RMU experiences new feeling after opening win
Robert Morris football coach John Banaszak doesn’t have to worry about his team’s confidence entering the Saturday road game against Youngstown State. After a season-opening victory against Dayton, it’s assured to be high.
A late field goal sealed a 13-10 home victory and marked the first time Robert Morris has won an opener since 2008. The win also snapped a 14-game losing streak against the Flyers that dated back to 2000.
Banaszak and his players felt a weight lift from their shoulders as true freshman Nick Bisceglia’s kick rotated through the uprights with four seconds remaining. The team is enjoying a feeling of relief it hasn’t felt in about a decade entering the second week of the season.
“We got the monkey off our back with that win,” Banaszak said. “It’s only one win, but Saturday sure did feel good for the coaches and the players that put an awful lot of hard work into training camp and doing the things we’re capable of doing.”
Bisceglia, a Kiski Area product, was challenged throughout training camp to prepare for such a moment. Robert Morris coveted the kicker during the recruiting process, Banaszak said, and the preparation paid off in a big way.
Dayton built an early 10-0 lead, but Bisceglia closed the first half with a field goal to narrow it to 7. Early in the second half, Colonials junior transfer quarterback Jimmy Walker connected with redshirt freshman wide receiver Tavin Allison for a 72yard touchdown that tied the score.
With two separate losing streaks now a thing of the past, Banaszak approaches this weekend’s match against Bo Pelini’s Youngstown State team with optimism. The Penguins are coming off of a close 28-21 loss to Pitt.
“We know Dayton and Dayton knows us,” Banaszak said. “We’ve played them so close over all the years and we’ve always come up short. I told the kids ‘Hey, we gotta be tired of losing to these guys and these close games.’ That was the message that we sent them out there with. They performed very well on Saturday.”
Duquesne
After a brutal, 51-13 loss against No. 4 South Dakota State, the highest-ranked FCS opponent Duquesne has ever faced, the Dukes will look to right the ship against Valparaiso Saturday at 2 p.m. Nothing seemed to go right last week, as sophomore running back A.J. Hines was held to 34 rushing yards on 13 carries. Valparaiso, coming off a 45-23 loss at Montana, will be playing in its home opener.
Carnegie Mellon
Senior John Prather became the program’s all-time leading wide receiver following a 146-yard, eight-reception, one-touchdown performance in the Tartans 28-7 road win against Washington University. Prather, who now has 2,191 career receiving yards, is a sure bet to be a frequent target again Saturday at 1 p.m. in Carnegie Mellon’s home opener against Rochester.
Washington & Jefferson
The Presidents cracked the D3Football Top 25 poll for the first time this season at No. 23 after opening the season with a 37-27 win against then-No. 23 St. John Fisher. Washington & Jefferson will visit PAC foe Grove City Saturday at 1:30 p.m., but the game will not count toward league standings due to the conference’s unbalanced schedule.
Cal U
The Vulcans rose to No. 5 in the AFCA poll after a 36-34 win against Ohio Dominican. Cal U is the lone PSAC team in the Top 5, but IUP is No. 6 overall after its narrow, 26-23 victory against Ashland. Cal U will play host to conference rival Cheyney Saturday at 1 p.m.