Football comes up short at Bentley

WALTHAM, Massachusetts - A late second-quarter touchdown was the difference in a mostly defensive struggle between the American International College football team and Bentley University in a 27-14 Northeast-10 Conference win for the Falcons on Saturday, October 19.

AIC is now 1-6 overall and 0-4 in the NE10.

The Falcons scored on their first drive of the game, with a 39-yard touchdown pass to Rashon Bradford just 3:18 into the game.

Two drives later, the Yellow Jackets took the ball and pounded their way 57 yards for a score, with Sidiki Kone busting a 19-yard run around the left side to plunge into the end zone. Santana Fonseca's extra point then tied the game at 7-7.

Bentley made a brilliant effort to answer, driving down the field inside of the AIC five-yard line, but the drive was ended abruptly with a successful goal-line stand as Mohammed Diakite picked off a pass in the end zone, returning it 28 yards and flipping possession.

That was the only catch for AIC during their time with the ball in that sequence, as Connor Dietz, Jadye Foxworth, Kone, and ultimately Dahvey Hicks rushed the ball six times, with Hicks scoring on a 12-yard burst to the left side and giving AIC the lead. Fonseca once again nailed the PAT.

The Falcons returned the kickoff to the 41, setting up a response drive for the tying score. Nick Marciano caught the scoring toss. 

Neither team generated a first down on the three possessions that followed, but the Falcons broke through again before the halftime break on a short touchdown drive of 45 yards as Bradford caught his second touchdown of the day.

In the second half, defense reigned supreme, including interceptions in the red zone for both Ahsin Jacobs and Jahsiah Narcisse, giving the Yellow Jackets their first three-interception game since September 1, 2022 against Frostburg State University in that season's opener. Michael Grant also broke up a pass on fourth down, busting through the line to block an opportunity.

Unfortunately for the Yellow Jackets, the only score in the second half was by the Falcons, as Jack Ford hauled in a seven-yard catch and dashed for the final 51 yards with 5:39 to play; JJ Gonzalez blocked the PAT to keep the score 27-14.

Kone led all rushers in the game with 86 yards. Chris Chasia led the Yellow Jackets with nine tackles and also recovered a fumble and combined with Mark Wright-Woodhouse on a sack. Shawn Belle made seven stops and Narcisse six, as well as his interception and a forced fumble.

AIC next visits Pace University on Saturday, September 26 for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff.