Gallaudet stumbles against Norwich as Cadets storm back to hand Bison first ECFC loss
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Gallaudet University was outscored 34-7 over the course of the final 39 minutes as visiting Norwich University withstood a 17-0 start by the Bison to comeback and win, 34-24, before a crowd of 375 at Hotchkiss Field. The loss is the first at home, the first in Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) play for Gallaudet this season and snaps a four-game winning streak.
Norwich (4-2, 1-2 ECFC), the defending conference champions, controlled the second half as the Cadets scored three consecutive touchdowns and held a 19:44-10:16 time of possession advantage. In fact, the Cadets had the ball for nearly 11 minutes in the decisive fourth quarter alone. Gallaudet (4-2, 2-1 ECFC) only had the ball four times in second half (two possessions in each quarter) and were forced to punt twice, scored one touchdown and was intercepted to end the game.
Norwich senior quarterback Kris Sabourin led the rally for the Cadets as he completed 19-of-35 passes for 284 yards, four touchdowns and ran the ball 16 times for 127 yards. In the fourth quarter, when Norwich scored twice, it was Sabourin that completed 6-of-7 passes for 76 yards and one score and ran four times for 47 yards.
The Cadets' game-winning score occurred at the 9:12 mark in the fourth quarter when Sabourin completed a 71-yard drive on 12 plays with a 6-yard pass to Dan Jamieson to put Norwich up three, 27-24.
GU punted on its next possession after five plays and pinned the Cadets back at their own 18 with 6:32 left in regulation. Sabourin and company simply marched 82 yards on eight plays down the field to score an insurance touchdown and increase their lead to 10 with just over two minutes left. The Bison defense forced one third down during the drive but Sabourin converted on a 15-yard run. Senior Danny Triplett (20 carries, 65 yards) scampered in from 13 yards out for his second touchdown on the day. He caught a 15-yard pass from Sabourin right before halftime to cut Gallaudet's lead to four, 17-13, at intermission.
Norwich is 4-0 all-time against Gallaudet since the two schools joined the ECFC in 2009. Prior to today's outcome all three setbacks for the Bison were by one score (eight or less points).
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