Davidson Comeback Bid Falls Short, 'Cats Lose 38-28 at Dayton

Saturday, October 13

Dayton, Ohio

1:00 p.m.

Davidson College

at Dayton

Freshman Kenny Mantuo rushed for three TDs in the game (photo by Brian Westerholt).

Davidson Comeback Bid Falls Short, 'Cats Lose 38-28 at Dayton

10/13/2007 2:43:49 PM | Football

Marc Gignac

Box Score

Dayton, Ohio - Dayton senior quarterback Kevin Hoyng out dueled Davidson senior signal caller Ryan Alexander to lead the Flyers to a 38-28 Pioneer Football League victory Saturday afternoon at Welcome Stadium.

Hoyng finished the day with 408 passing yards and four touchdowns to go along with 66 rushing yards on 15 carries. Alexander threw for 293 yards and a TD and ran for 26 yards on 11 carries.

Senior Ryan Hubbard had 10 receptions for 138 yards for the Wildcats (3-3, 1-2 PFL), and freshman Kenny Mantuo rushed for 72 yards and three TDs on 21 carries.

Nick Ruhe had nine catches for 160 yards and a touchdown for the Flyers (6-1, 2-1 PFL), and Jack O'Dell caught seven passes for 84 yards and three TDs, which tied the school record.

There were just seven punts in the game, including four through the first three quarters, and the teams combined for 1,000 yards of total offense. The difference in the game was that the Flyers won the turnover battle (+2) and scored 14 points off Davidson miscues. The 'Cats had three interceptions and a fumble in the game.

“We haven't done a good job of taking care of the football all year,” said Davidson coach Tripp Merritt. “You can't have four turnovers on the road and expect to win.”

The most important turnover came midway through the fourth quarter with the Wildcats trailing 31-28. Davidson had just cut into a 31-21 lead on a 2-yard touchdown run by Mantuo, his third of the day, with 10:27 remaining.

The Davidson defense forced Dayton to punt, giving the 'Cats the ball at their own 29-yard line. The Wildcats moved the ball to the Dayton 38, where they faced 4th-and-1, but Alexander fumbled the handoff and the drive stalled.

“It was a lot like last week,” said Merritt. “We battled back and gave ourselves a chance to win, but you can't put the ball on the carpet like that, especially on a play we've run so many times.”

Dayton took over, eating up 3:45 off the clock, and Matt Marshall went in for a 6-yard TD run and a 38-28 lead with 3:04 to play. Facing 3rd-and-7 on the Wildcat 45-yard line, Hoyng hung in the pocket as the 'Cats blitzed up the middle and fired an 11-yard pass to J. Michael Jonard for a first down.

After trailing 21-14 at the break, Davidson took the opening kickoff of the second half and went 73 yards in 14 plays to tie the score midway through the third quarter. Mantuo went in the end zone from 2-yards out.

The Flyers answered right back with a quick, seven-play, 69-yard scoring drive. Ruhe collected a 13-yard touchdown pass from Hoyng to put Dayton back on top 28-21 with 7:02 left in the quarter. A 45-yard reception by tight end Matt Champa set up a 29-yard field goal by Nick Glavin to end the third quarter with the Flyers holding a 31-21 cushion.

The Davidson defense forced a punt deep in Dayton territory early in the fourth quarter, and the punt into the wind wound up at the Dayton 38-yard line. Alexander hit junior #D.J. Singleterry# for a 20-yard pass, and Mantuo rushed four times for 18 yards on the ensuing drive, capping it with a 2-yard plunge to trim the lead to 31-28.

The beginning of the game was a bit sloppy as Dayton fumbled the opening kickoff, but Davidson gave it right back on an interception three plays into their drive. The Flyers were moving the ball down the field again, when junior Matt Easton forced a fumble, which was recovered by sophomore Tyler Lemons.

Davidson took the ball down to the 34-yard line, but senior Cody Elder's 52-yard field goal went wide left. The Flyers capitalized on the field position, and Hoyng found O'Dell for a 46-yard touchdown pass and a 7-0 lead with eight minutes to play in the first quarter.

Davidson came back on its next possession and drove 70 yards in 15 plays, capped by a 5-yard TD pass from Alexander to Kirk Konert. Elder made the point after to tie the game 7-7.

A Jeffrey Scott sack forced a 3rd-and-long for the Flyers midway through the second quarter, and Hubbard gave the 'Cats field position at their own 49-yard line after a 26-yard punt return. From there, Davidson took seven plays to get in the end zone on a 5-yard run by Mantuo, which gave the 'Cats a 14-7 lead. It was the first time Dayton had trailed in the first half all season.

The Flyers answered with a touchdown on their next possession. Facing 3rd-and-21 from the Wildcat 30-yard line, Hoyng hit Ruhe for a 21-yard pass and a first down. Dayton punched it in three plays later on a 6-yard pass from Hoyng to O'Dell.

A pickoff by Brandon Cramer gave the ball back to the Flyers with 1:02 left in the half, and they took advantage of the giveaway. A 29-yard pass from Hoyng to Jonard gave Dayton the ball at the Davidson 3-yard line. Hoyng found O'Dell for a 6-yard TD pass with 15 seconds left, and the Flyers led 21-14 at halftime.

The Wildcats return home to host Drake Saturday at 7 p.m. at Richardson Stadium.

Notes: Alexander needs 314 yards to become Davidson's all-time passing leader… He needs 249 yards to become Davidson's all-time leader in total offense… Hubbard went over 100 yards in the receiving column for the first time since he posted 189 yards against Butler in the 2006 season finale… Defensive coordinator Meade Clendaniel did not make the trip; he and his wife are expecting their first child… It was the third game this season Davidson has scored after receiving the opening kickoff of the second half… Konert's TD reception was his team-leading third of the season.