UAlbany All-Around Performance Gives Great Danes Easy Victory
Kingston, RI — Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks’ 178 yards rushing and three touchdowns and a pair of pick-sixes gave the University at Albany Great Danes a 35-7 victory over the University of Rhode Island Rams in Kingston, Rhode Island, Saturday afternoon, to keep the Danes perfect early on in the season.
Ibitokun-Hanks was responsible for all three of the Danes offensive touchdowns, with respective carries of six, 28, and 20 yards to find his way into the end zone. The sophomore carried the ball 27 times, providing the necessary pace for the offense that for the most part lacked a passing game.
The first touchdown carry of the game gave the visitors the 7-0 lead in the opening quarter, as the running back seemingly ran over a defender on his way to the end zone. After a TJ Anderson touchdown tied the game up about halfway through the second quarter, Ibitokun-Hanks broke off a 28 yard run down the left side to give the Danes the 14-7 lead 27 seconds before the half.
After tallying 133 yards in the first half, Ibitokun-Hanks added on to that total with a 20-yard touchdown run on 4th-and-2. Ibitokun-Hanks originally ran the ball up the middle, but after being stuffed in the midst of the pile near the first down line, he spun out and ran down the open field to extend the lead to 21-7.
After Ibitokun-Hanks did his part in providing the scoring, the defense would chime in for their share of the scoring in the final frame. Rayshan Clark would be the first defender to visit the end zone, returning a Wesley McKoy interception 25 yards at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Michael Nicastro would then take his turn, returning a picked off McKoy pass 80 yards, an impressive return with multiple broken tackles and a run that reversed field to provide the final score of 35-7.
UAlbany would rush for 252 yards, Neven Sussman adding on 54 yards to Ibitokun-Hanks’ total, making up for the only 62 yards gained through the air Saturday. Sussman would go only 2-for-9 for 7 yards and an interception in the first half, and DJ Crook would take over in the latter half, obtaining much more success than his predecessor, going 4-for-7 for 55 yards.
The Great Dane defense was impressive in the victory, continuing their success from last weeks 22-16 win at Buffalo, the first win against an FBS opponent in program history, allowing 296 yards. Rhode Island threw for 150 of those yards, however the majority of them came in the waning minutes against the second team Dane defense. Abner Logan led the way with 6 tackles, while Neil Morrison, CBA Grad Josh Wynn, and Mason Gray each had 5 of their own, while Gray pulled down an interception in the victory.
The Danes will look to keep a zero in the L column when they look to continue on their early success when they host Holy Cross in their home opener next Saturday night at 7 at Tom and Mary Casey Stadium.