Caleb Moorhead and Aubrey Parker each had key interceptions on consecutive possessions in the second half.
Moorhead also forced a fumble, along with Ryan Haley.
Kevin Coss and Sam Smith each had fumble recoveries.
In total, Bryant outgained Brown 434-428, while Brown was 8-for-17 on third downs and 2-of-4 on fourth downs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Brown cracked the scoreboard first with 23 seconds remaining in the first quarter on a two-yard run by Owen off the direct snap. The drive was spurred by four third down conversions, including a sliding 32-yard completion over the middle to Rockett and an 18-yard slant to Samuel Baddoo.
Haley forced a fumble on the ensuing kickoff which was recovered by Sam Smith, setting Brown up at the Bryant 28-yard line. Bruno turned the turnover into points as Willcox scrambled around on third-and-goal and found Rockett in the front of the end zone for the score. The PAT was blocked, keeping it 13-0 at the 14:05 mark.
Tim Malo and Reed delivered key pass breakups in the red zone to hold Bryant to a 31-yard field goal with 9:56 remaining until halftime, making it 13-3.
After a Brown field goal, Bryant struck in the closing seconds of the half on a six-yard pass to Jalen Powell to make it 16-10 heading into the locker room.
After a missed field goal, Bryant took their first lead 17-16 with 5:57 to go in the third on a 38-yard touchdown pass.
After Moorhead's interception and 51-yard return, Brown scored on the very next play, opening the fourth quarter with a 12-yard strike from Willcox to Rockett to make it 22-17 after the two-point attempt failed.
Parker grabbed an interception at the one-yard line to end the ensuing Bryant possession and keep it a five-point game.
After replay overturned a Brown fumble recovery, Bryant kept the drive alive and went ahead on a five-yard touchdown run with 1:03 remaining.
All 76 yards of Brown's game-winning drive came through the air. Bryant moved the ball down to the Brown 20 on the final play of the game following some laterals before Coss fell on a fumble to end the game.

QUOTES FROM THE COACH: JAMES PERRY

"I'm really proud of how well our guys handled the adversity. They've worked so hard all training camp and we played a terrific team. To watch us respond, it'll definitely be something to build off of and I'm really proud of how our guys played."

"Dillon (Golden) is a great example of someone who does his job and we have all these weapons around him. Sometimes good things come to those who wait, and in that case, it couldn't have been a more fitting end because he also had a great blocking game."
"For our defense to respond throughout the game, against their quarterback, that's not an enviable task to defend Bryant's offense in game one. I'm proud of the kids there."
"I leaned on the senior group, and we're very fortunate. We have a good group of kids who stuck together for four years. That means playing in really tough games and responding in the end, so I was happy to see that."

UP NEXT
The Bears will return to action next Friday evening when they open up Ivy League play with a trip to Harvard. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.

Gallery: (9-16-2023) Football Season-Opener at Bryant

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