CONWAY, S.C. - Four fumbles by the Coastal Carolina University football team helped Stony Brook steal a 28-24 victory at the Chanticleers' Homecoming Saturday, Oct. 25 at Brooks Stadium. The loss drops Coastal Carolina to 4-5 overall and 0-3 in the Big South Conference. The last time Coastal Carolina started Big South play 0-3 was the inaugural season when the Chants finished 1-3 in league play. The Seawolves move to 3-5 on the year and 2-1 in their inaugural season in the league.
With the crowd roaring, Coastal Carolina lined up to receive the kickoff, but fumbled the ball on its 25-yard line as Stony Brook's Benjamin Clements recovered the turnover for the Seawolves. Covering 25 yards in five plays, Conte Cuttino rushed for six yards into the end zone putting Stony Brook up 7-0 with 13:07 remaining in the first quarter.
The Chanticleers wasted no time getting back into the game on their next possession as quarterback Zach MacDowall marched his team up the field completing a 56-yard pass to wide receiver Trent Usher just short of the goal line. MacDowall finished off the 78-yard drive on the seventh play, rushing one yard for a touchdown as the Chants leveled the game at seven.
In the second quarter, Coastal Carolina and Stony Brook traded missed field goal attempts. MacDowall put the Chanticleers ahead 13-7 when he threw a 30-yard pass to Marquel Willis who corralled the ball in the end zone with just 1:06 remaining. Kicker Justin Durham missed the point after attempt to keep the margin at six. Stony Brook looked to get on the scoreboard again in the final seconds of the half but missed a 48-yard field goal attempt as the Chants took a 13-7 advantage into the half.
After an unsuccessful drive to start the third quarter, Stony Brook was forced to punt the ball. The Chanticleers were hounded again by another special teams miscue as Jamar Anderson fumbled the ball on Coastal Carolina's 15-yard line, allowing the Seawolves to swipe up the loose ball. On the third play on the short drive, Stony Brook quarterback Dayne Hoffman completed a 9-yard pass to Dwayne Eley to take a 14-13 lead.
Using nine plays to cover 68 yards, MacDowall's 20-yard pass connected with Usher, who broke a tackle on the 3-yard line and ran into the end zone. MacDowall then found Jon Greene in the end zone to complete the two-point conversion and put the Chants up 21-14 with 7:42 to go in the third.
The cool temperature may have been a factor later in the third, as Coastal Carolina fumbled its second punt reception of the night, handing the ball over to the Seawolves at the Chants' 29-yard line. On the third play of the drive, Hoffman threw a 30-yard pass to Eley for his second touchdown of the game to even the score at 21-21 with just under five minutes to go in the third.
Driving up the field in 10 plays and 69 yards, Coastal Carolina used the foot of James Pallassino to convert a 30-yard field goal. It was Pallassino's first field goal attempt of his career, as the Chanticleers went ahead 24-21 at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
On the second play of its next possession, Stony Brook grabbed a 28-24 advantage early in the fourth. Hoffman tossed a 61-yard pass to a wide open Eley, his third touchdown reception of the game.
Coastal Carolina made a final attempt up the field in the last three minutes of the game, driving down to the 35. On a third-and-10, MacDowall completed a pass to running back Arthur Sitton. However striving for extra yardage, Sitton fumbled the ball and the Seawolves recovered on their own 25-yard line to secure the game with 1:11 remaining.
Coastal Carolina outgained Stony Brook, 505-376 and held a slight possession in time of advantage, holding the ball almost 32 minutes. Beyond the four turnovers, Coastal Carolina was also stopped on both its fourth-down conversion attempts.
MacDowall had a strong outing, going 22-for-35 for 306 yards in the air and two touchdowns, while adding 80 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown. Jamie Fordham led the Chants with 81 rushing yards on 12 carries, while Sitton was the top receiver with five receptions for 42 yards.
For the Seawolves, Hoffman was 14-for-27 for 197 yards, connecting with Eley on all three touchdown tosses on the night. Eley finished with six catches for 120 yards and three touchdowns, while Cuttino rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.
The Chants have a bye next week, before a meeting with Gardner-Webb Saturday, Nov. 8, in Boiling Springs, S.C. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. Stony Brook returns home next week to host Gardner-Webb for a conference tilt, kicking at 3 p.m.
