MEADVILLE, Pa. -- A late field goal by Waynesburg University lifted the visiting Yellow Jackets to a 44-41 Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) win over the Allegheny College football team in a back-and-forth battle on Saturday night at Frank B. Fuhrer Field.

The Gators (1-7, 1-7 PAC) overcame a two-possession deficit by scoring 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. Waynesburg (3-4, 3-4 PAC), however, answered with the game's final 11 points, scoring on a 62-yard completion, converting the two-point try, and kicking a 32-yard game-winning field goal with just 15 seconds left on the clock.

Although the defense and special teams units couldn't find the stop they needed to force overtime, it was those same groups that helped bring the Gators back into the contest. Down 33-27, Josh Salisbury (Edinboro, Pa./General McLane) blocked a Waynesburg punt that was initially recovered and returned to the one-yard line by Will Griffin (Hingham, Mass./Hingham). Griffin coughed up the ball at the one-yard line, but Coltin Colucci (Brewster, Ohio/Fairless) gathered it and dove into the end zone to finish the scoring play. Following the extra point from Garrett Paxton (Freedom, Pa./Freedom Area), the Gators led by one, 34-33.

On the ensuing Waynesburg possession, quarterback Samuel Barber was picked off by second-year cornerback Landon Wayne (Albion, Pa./Northwestern), who raced 49 yards to the house to put Allegheny up 41-34.

With 1:38 remaining in regulation, Barber drove the Yellow Jackets to the Allegheny 16-yard line. Facing a 3rd-and-15, Waynesburg elected to kick the go-ahead field goal, and kicker Drew Pinkerton was pure from 32 yards.

The following kickoff nearly went out of bounds, which would have given the Gators good starting field position with only 15 seconds left. However, no flag was thrown as Chris Gisewhite (Corpus Christi, Texas/Flour Bluff) gathered the ball near the sideline, putting Allegheny on the 18-yard line. After a completion to Nick Burkey (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg) and their final timeout, the Gators attempted to lateral around the field on the last play, but Debvrin Smith (Paterson, N.J./Cary (N.C.)) tripped and was downed before reaching midfield.

The loss overshadows what proved to be the best offensive performance of the season by Brncic and co. The Gators amassed 441 yards of total offense, and despite four turnovers, more than double their previous season-high point total.

Inside the Box Score

• Both teams combined for nearly 1,000 yards of total offense.
• Allegheny produced 441 yards with an average of 6.6 yards per play.
• Waynesburg finished with 521 yards with an average of 8.5 per play.
• Allegheny finished with more first downs, 25-to-20, although Waynesburg had two more third-down conversions.
• Brncic completed 31-of-41 (75.6%) pass attempts for 306 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions.
• Both Gisewhite and Burkey had eight catches for 85 yards, and the duo combined for all three touchdown receptions.
• Dominic Berarducci (Erie, Pa./McDowell) ran for a team-high 77 yards, while Brncic had 55 rushing yards and one touchdown.
• Barber logged game-highs with 355 passing yards and four touchdowns for the Yellow Jackets.
• Wayne not only had the pick-six, but led all Allegheny defenders with 11 total tackles.
• Colucci had 10 tackles, including 1.5 sacks, plus the fumbled punt return for a touchdown.
• Jerome Williams II (Strongsville, Ohio/Strongsville) had six tackles and blocked a Waynesburg extra point.
• Waynesburg's Brennan Boron had eight tackles and forced two fumbles.

News and Notes

• Allegheny's 441 yards are a single-game season-high.
• For the second game in a row, Brncic passed for over 300 yards, combining for 666 yards against Waynesburg and Geneva College.
• Gisewhite's two touchdown receptions are a single-game career-best.
• Burkey's eight catches for 85 yards are both career-highs.
• Wayne finished with a career-high 11 tackles and his first collegiate interception.
• Colucci has a team-leading 7.0 sacks, the most by a Gator since Maxwell Hammond '23 had 7.0 in 2021.

Up Next
Following their bye week, the Gators will travel to Pittsburgh for a PAC showdown at Carnegie Mellon University. The opening kickoff is scheduled for noon.