SBU Sports: Seawolves football takes down Morgan State 24-22

Redshirt junior kicker Angelo Guglielmello was the hero on Nov. 5 at LaValle Stadium when he drilled a 37-yard field goal as time expired to lift Stony Brook to a 24-22 victory over Morgan State.

After a 57-yard touchdown by Morgan State’s Andre Crawley, that put the Bears up, 22-21, the Seawolves marched down the field to win the game. They went 56 yards on 12 plays in the final 1:37 of the game and ended victorious. Guglielmello’s game-winner was the first of his career as the 37-yarder was his season-long.

Redshirt sophomore running back Ross Tallarico had a career game in the Seawolves’ backfield. He totaled a career-high 36 rushing attempts, 151 rushing yards, and two rushing touchdowns.

The Seawolves’ defense had several standout plays that helped secure the victory. They held Morgan State to total just 231 yards, forced a turnover, totaled six sacks, and 12 tackles for loss.

Graduate defensive lineman Eric Black came through in a big way when he took down Morgan State quarterback Duce Taylor as the Bears attempted a two-point conversion, which would have given them a 24-21 lead. With the stop from Black, Stony Brook went on to win the game with a field goal on its final drive.

After falling behind, 7-0, in the first quarter, the Seawolves quickly responded to tie the game up. On the first play of the second quarter, Tallarico rushed for a nine-yard touchdown, his first score of the game.

The Bears took the lead again, late in the first half. With 34 seconds remaining, sophomore kicker Beckett Leary converted a 37-yard field goal to give Morgan State a 10-7 lead before the halftime break.

Stony Brook’s defense played a crucial role in the third quarter. With just over 11 minutes left in the quarter, redshirt junior linebacker De’Aundre Cruz forced Morgan State’s Alfonzo Graham to fumble. Redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Taylor Bolesta recovered the loose ball and the Seawolves took over on Morgan State’s 29-yard line.

On the ensuing possession, the Seawolves’ offense ran five plays, which was capped off with Tallarico’s second rushing touchdown of the game. Stony Brook grabbed its first lead of the game, as it went up 14-10.

On Stony Brook’s next possession, its offense completed an eight-play, 76-yard drive in less than five minutes. Redshirt freshman quarterback Daron Bryden, who came into the game in the second quarter, tossed a four-yard touchdown pass to redshirt junior tight end Tyler Devera to extend the Seawolves’ lead to 21-10.

The Bears scored 12 unanswered points to take the lead in the fourth quarter following Devera’s score. Graham ran for a 44-yard touchdown and Crawley scored his 57-yard touchdown catch and run three offensive drives later. Morgan State failed to convert on a two-point conversion after both touchdowns, which opened the door back up for Stony Brook.

The Seawolves’ defense stood strong and Guglielmello’s heroics led Stony Brook to its second consecutive home win.

STATS AND NOTES

•Tallarico totaled a career-high 36 rushing attempts, 151 rushing yards, and two rushing touchdowns. He ran for multiple touchdowns in a game for the first time in his career. He now has three rushing touchdowns, two receiving touchdowns, and one passing touchdown. He leads the team in rushing touchdowns and is tied with McKee for the team lead in total touchdowns with six.

• Stony Brook’s defense totaled three sacks in the first half with redshirt sophomore linebacker A.J. Roberts, redshirt senior defensive back Isaiah Givens, and redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Rushawn Lawrence each accounting for one. Givens and Lawrence each tallied the first sacks of their Stony Brook careers.

• The defense finished with six sacks for a total of 40 yards and 12 tackles for loss for a total of 53 yards. The Seawolves had four players account for the six sacks, with Givens and Black totaling two sacks each.

• Stony Brook had nine defenders combine for the 12 tackles for loss: Cruz (2), Givens (2), Black (2), Carthell Flowers-Lloyd (2), Lawrence (1), Roberts (1), Quenton Porter (1), Bolesta (0.5), and Rodney Faulk (0.5).

• Bryden’s four-yard touchdown pass to Devera gave the tight end his third receiving touchdown of the season, which is his most in a single-season at Stony Brook.

• Cruz also had a career game. He totaled a career-high eight tackles, two tackles for loss, and forced a fumble.

• Seawolves went 4-for-4 in the red zone.

• Saturday’s matchup marked the first meeting all-time between Stony Brook and Morgan State.

• Since the 2011 season, Stony Brook has compiled a 52-6 record when scoring 24 or more points in a game.

• The team is back on the gridiron on Saturday, Nov. 12, when it hosts Towson on Senior Day. It will be Stony Brook’s final home game of the 2022 season.

Visit www.stonybrookathletics.com for tickets and any last minute cancellations.