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AVE MARIA, Fla. --- In a home opener for the ages, the Ave Maria football team rallied to defeat NCAA Division II Florida Tech 45-41. Trailing by 10 in the final minute, Clayton Uecker connected with Karim Bryant on a pair of touchdowns and the Gyrenes recovered an onside kick to steal a win. AMU improves to 3-2 on the season with the victory.
"I don't think there is a better way to christen a new stadium than to throw a game winning touchdown pass with less than a second left. I think it just showed what the environment was about. The parents, fans, and students all did a really good job of giving our guys extra mojo and allowing them to keep fighting," said head coach Marty Quinn. "In the end, I think the guys just wanted to make this a special day for the University and I think they got that done."
The Gyrenes came out firing and took the ball 78 yards down the field on the team's first possession to take a 7-0 lead on the Panthers. The eight-play drive was capped by a Uecker to Shawn Evans nine yard touchdown pass. Compared to the rest of the game, the defensively stingy first quarter concluded with a 34-yard field goal by the Panthers to cut into the Gyrenes lead.
Florida Tech seemed to take control in the second quarter. The Panthers used three quick scores to take a 24-7 edge less than five minutes into the quarter.
Uecker and Byrant connected on the first of three touchdowns between the duo with 4:46 remaining in the first half to bring the Gyrenes within 10, 24-14. A late field goal by the Panthers made the score 27-14 at the half.
Getting the ball first to start the third quarter, Ave Maria drove down to the Florida Tech seven yard line before its drive stalled and the Gyrenes had to settle for a field goal.
Florida Tech responded with a lengthy drive of their own, going 63 yards on 12 plays, leading to a receiving touchdown by Xavier Milton from Bobby Vega.
Ave Maria cut it to a ten point game late in the third quarter when Scott Jones ran into the endzone for a one-yard touchdown to cap a nine-play, 62 yard touchdown drive. Early in the fourth quarter, Rashad Kelly caught a touchdown pass to pull the Gyrenes within three with 12:18 to play.
Florida Tech seemed to put away the game when they scored a touchdown with 3:16 remaining in the fourth quarter but there wasn't any quit in the Gyrenes this afternoon.
After the Gyrene defense forced a three-and-out, the Ave Maria offense got the ball back with 2:08 on the clock. Uecker led the Gyrenes down the field, connecting with Bryant four-times on the drive including on a 10-yard touchdown pass with 38 second remaining.
After recovering an onside kick, Ave Maria began the drive at the Florida Tech 45 yard line. A couple quick passes to Dan Mervos for 10 yards and Travis Makauskas for 19 yards set the Gyrenes up at the Panthers 16 yard line. Electing to try to get in one more play instead of kicking the game-tying field goal, Uecker was able to find Bryant in the corner of the endzone for the go-ahead score with less than a second remaining.
Uecker finished 29-of-48 for 323 yards and five touchdowns. Bryant finished with eight receptions for 74 yards and three touchdowns.
"Clayton and Karim have played in big games at the high school level and continue to get better. They have worked hard and are comfortable making big play," said Quinn. "They also really embody the mission of the University. They are just here to do their job and you didn't see them after the play making a big deal about it. I think that is what makes them special freshman."
Scott Jones had another solid day on the ground, rushing for 94 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries.
The Gyrene defense held Florida Tech to 78 yards on the ground.
The Gyrene football team will return to the field next Saturday when they host College of Faith at 1 p.m.
