Bentley University

WALTHAM, Mass. – Sophomore Peter Vafiadis drilled a 33-yard field goal - with plenty of room to spare - as time expired in regulation to give the Bentley football team a 33-29 win over Southern Connecticut on Yetten Field Saturday afternoon. It was a fitting finish to a thrilling second half of football.

Bentley (4-3, 3-2) held a 22-21 lead with 8:28 on the clock in fourth quarter when it took over possession on its own 16-yard line following an SCSU punt. The Falcons methodically moved the ball down the field while eating up a lot of the game clock.  

A 12-yard completion by Luke Warnock to Zion Simmons gave the Falcons more breathing room away from their own end zone. Warnock found Peter Bibby III for 11 yards, and he connected with Simmons again for another 17 yards to move up to the Owls' 37-yard line.

Parker Woodring hauled in a 24-yard pass from Isaiah Osgood, which ultimately set up a four-yard touchdown pass from Warnock to Telly Edouard on the first play after the two-minute warning. Bentley's lead increased to 29-21, but the game was far from over.

The Owls took the ensuing kickoff 54 yards down to the Falcons' 36-yard line with 1:46 on the clock. SCSU made good use of the short field. It took the Owls just about a minute of game time to reach the end zone, and they converted their two-point try to tie the game, 29-29.

But 45 seconds was all the time Bentley needed to get into field goal range.

Starting from their own 20-yard line, the Falcons began their game-winning drive with a 13-yard rush up the middle by Mason Andrade. Warnock then completed consecutive passes to Nate Day for a total of 21 yards.

Bentley called a timeout with 14 seconds on the clock, down on SCSU's 46-yard line. Two plays out of the timeout, Warnock rolled out to his right looking for a receiver down field. He threw the ball into double coverage, but still Day made a spectacular leaping catch down at the SCSU 16-yard line with less than two seconds on the clock.

Bentley called its final timeout, setting up Vafiadis' heroic kick.

Warnock finished the game with 273 passing yards (28-44) and two touchdown passes. It was his sixth consecutive game with multiple passing touchdowns. Woodring totaled 93 receiving yards on nine catches, including a touchdown grab in the third quarter.

Mason Andrade ran for 59 yards on 14 carries, and he scored twice. Andrade's second rushing touchdown gave Bentley a 22-21 edge in the final moments of the third quarter.

Day finished the game with a career-high six catches, totaling 63 yards in the process.

Jake Fredericks led the defensive efforts with 1.5 sacks, while Jonathan Grinion and Quincy Pickett each notched a sack.

The Falcons' next game is at Pace, Oct. 31. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m.