The Golden Apple Trophy is BACK where it belongs! UAlbany football just put a 48-31 beatdown on Stony Brook at LaValle Stadium on Saturday, snatching back the prize they’ve been chasing for years. After taking straight beatings from their State University of New York rival for the past two seasons, the Great Danes absolutely flipped the script in this Coastal Athletic Association game.
Kai Colon and the Offense Went OFF in Stoney Brook
Talk about an electric atmosphere, especially when you consider this was Stony Brook’s homecoming game in front of 6,101 fans! The Great Danes marched into their house and took over, erasing the memory of a 47-12 drubbing at Casey Stadium last year and a 24-6 loss on Long Island two years ago. This wasn’t just a win; it was a statement. Senior quarterback Kai Colon was lights out, tossing a career-high four touchdown passes, three of them to sophomore wide receiver BJ Norman. Rahshan La Mons was a beast on the ground, racking up 134 rushing yards and two scores. Jordan Rae also snagged a 14-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. First-year coach Tom Perkovich has these Great Danes (4-3 overall, 2-1 CAA) cooking, and the excitement was palpable as the players mobbed the Golden Apple Trophy and handed it straight to him at midfield. Junior linebacker Dillon Dunathan, who had a monster game with 13 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two pass breakups, put it best: “It feels so good to get [the trophy] back. To come here, especially, and take over and get the big win.” You love to see it!
That Bye Week Magic Is REAL, and the O-Line Was Unstoppable
Here’s the kicker: UAlbany entered this game *last* in the CAA in passing yardage, averaging a measly 148.3 yards per game. And Colon hadn’t even thrown a touchdown pass in the previous two contests! So, what happened? Coach Perkovich said they used their bye week to specifically get the passing game going, and boy, did it ever work. While Colon overthrew an open Norman on the first offensive play for what could have been a long touchdown, they absolutely found their rhythm after that. Colon finished 14 of 21 for 230 yards, connecting with Norman for scores of 18, 5, and 9 yards. He noted they knew Stony Brook would press a lot and they wanted to take some shots, and it paid off. Beyond the aerial assault, the offensive line deserves ALL the credit. Stony Brook’s pass rush led the *nation* with 24 sacks, and their defensive end Khalid Bueno was first in FCS with 10.5 sacks. On Saturday? Stony Brook had one sack total, and Bueno had zero. Colon praised his offensive line, saying they “did a great job,” and Perkovich highlighted the effectiveness of UAlbany’s formations utilizing two tight ends. That’s how you shut down a top-tier pass rush!
What’s next for these Great Danes? They’re sitting at 4-3 overall, 2-1 in the CAA, and riding this electric high. If they can keep this kind of offensive firepower and defensive grit, who knows what they can achieve this season!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply