BUFFALO, N.J. (9/29/07) - The Buffalo State College football team scored on three straight possessions in the second quarter en-route to the 35-16 victory over visiting Kean University on Homecoming weekend in New Jersey Athletic Conference football action on Saturday afternoon. The Bengals (2-2, 1-1 NJAC) rushed for over 200 yards as a team, with Dan Lopez (Lancaster, N.Y.) leading the way with 119 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries.
For the Cougars (2-2, 1-1 NJAC), senior quarterback AJ Roque (Matawan, N.J.) threw for 292 yards and a touchdown, but also had four interceptions on the afternoon. Senior inside linebacker Clarence Goodman (Old Bridge, N.J.) had a game-high 15 tackles for Kean.
Kean took an early 7-0 lead, converting a pair of fourth downs on its opening drive, capped by a Jared Chunn (Tinton Falls, N.J.) 1-yard run. Buffalo State took over for the remainder of the opening half, converting three Cougar turnovers into a 28-7 halftime advantage.
Kurt Martino (Sea Cliff, N.Y.) intercepted a Roque pass to set up the Bengals' first score, a 5-yard run by Lopez. Lopez found the end zone again from 8 yards, before quarterback Dan Aquilio (Depew, N.Y.) hooked up with Jarrett Smith (Beacon, N.Y.) from 45-yards, and then hit wide receiver Greg Meyer (Lancaster, N.Y.) with a 40-yard strike in the closing minute to extend the advantage to 21 points at halftime.
The Cougars opened the second half with a 16-play, 49-yard drive that resulted in a Jon Robinson (Brick, N.J.) 30-yard field goal to pull within 28-10.
In the fourth quarter, the Cougars threatened again early, but Jermaine Rose (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) intercepted another Roque pass and returned it 70 yards deep into Cougar territory. Aquilio hit Meyer for a 10-yard touchdown on the very next play for the Bengals final score of the game.
Junior wide receiver Durell Dukes (Elizabeth, N.J.) reeled in an 8-yard scoring pass from Roque on the next Kean possession, but the Cougars could not pull closer in their first NJAC game of the year.
Dukes led the Cougar receivers with nine catches for 97 yards and a score, while Chunn had 56 yards rushing on 17 carries. Defensively, junior Markal Ginyard (Cape May, N.J.) added 12 stops and a pass break-up, while senior inside linebacker Devon McHarris (Camden, N.J.) made eight tackles.
For the Bengals, Aquilio finished an efficient 13-of-18 for 229 yards and three touchdowns, while Meyer had a pair of touchdown receptions amongst his five catches for 84 yards.
Rose anchored the Bengals' defense with 14 tackles and an interception, while Scott Forster (E. Otto, N.Y.) added 13 tackles and Peter Nguyen (Buffalo, N.Y.) had nine stops in two interceptions.
The Cougars look to regain footing in the NJAC next weekend, when they host SUNY Cortland on Saturday, October 6, at 1 p.m.
