Great Danes fall toSeawolves in NCAA Division I FCS playoffs

It was first and goal from the three yard line with 49 seconds remaining. The Great Danes were down 31-28 when quarterback Dan Di Lella took the snap. He was immediately pressured. This forced him to drop back and throw a pass off his back foot into the corner of the end zone to tight end Brian Parker.

The ball was tipped by Stony Brook defensive back Donald Porter into safety Dominick Reyes' grasp to end Albany's stellar season in the first round of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs.

"This is something that I will have to live with the rest of my life," Di Lella said, who went 24-of-43 through the air for 223 yards. "I should have thrown the ball into the stands and let Drew Smith run in for a touchdown on the next play. We used the pass to set up the run the entire day."

The Great Dane defense was like night and day in the first and second half. Stony Brook's first two drives ended with no points as they were stopped on a fourth and one inside the Albany red zone and missed a 47 yard field goal off the left upright.

Following a big defensive stand Albany's Andrew Smith reached pay dirt on a 1-yard touchdown run with 20 seconds left in the first quarter. Then after a three out for the Stony Brook offense defensive end Dean Mercuris blocked a punt which was returned 21 yards for a score by Parker to put Albany up 14-0 with 14:47 left in the second quarter.

As momentum swung back and forth from each team Stony Brook came roaring back with two scoring drives ending with a 39-yard field goal and an 11-yard touchdown pass to make it 14-10. Then, right before half Albany stole back the momentum with a 44-yard bullet to receiver Cole King who scored with defenders draped on his back to make it 21-10 going into half time.

After kicking off to start the first half Albany received the ball to start the second half. With momentum still on their side they wasted no time scoring on four play 75-yard drive taking only 1:28 seconds ending on a 43-yard touchdown pass to make it 28-10. This pass came from Smith on a double reverse pass to wide receiver Ryan Kirchner who was one catch away from a school record with 12 receptions in the game and also had 143 yards.

Down 18 points over 28 minutes to play, Stony Brook took the momentum and never gave it back as running back Brock Jackolski scored 21 unanswered points on a 6-yard run an 11-yard run and a 55-yard touchdown catch-and-run to go up 31-28.

"The momentum swung back and forth all game" said coach Bob Ford, who suffered a knee injury on sideline after being hit late in the second quarter. "We had great difficulty pounding the ball and give Stony Brook credit for stopping the run. In these types of situations, you have to do things correct all the time and we failed to cash in."

The Great Danes started the season off losing their first two games. They then ripped off a six-game winning streak, defeating Columbia, St. Francis, Duquesne, Robert Morris, Central Connecticut state and Wagner.

That streak ended with a loss at Bryant and they ended the season with wins against Monmouth and Sacred Heart. They won the Northeast Conference and finished 8-3.

This season is the team's first playoff appearance since 1997 when the Great Danes were a Division III football team. After going 8-3 in the regular season becoming the Northeast Conference champion they are the second team in school history to gain an automatic berth into the playoffs.

It was also a record breaking season for Di Lella as he set the school record for passing yards in a single season with 2,548 yards, passing Joe Savino from the 1997 team. He also set the record for touchdown passes in a season with 25.

Andrew Smith had 100 all purpose for the tenth straight time this season and added another touchdown pass to his stats making him 5-for-5 on the season, throwing five touchdown passes.

Herb Glass moved into second place on the all-time scoring list for Albany with 248 points in his career.

Ford finished up his 39th varsity season with his fifth NEC title and has 255 wins.