Story and photo courtesy of Duquesne Athletics
SMITHFIELD, R.I. - Larry McCoy ran for a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns as Duquesne turned four Bryant turnovers into 18 points in rallying for a 35-21 Northeast Conference road win.
It was the sixth NEC victory in a row for the Dukes (3-1, 1-0) who won a share of last season's conference title with a 7-1 mark.
Bryant fell to 0-4 (0-2 in the NEC) for the first time in program history.
McCoy who finished with 154 yards, ran for 113 on eight four quarter carries. His 54 yard run with 3:53 left put the Dukes ahead for good at 28-21. He added a 7 yard TD with 2:08 left for the final margin.
The Dukes trailed 21-17 with Bryant looking to add to its lead with the ball at the three before Dorian Bell stripped the ball from Jordan Brown at the two.
Quarterback Sean Patterson, who completed 22-of-36 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns, got the Dukes out of the shadow of their own goal line with a 22 yard completion to Gianni Carter. He then found Sean Brady for 25 yards to set up a 39 yard Charlie Leventry field goal to pull the Dukes within one with 6:15 left.
Horvin Latimer picked off a tipped Mike Westerhaus pass at the DU 47 and two plays later McCoy broke through the center of the line and raced untouched 54 yards.
The Dukes held on 4th-and-5 to take over on the Bryant 47 before McCoy broke off a 38 yard run that gave DU 1st-and-goal at the seven. He took it in on the next play to complete the scoring.
Derrick Lakins also had an interception and Serge Kona added a fumble recovery for the Dukes.
Carter led DU's receivers with eight catches for 84 yards. Noel Oduho (6-65) and Brady (5-74) had touchdown receptions for the Dukes who finished with 419 yards.
Westerhaus threw for 276 yards and Jordan Harris caught 7 passes for 136 yards and two scores to lead Bryant. Brown added 105 yards rushing for the Bulldogs who ended the game with 405 total yards.
Bryant drove 77 yards on its first possession with Brown scoring from 8 yards out. Duquesne answered with a drive to the Bryant six only to see Leventry's 28 yard field goal attempt bounce off the left upright.
The Bulldogs took over on their own 36 after blocking a Leventry punt, but were unable to convert as Dom Kozlowski's 36 yard field goal attempt sailed wide left on the first play of the second quarter.
The Dukes tied it on their next possession when Patterson found Brady with a 23 yard touchdown pass on 3rd-and-9. Patterson completed five passes for 75 yards on the 80 yard drive.
Lakins stepped in front of a Westerhaus pass and returned it eight yards to the Bryant 38 to set up a 7 yard Patterson to Oduho touchdown pass. The score, which came on 3rd-and-goal, gave the Dukes a 14-7 lead with 5:14 left in the half.
Bryant tied it on a 20 yard pass from Westerhaus to Harris with 40 seconds left in the half. BU accepted a running into the kicker penalty on the Dukes following a 46 yard Kozlowski field goal earlier in the drive.
Leventry capped a 15 play drive with a 27 yard field goal to give DU a 17-14 lead in the third quarter.
Bryant reclaimed the lead on a 9 yard pass from Westerhaus to Harris that made it 21-17 with 3:18 left in the third quarter.
Leventry was blocked for a second time early on an early fourth quarter punt attempt, giving the Bulldogs the ball at their 24. BU facing 1st-and-24 following a penalty, converted a first down and looked poised to add to the lead when Bell forced and recovered Brown's fumble.
From that point on, it was all McCoy.
Bell and Chidozie Oparanozie led the Dukes with 13 tackles each.
The Dukes return home to host Saint Francis, Pa. for Homecoming next Saturday at 1:10 p.m. on Rooney Field.