Dean, Defense Shine, But 'Cats Fall to Colgate, 10-3

Saturday, September 8

Durham, N.H.

6 PM

University of New Hampshire

0-2

Colgate

2-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

COLGATE

New Hampshire

Quinlen Dean closes in on Malik Twyman for one of his 16 tackles Saturday night.

Photo by: Gil Talbot

9/7/2018 9:57:00 PM | Football

Box Score Box Score Video Highlights Postgame Video Recap

By: UNH Wildcats

DURHAM, N.H. – Junior linebacker Quinlen Dean (Greenbelt, Md.) posted a career-high 16 tackles to lead an impressive defense effort, but the No. 20 University of New Hampshire football team came up short against Colgate, 10-3, in its home opener Saturday night in front of a crowd of 11,433 in Wildcat Stadium.

The Wildcats, who dropped their first game of the season at Maine on Aug. 30, fell to 0-2. Colgate improved to 2-0.

Dean had two tackles for a loss and also forced a Colgate fumble.

Senior wide receiver Neil O'Connor (Leominster, Mass.) led the UNH offense with 10 catches for 111 yards.

Sophomore quarterback Christian Lupoli (East Haven, Conn.) made his first career start in place of senior Trevor Knight (Amherst, N.H.). Knight injured his shoulder in the opener against Maine. Lupoli completed 14 of his 24 passes for 133 yards.

NEXT UP

The Wildcats play their FBS game against Colorado at Folsom Field in Boulder on Saturday, Sept. 15 at 5 p.m. Eastern time.
Colorado has a 2-0 record.
The Buffaloes went on the road and knocked off Nebraska, 33-28, Saturday afternoon.
They beat Colorado State, 45-13, in their opener Aug. 31 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver.
The Wildcats won their FBS game, 22-12, against Georgia Southern last season.
UNH has a week off after Colorado and then plays at Elon on Sept. 29 at 1:30 p.m.
The Wildcats next home game is against Holy Cross on Oct. 6 at noon for STEM Day.
The Colgate game was the first of five UNH home games that will be broadcast on NBC Sports Boston.
Tickets for all UNH home games are available at or by calling 603-862-4000.
Other home games are against Stony Brook on Oct. 13 at 3:30 for Homecoming; against Delaware on Oct. 20 at 3:30 for Family Weekend, against James Madison on Nov. 3 at 1 p.m. for the 125^th Anniversary of Football; and against Albany on Nov. 10 at 1 p.m. for UNH Salutes/Military Appreciation Day.

1^st QUARTER

The teams played a scoreless period.
Sophomore safety Evan Horn (Lebanon, Pa.) picked off a Colgate pass for UNH's first turnover of the season.

2^ND QUARTER

Colgate quarterback Grant Breneman opened the scoring with a 1-yard run with 10:05 left in the period.
Sophomore Jason Hughes (Atkinson, N.H.) got the Wildcats on the board with a 30-yard field goal with 4:16 left in the period.
Chris Puzzi answered with a 40-yard field goal with 30 seconds left in the half to give Colgate a 10-7 lead.

3^RD QUARTER

Senior Neil O'Connor (Leominster, Mass.) had all seven of UNH's pass receptions for 74 yards through three quarters.
There was no scoring in the period.
Wildcat junior Mitch McPike (Birmingham, England) missed a 36-yard field goal.

4^TH QUARTER

Puzzi missed a 42-yard field goal with 7:12 left in the quarter.

'CAT NIPS

Dean's previous high was 16 tackles last season against Albany.
Horn's interception was the fourth of his career.
Senior tackle Ryan Sosnak (Bethel Park, Pa.) and senior defensive end Jae'Wuan Horton (Stafford, Va.) each had a pair of sacks.
Dean and sophomore defensive end Brian Carter (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) each had half a sack.
Sosnak and Rick Ellison (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) each had six tackles.
The Wildcats held Colgate to 214 yards of offense.
The defense allowed Colgate to convert only two of 15 third down chances.
UNH had 206 yards of offense and was four for 14 on third downs.
Junior Evan Gray (Centreville, Va.) rushed nine times for 29 yards and senior Trevon Bryant (St. Augustine, Fla.) 10 times for 25 yards.
Tonight was Youth Football Night, presented by Tuscan Kitchen and Market in Portsmouth.
Giveaways included the official Football T-Shirt and Wildcat Sunglasses in the Blue Monster Student Section along with a youth parade, skills competitions and autographs.
UNHSHOP.COM. Get the latest in official game day Wildcats football gear from the all-new UNHShop.com.

TEAM STATS
Rushing: C 41-13. UNH 37-73.
Passing: C 8-18-1-84 0 TD. UNH 14-24-0-133, 0 TD.
Total Offense: C 59-214. UNH 61-206.
1^st Downs: C 11. UNH 12.
Time of Possession: C 32:05. UNH 27:55.
Penalties: C 4-35. UNH 3-30.
Turnovers: C 1. UNH 2.

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing: C – James Holland, 18-104. UNH – Evan Gray 9-29.
Receiving: C – Owen Rockett 2-45. UNH – Neil O'Connor, 10-111.
Passing: C – Grant Breneman 8-18-1, 0 TD. UNH – Lupoli 14-24-133-0, 0 TD.
Tackles: C– Nick Wheeler 6-4-10. UNH – Quinlen Dean 8-8-16.

UNHSHOP.COM

Get the latest in official game day Wildcats football gear from the all-new UNHShop.com.