HANOVER, N.H. (9/15/07) – Senior placekicker Mike Buck (Basking Ridge, NJ) kicked a 36-yard field goal in the first overtime period as Colgate rallied from 28 points down in the second half for an improbable 31-28 win over Dartmouth Saturday at Memorial Field.

 

“I’ve been coaching for a long time,” said Colgate head coach Dick Biddle, “and this is the greatest victory I’ve been associated with.  These kids never gave up, and showed a lot of heart today.”

 

Colgate (2-1) rolled to a season-high 470 yards of total offense behind the running of junior tailback Jordan Scott (Hyattsville, MD), who carried 38 times for 211 yards and three touchdowns.  Scott becomes the fifth player in school history to rush for over 3,000 yards in a career, finishing the day with 3,092.

 

On the defensive side, senior linebacker Mike Gallihugh (Midlothian, VA) had a game-high 15 tackles, which is his seventh straight game in double figures, while linebacker Ted Marshall (Melbourne, FL) made seven tackles and came up with a key fumble recovery at the Colgate seven-yard line with 50 seconds left in regulation.

 

Colgate, which committed six turnovers (three interceptions and three fumbles), had an uphill battle the entire game.

 

Dartmouth took a 7-0 lead on its first possession of the game, when Tom Bennewitz fired a 16-yard pass to Eric Paul for the score.  On the ensuing kickoff, Colgate’s Wayne Moten (Forestville, MD) fumbled and Dartmouth’s Casey Frost recovered at the Colgate 31. Four plays later, Bennewitz connected on a two-yard touchdown pass to Carroll Papajohn in the back of the end zone for a 14-0 lead with 9:25 left in the first quarter.

 

An interception by Dartmouth’s Chris Blanco with 1:23 remaining in the first half, set up the Big Green’s third touchdown.  On the first play from scrimmage, Milan Williams raced nine yards to give the home team a 21-0 halftime lead.

 

Colgate dug itself a bigger hole on the first possession of the second half, when an uncovered Brian Evans raced 60 yards down the sideline for a 28-0 Dartmouth lead.

 

On Colgate’s next possession, the Raiders put a 16-play, 84-yard drive together for a touchdown with Scott scoring on a one-yard rush.  Colgate missed the two-point conversion attempt when Alex Relph’s (Victor, NY) pass was incomplete.

 

After stopping Dartmouth on downs at the Colgate 29, Colgate struck quickly for its second TD driving 71 yards in six plays with Scott scoring on a seven-yard run around end.  Buck added the extra point as Colgate trailed 28-13 with 1:55 left in the third quarter.

 

The Big Green missed a 39-yard field goal attempt early in the fourth quarter, and Colgate took advantage moving 78 yards in 10 plays for its third TD.  Relph fired a 17-yarder to Pat Simonds (Sidney, NY) for the TD with 10:31 remaining as Colgate cut the deficit to 28-20.

 

With 8:26 remaining, Williams, who was Dartmouth’s leading rusher with 30 carries for 179 yards, fumbled at the Colgate 14-yard line, and Chris Ekpo (Jonesboro, GA) recovered and returned the pigskin for Colgate to the 37-yard line.

 

Colgate moved to the Dartmouth 33-yard line where Scott rambled for his third touchdown of the game with 6:41 left.  Colgate had to go for two points on the conversion to tie the contest, and Relph completed the pass to Simonds for a 28-28 tie.

 

Dartmouth started its final drive of the game at its own 33-yard line.  The Big Green moved into Colgate territory and appeared ready to take the contest when Bennewitz completed a pass to Evans on fourth-and-two for a first down at the Colgate 25-yard line.  The Big Green moved to the Colgate five-yard line, but on third-and-three Ekpo ripped the ball away from Williams, and Marshall recovered for Colgate at the seven-yard line, where Colgate ran out the clock.

 

The Big Green went on offense first in overtime, but Colgate’s defense drove Dartmouth back eight yards, and their fourth down pass was intercepted by Uzi Idah (Rolling Hills Estate, CA).

 

Colgate gave the ball to Scott on third straight rushing plays on its first possession moving to the Dartmouth 19-yard line, where Buck kicked the game-winner.

 

GAME NOTES: Erik Burke (Traverse City, Mich.) had seven catches for 126 yards to move into 13^th place in career receiving with 1,265 yards.  It was his third game overall and second straight with 100 yards receiving … Scott rushed for over 200 yards for the fourth time in his career and 16^th over 100 yards.  He is tied for third place in career 100-yard games with Rich Erenberg (1980-83) … Relph competed 20-of-31 passes for 236 yards, while Simonds finished with four receptions for 38 yards and one TD … Marshall had a quarterback sack and fumble recovery.