UAlbany football's CAA title hopes end with 'disappointing' loss at Bryant

The University at Albany football team's four-game winning streak and Coastal Athletic Association title hopes ended Saturday with a 31-7 defeat to Bryant University in Smithfield, R.I. The 20th-ranked Great Danes fell to 6-4 overall, 4-2 in the CAA. First-place Monmouth's victory over North Carolina A&T put even a share of the league championship out of reach for UAlbany. Bryant, which snapped a two-game losing streak, scored touchdowns on four of its first five possessions to seize a 28-0 halftime lead.  "We played poorly," UAlbany coach Tom Perkovich said in an athletic communications video. "We weren't ready to play. That's on me. We knew they'd be a really physical football team. They wanted to grind it out. We didn't really get them off their plan, especially early on." During its winning streak, UAlbany thoroughly outplayed Delaware State, Stony Brook, Rhode Island and No. 15 Campbell. The Great Danes' largest deficit was 7-0 against Stony Brook. The Great Danes looked like an entirely different team on Saturday. They had eight penalties for 68 yards. They had a pair of turnovers - a Kai Colon interception and BJ Norman fumble - that the Bulldogs (6-4, 4-2) converted into touchdowns. "Decent second half, but we couldn't score, couldn't move the ball, fumbles," Perkovich said. "All the things you can't do in games like this. They're a really good football team. That was a disappointing game for us, for sure." UAlbany's defense couldn't get off the field. Bryant was 12-of-17 on third-down conversions. The Great Danes played without junior running back Rahshan La Mons, the CAA's fourth-leading rusher, who sprained his ankle against Campbell. Junior Joey Koch got his first career start in La Mons' place and ran for 61 yards on 11 carries. Colon finished 12-of-25 passing for 140 yards. He was sacked five times. He scored UAlbany's only touchdown on an 8-yard run in the fourth quarter. Bryant quarterback Brennan Myer completed 13 of 18 passes for 254 yards and a touchdown.  "The quarterback was really efficient today," Perkovich said. "He really stepped up for them." The Great Danes return to Casey Stadium to face Maine in the home finale next Saturday. They'll try to keep their Football Championship Subdivision playoff hopes alive. "We've got to get back to focusing on the little things, the details, how we practice, and get our guys to Saturday as healthy as possible because we're banged up," Perkovich said. "It's a long season, all those things, but it is for everyone." Subscribe There’s more to Albany with the Times Union. Subscribe today for just 25¢. This article originally published at UAlbany football's CAA title hopes end with 'disappointing' loss at Bryant .