Yale scores its most points under Reno, routs Brown

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Nolan Grooms passed for 330 yards and three touchdowns, Spencer Alston rushed for two scores, and Yale beat Brown 63-38 on Saturday.

It was Yale’s most singlegame points under head coach Tony Reno — with two touchdowns coming from the defense. Reno has been the coach at Yale since 2012.

Clay Patterson hit Brown QB EJ Perry on a blitz to knock the ball loose and Noah Pope recovered it in the end zone for a twotouchdown lead late in the third quarter. First-year defensive back Sean Guyton returned an interception for a 60-yard touchdown — the second of his two picks.

Melvin Rouse II caught five passes for 119 yards and a touchdown for Yale (5-3, 4-1 Ivy League). Darrion Carrington pulled down a pass and took it 65 yards for a score early in the third.

Perry was 21-of-37 passing for 261 yards and three touchdowns for Brown (2-6, 1-4). Perry also scored on a 64-yard reception from Michael McGovern.

Allen Smith carried it 20 times for 87 yards and a score.

Sacred Heart 14, Saint Francis 13: At Loretto, Pa., Marquez McCray threw two touchdown passes and Sacred Heart held on for a win.

McCray, who was 14-of-16 passing for 224 yards, found Rob DiNota for a 41-yard score and Naseim Brantley for 23 yards in the second quarter and that was enough for the defense of the Pioneers (6-3, 4-1 Northeast Conference).

The Red Flash (4-5, 3-1) missed a 42-yard field goal on the last play of the game.

Saint Francis opened the scoring when Raymond Crittenden returned a block punt 25 yards late in the first quarter. Alex Schmoke made a 42-yard field goal with a second left in the second quarter to pull the Red Flash within 14-10.

Schmoke connected from 41 yards to cap the first drive of the second half to end the scoring.

Saint Francis kept Malik Grant in check. Grant leads FCS in rushing with 1,039 yards, including 589 in the last three games but could only muster 71 in the defensive battle. Sacred Heart finished with 369 yards and the Pioneers held Saint Francis to 246.

WCSU 48, Fitchburg State 13: At Fitchburg, Mass., Chad Blaszky caught a 17-yard touchdown pass and had an 18-yard rushing score as WestConn ended its season at 5-5 (4-4 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference).

Quarterback John Giller threw for three touchdowns, while Julian Ferguson and Walter Crain pulled in TD receptions from nine and 61 yards in WestConn’s second-straight victory. Mack Driver plowed in for two more scores on the ground.

Fitchburg State fell to 0-9 (0-7).

CCSU 30, Bryant 15: At New Britain, Romelo Williams accounted for 233 yards and a touchdown and Central Connecticut controlled Bryant.

After Sacred Heart’s 4-1 record in the Northeast Conference, Bryant, Central Connecticut, Duquesne and St. Francis (PA) are tied for second at 3-2.