BEAVER FALLS, Pa. -- Allegheny College scored 28 points in the fourth quarter to turn a Halloween scare into a Saturday night treat in a 34-20 comeback win at Geneva College.
For the first time since 1978, the Gators (7-1, 5-1 PAC) defeated the Golden Tornadoes (3-5, 2-4 PAC), but it took a remarkable fourth-quarter turnaround to do so. Thanks to an out-of-sync offense and numerous special teams miscues, Geneva led by two possessions after three quarters. The Golden Tornadoes blocked two punts in the first half, and the Gators turned the ball over on a mishandled punt return in the third quarter. The fumbled return led directly to Geneva's short touchdown drive that put the hosts on top, 20-6, at the end of the third.
The comeback began on the first play of the fourth quarter, a 30-yard touchdown pass from
Carson Colucci (Brewster, Ohio/Fairless) to
Micah Smith (Greensboro, N.C./Northern Guilford) in the back corner of the end zone. The ensuing kick return was coughed up by the Golden Tornadoes, and the Gators took advantage of the short field. This time, Colucci burst through the line of scrimmage on third down and sprinted 18 yards for the tying touchdown.
Following a Geneva three-and-out,
Remington Rossow (West Palm Beach, Fla./Forest Hill) made a great catch and even better play to break free for a 35-yard score. Colucci threaded the ball to Rossow on a slant route on the left side of the formation. The play was well covered and nearly intercepted, but Rossow held on, spun off the corner back, and had a wide-open field in front of him to waltz into the end zone.
Trailing 27-20 with under four minutes remaining, Geneva had one last chance to put together a tying drive in regulation. However, quarterback Caleb Romano was picked off on the first play of the series after defensive tackle
Andrew Urda (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy) sniffed out a screen pass in the backfield. Three plays later, Colucci ran for his second touchdown of the night to seal the victory.
Inside the Box Score
- Allegheny averaged 5.0 yards per play, recording 330 total yards on 66 scrimmage plays.
- Geneva was held to 3.6 yards per play and 272 yards of offense.
- The Gators more than doubled Geneva's rushing total, 147 yards to just 64 yards on the ground.
- The AC offense converted more than half of its third-down attempts (7-of-15), while the defense held the Golden Tornadoes to a 33.3% conversion rate (6-of-18).
- Colucci was 19-of-35 for 183 passing yards and two touchdowns; he also ran for a team-high 84 yards and two more scores.
- Malik Jefferson (New Castle, Pa./New Castle) carried the ball 11 times for 48 yards, highlighted by a one-yard touchdown to end the first quarter.
- Rossow had a game-high nine receptions for 116 yards and one touchdown.
- Romano completed only 19 of his 45 attempts for 208 yards a week after throwing for 441 yards in a win at Saint Vincent College.
- Linebacker Cortlon Campbell (Rocky River, Ohio/Lutheran West) logged a team-high nine tackles and forced the fumble on the pivotal fourth-quarter kick off.
- Urda had five tackles, including a half-sack, and an interception.
- Safety Landon Wayne (Albion, Pa./Northwestern) also had five tackles, one interception, and a team-high two pass break ups.
- Defensive end Gary Anderson (Vero Beach, Fla./Saint Edward's School) earned 2.0 sacks and broke up a screen pass at the line of scrimmage.
- Coltin Hill and Wyman Shaheen each blocked a punt for the Golden Tornadoes.
News and Notes
- Allegheny improved to 7-1 overall, it's best start through eight games since 2009.
- Saturday's win was Allegheny's first in five tries against Geneva since returning to the PAC and the first over the Golden Tornadoes since beating them 27-18 in the 1978 season finale.
- The AC defense held Romano, the PAC's passing leader, to his second-lowest passing total and his worst completion percentage of the season.
- Fifth-year senior Coltin Colucci (Brewster, Ohio/Fairless) surpassed 200 career tackles in three years with the Gators after making seven stops against the Golden Tornadoes.
Up Next
The Blue & Gold return home to host Hiram College on Military Appreciation Day on Saturday, November 7, at 1 p.m.
