The race for the Atlantic-10 championship and a Division I-AA playoff berth just got a lot more interesting for Northeastern’s football team.
Senior cornerback Art Smith returned the game’s opening kickoff for a touchdown and the defense forced four turnovers (two interceptions and two fumbles) as the Huskies (8-2, 5-2 A-10) blasted No. 11 Villanova (7-3, 4-3 A10), 38-13 last Saturday.
“That’s a good football team,” said Northeastern head coach Don Brown. “We talked about being two-dimensional [in the days leading up to the game]. [Defensively,] we got back to creating points off of turnovers.”
Losses by Maine and Massachusetts put Northeastern in a four-way tie for the top spot in the conference, as they join the Black Bears, the Minutemen and William ‘ Mary as league leaders, with identical 5-2 marks in conference play.
“They’re a good team and a lot of good things happened for them,” said Villanova head coach Andy Talley, whose team now becomes a long shot to qualify for the postseason. “We didn’t execute our offense.
“That was the worst game we’ve played in my [19] years at Villanova.”
Smith received the opening kickoff in his own endzone. Following the lead blocking of Bismark Osei, who took out three defenders, Smith returned the ball a full 100 yards into UV’s endzone for the score only 17 seconds into the contest.
“I knew it was deep, but I had a feeling,” said Smith. “I told the guys [before the play], give me something and I’ll meet you in the endzone.”
Villanova would quickly counter with a drive of their own, utilizing the controlled passing attack spearheaded by senior quarterback Brett Gordon (30 of 44 completions, 310 yards, two touchdowns) on a 13-play, 77-yard drive. A 5-yard pass from Gordon to Brian White (5 receptions, 29 yards) and an Adam James extra point made the score 7-7 with 2:28 remaining in the first quarter.
Then the Huskies’ special teams struck again.
Northeastern senior linebacker Neil Anderson leveled Wildcat senior linebacker Jamison Young on Anthony Riley’s (20 carries, 69 yards) 15-yard punt return. The hit shifted the momentum back over to NU, and essentially ended to game for Villanova with about 11 minutes remaining before halftime.
“When Neil dropped him, I felt like I had hit the ground,” Smith said.
The hit spurred NU’s first substantial scoring drive of the afternoon, as they rode the legs of junior running back Tim Gale (25 carries, 123 yards, three touchdowns), who Brown said gave “a maximum effort” on the day. He finished the push with a four-yard plunge into the endzone. The Miro Kesic extra point gave the hosts a 14-7 lead.
But that was only the beginning for Anderson.
UV stormed back on the very next possession, taking the ball on their own 17-yard line and driving all the way down to the Northeastern 7 in a little under three minutes. Gordon dropped back on second and goal, only to get walloped by Joe Gazzola as he released the pass. Anderson bobbled the loose football, directed it to himself in mid-air, and jaunted 90-yards for a touchdown on the interception return with 4:52 remaining in the half.
“I’m just happy to be making plays at the right time,” said Anderson.
Brown, who defeated the Wildcats for the first time in three tries, was more expressive in his linebacker’s exploits.
“Anderson’s been on the threshold on a number of plays,” he said.
Liam Ezekiel, who had another outstanding day (15 tackles), recovered Gordon’s fumble on UV’s first play of the ensuing drive. Northeastern ran the ball eight consecutive times, completing the 25-yard trek with Gale’s second rushing TD of the season, this one from three yards out. The extra point made the score 28-7 entering the half.
Still, the coach took nothing for granted during the intermission, and instructed the team to approach the contest as if the score was “nothing-nothing.”
His troops obeyed the instructions to near perfection.
Driving down the field after receiving the kickoff to start the half, the visitors would fumble the football a second time, this one after an Art Smith tackle leveled Gordon. Again, Ezekiel was there for the recovery. Seven plays later, a 33-yard Kesic field goal made the score 31-7.
The Wildcats would score their second touchdown on a 14-play, 95-yard excursion capped by a Shaz Brown (nine receptions, 94 yards) touchdown catch from Gordon with 5:22 left in the third quarter. The failed two-point conversion made the score 31-13.
Northeastern’s final touchdown would come on a 34-yard Gale burst up the middle with 7:08 remaining in the game. Kesic’s final PAT of the afternoon served as the contest’s final points.
Quarterback Shawn Brady was efficient as usual Saturday, completing seven of 13 passes for 84 yards.
Brown refused to talk about playoff implications, but admitted to a sense of vindication with Saturday’s win.
“We need to worry about New Hampshire next week, and then James Madison. That’s as far ahead as I’m going to think.
“We’re going to have to get back to work on Tuesday, but we’re going to enjoy this [victory] for a couple of days,” he said.
