DAYTON — The University of Dayton held off a furious second-half rally by Morehead State, but prevailed, 35-28, on Saturday.
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Dayton led 28-0 at halftime, but the Eagles scored 28 third-quarter points to even the score at 28-28.
Mason Hackett scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:46 remaining. His first down run sealed the game with under a minute left.
UD improves to 4-1 overall, 2-0 in the Pioneer Football League.
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The teams exchanged three-and-outs to start the game. The Flyers had a sack fumble that they recovered at their five-yard line and eventually punted. MSU went three-and-out on its first possession.
Quarterback Bryce Schondelmyer found Gavin Lochow twice on Dayton’s second drive. Luke Hanson’s four-yard touchdown run capped off a nine-play, 68-yard drive to take a 7-0 lead after one quarter.
UD used some trickery early in the second quarter. Lochow threw a pass to Donovan Weatherly in the back of the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown pass to extend it to 14-0.
Josh Williams intercepted his third pass of the season, and the Flyers took over their 47-yard line. It set up Hansen’s second rushing touchdown of the day, and Dayton led, 21-0.
Joe Kingsbury knocked the football loose, and Cam Cope recovered it. Schondelmyer ran 28 yards to set up his six-yard touchdown pass to Lochow to put UD ahead, 28-0.
Morehead State took the opening kickoff, and Isaac Stopke’s one-yard touchdown run cut the deficit to 28-7. The Eagles recovered a surprise onside kick, and it led to Bryce Patterson’s nine-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Upp to cut the Flyers’ lead to 28-14.
Dayton went three-and-out on their initial second-half possession. Patterson found Cannon Digger for a 41-yard touchdown pass as MSU got closer, 28-21. UD was inside Eagle territory, but Sidney Webb recovered a fumble and returned 62 yards for the tying touchdown to even the score at 28-28 after three quarters.
In the fourth quarter, Morehead State faced a third and seven at the UD 16-yard line. Sam Schmiesing sacked Patterson for an eight-yard loss. On the next play, Jordan Price’s 41-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Vincent Firenze with 4:51 remaining.
Schondelmyer threw a 44-yard pass to Michael Mussari to the Morehead State 15-yard line. Five plays later, Hackett’s five-yard touchdown reclaimed the lead for Dayton, 35-28, with 1:46 to play.
The Eagles turned the ball over on downs with 1:17 left, and Hackett picked up a first down to seal the win.
Schondelmyer passed for 221 yards while Hackett ran for 91 yards.
Dayton’s next game will be on October 11 at Valparaiso. Kickoff is at 2 p.m.
The game will be broadcast on WHIO Radio.
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