REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Football team (2-5, 2-3 SCIAC) had a chance to upset Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) on Homecoming Saturday night with the ball in a goal-to-go situation in the final two minutes, but they came up short as they fell 17-10 despite a strong defensive effort.
CMS opened up the scoring with a 42-yard field goal and took advantage of a coverage mishap to make it 10-0 in the first quarter.
In the second quarter the Bulldog defense held the Stags scoreless across their four possessions of the period, holding them to negative six total yards.
With :15 seconds left in the half the Bulldogs received one final look to try and get in field goal range. Jayden Mckey (Tracy, CA) hit Deo Robinson for 20 yards on 3rd and 10 setting up Aidan Petruescu (La Habra, CA) for a 47-yard field goal that he made as time expired. The U of R trailed by only seven, 10-3 at the break.
It was more of the same for the defense in the third quarter as the Maroon and Grey held CMS' offense scoreless, conceding only 24 yards total. The final points of the second half for the Stags came on a 98-yard pick-six that made it 17-3 with 2:40 to play in the third.
On that interception drive Redlands went 11 plays for 73 yards. Taylor Bowie (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA) ran for 27-yards, Mckey hit both JT Solis (Sylmar, CA) and Scott Blankenship Jr. (Long Beach, CA) for 11-yard completions and Robinson also had another big run, this one for 20-yards.
With the ball back in their hands after the pick, the Bulldog offense converted a pair of third downs thanks to an Isaiah Alvarado (Coachella, CA) run and a 34-yard completion to Robinson on 3rd and 9.
After some penalties on CMS, the Bulldogs earned a goal-to-go situation, and after runs of negative two yards and another yard, it was 3rd and goal at the 11. Mckey then dropped back and was forced out of the pocket to his right where he fired a strike that Evan Aguon (San Diego, CA) went up for and got for the UR touchdown.
Following a Stag punt late in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs had it with 4:32 to play at their own 47. Mckey started the drive on the right foot with a 23-yard completion to Julian Walker (Fontana, CA).
After a pair of third down conversions, the two-minute timeout came and with it a 4th and 2 at the CMS 10. Coming out of the timeout Redlands decided to run off the right side, but Bowie ran into his own blocker and did not gain any yards as the U of R turned it over on downs.
The Bulldogs did have one more chance to get the ball back if they forced a three and out. They stopped CMS on first and second down, and after taking their two timeouts, it was third down.
On that 3rd and four the Stags picked up what they needed allowing them to kill off the final 1:46.
The Bulldog offense totaled 273-yards with 128 yards on the ground and another 145 passing. The defensive unit held the high octane Stag offense to a mere 189 yards with a just 75 coming on the ground. Mckey finished 11-for-30 for 145 and a touchdown. Bowie added 15 rushes for 73-yards and Robinson tacked on another rush for 20-yards coupled with three receptions for 62-yards.
Defensively Matt Lising (San Diego, CA) and Jaeden Thorn (Seattle, WA) had five tackles each and Craig Hunter (Murrieta, CA) added four tackles and a sack.
Redlands will play their final road regular season game next Saturday, November 2 at 1:00 p.m. as they face the University of La Verne.
