Box Score MADISON, NJ - The College at Florham Devils held a 21-14 lead over The College of New Jersey with 1:06 left in the second quarter of their 2012 season opener, but a one hour and ten minute lightning delay ruined the Devils momentum as TCNJ outscored FDU by a margin of 31-7 the rest of the way on their way to a 45-28 win on Friday evening.

With the loss, the Devils dropped to 0-1 while the Lions improved to 1-1.

After FDU went three-and-out on their first series of the day, the Lions went 63 yards in 11 plays to take a 7-0 lead on a one-yard run by senior running back Justin Doniloski with 11:47 to go in the first quarter.  The Devils had a good response on their next possession, moving down to the TCNJ 27-yard line but senior kicker Mike Georgetti came up just short on a 45-yard field goal that would have made it 7-3.  The FDU defense forced a three-and-out though, getting the offense the ball back on their own 34-yard line.  The Devils proceeded to go 66 yards in six plays to tie the game at 7-7 on a one-yard touchdown run from senior running back Frank Trivigno with 4:35 remaining in the first.  The big play of the drive came when freshman running back Craig Kimbrough scampered for 40 yards down to the TCNJ three-yard line.  It was TCNJ's turn to respond however, as the Lions took their next series 69 yards in 13 plays to go back on top by a count of 14-7 with 1:00 left in the quarter on a three-yard touchdown run by senior quarterback Dan Dugan.

The Devils really turned it on in the second quarter, starting with a fourth down stop from the defense on their own 25-yard line.  With FDU facing a third-and-five on the ensuing possession, junior quarterback Mike Santos hit junior wide receiver Joe Tauriello down the middle for a 70-yard touchdown pass to tie that game at 14-14 with 8:29 left before intermission.  The defense then got another stop on TCNJ to get the ball back on the twenty after a touchback punt.  On third-and-two, Santos hit Trivigno for eight yards and a first down and two plays later, Santos connected with Kimbrough for a 63-yard catch-and-run touchdown to give FDU a 21-14 advantage with 5:15 left in the second quarter.  After two three-and-outs by the TCNJ offense, the Devils got the ball back on their own 12-yard line with 1:18 to before halftime.  That's when the weather started acting up, as a lightning delay was called and the two squads had to leave the field for an hour and ten minutes.  When play resumed, the Devils punted and TCNJ moved the ball to the FDU 18-yard line where senior kicker Derrick Hughes drilled a 36-yard field goal with no time on the clock to make the score 21-17 in favor of the Devils at the end of the second quarter.

Because of the long weather delay, the third quarter started almost immediately.  Each offense stalled on their first possession of the second half and the Lions got the ball on their own 18-yard line to begin their second drive of the third quarter.  TCNJ then went 82 yards in nine plays to re-take the lead, 24-21, with 9:18 left in the third on a three-yard touchdown run by senior running back Nicholas Tyson.  FDU couldn't get anything going on offense, punting the next two times they got the ball.  With 3:46 to go in the quarter, TCNJ got the ball on their own 20 and drove 80 yards in nine plays for a 31-21 edge on a 37-yard touchdown pass from Dugan to junior wide receiver Fred Sprengel.

The Lions then recovered a fumble on the FDU 40-yard line halfway through the fourth quarter and punched that in just six plays later on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Dugan to senior wide receiver Matt Rosati to grab a 38-21 lead with 7:54 left in the game.  The Devils had one more good drive left in them though, taking over on their own 33 with 6:38 remaining.  Santos hit Tauriello for 19 yards on a second-and-ten, then he connected with junior wide receiver Bryan Soletto for 25 yards on a second-and-eleven before hooking up with sophomore wide receiver James Ognibene for a 24-yard touchdown strike on the next play to make the score 38-28 with 5:46 to play.  The Lions answered right back though, recovering the on-sides kick and going 27 yards in four plays to put the game out of reach at 45-28 on a nine-yard touchdown run by Tyson with 4:21 left.

In the game, Santos went 23-for-42 for 342 yards to go along with three touchdowns and one interception.  Tauriello caught seven passes for 123 yards and a score while Kimbrough hauled in seven passes for 108 yards and a score.  Kimbrough also ran 16 time for 74 yards.  Defensively, junior linebacker Mike Mancino notched a game-high 17 tackles while senior linebacker Charlie Thomas tallied 14 tackles, two for loss.

The Devils return to action on Friday, September 14, 2012, for their Middle Atlantic Conference opener at home against King's beginning at 7 pm.