THE BASICS:
- Score: MIT 41, Bridgewater State 27
- Records: MIT (1-0); Bridgewater State (0-1)
- Location: Cambridge, Mass. (Roberts Field at Steinbrenner Stadium)
- The Lead: Led by four passing touchdowns from sophomore quarterback Chase Harmon (West Linn, Ore.) and 144 rushing yards by first-year Carson Phelps (Wichita, Kan.), the MIT football team earned a 41-27 home win over Bridgewater State on Saturday afternoon in Cambridge. This marks the first win for MIT in the all-time series as the two teams met for the first time since 2001.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- MIT got on the board first as Harmon found Phelps on the screen pass to the left that he took in from eight yards out for the 7-0 edge. After MIT forced a turnover on downs, the Engineers drove into BSU territory and moved to the eight-yard line after a completion to sophomore Alex Theriault (Boxford, Mass.) and a 15-yard personal foul penalty. MIT took advantage as Harmon found junior Andrew Hutchison (San Diego, Calif.) in the back of the end zone for the 14-0 lead midway through the second.
- The Bears immediately answered with a touchdown of their own as James Cahoon hit Dan Akinsheye straight up the middle for a 68-yard score to cut the lead to 14-7. MIT found the end zone once more in the first half as Phelps got the Engineers down to the 21-yard line on a rush up the near sideline, followed by a Theriault TD reception that pushed the advantage to 20-7.
- The Bears closed out the first-half scoring with 13 seconds remaining when Cahoon spotted Ryan Burchard wide open in the end zone, followed by a missed PAT for the 20-13 halftime margin.
- Bridgewater State tied the game just 2:08 into the third quarter when Michael Nocera got behind three MIT defenders and hauled in a 40-yard pass from Cahoon and that game was tied at 20-20. MIT, which led the nation in blocked kicks in 2022, blocked a 27-yard field goal attempt with 5:41 on the clock in the third to preserve the tie score.
- On the next drive, junior Daniel Monaghan (Northfield, Minn.) was wide open for the Engineers as he took the 18-yard Harmon pass to the end zone to regain the lead at 27-20 late in the third.
- The Bears forced the only turnover of the game on the first play of the fourth quarter when Zachary Souza picked off Harmon at the 48-yard line to set up BSU. The nine-play, 51-yard drive ended 3:18 later when Jack McCarthy scored from 17 yards out on Cahoon's fourth TD pass of the day and the game was tied for the final time at 27-27.
- The Engineers jumped on the back of senior Brady Klein (Washington, Ill.) for the final scores of the game as he scored up the middle from three and two yards out, respectively, to account for the 41-27 final. Both of his touchdowns capped long drives for the hosts and sealed the game for MIT.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Harmon completed 21 passes for 255 yards and four touchdowns, along with 144 yards on the ground by Phelps and two rushing TD's on 27 yards from Klein. For the Bears, Cahoon was 25-of-46 for 340 yards and four touchdowns as he hit Nocera for five receptions for a team-high 84 yards and one touchdown. Adam Couch also added 85 yards on 19 carries for the visitors as the teams were nearly identical in total offensive yards.
- On defense, sophomore Chase Williams (Missoula, Mont.) led the Engineers with eight tackles as the team finished with four tackles for loss overall. Nathan Oliver and Brendan Albert paced BSU with nine tackles each, including a pass breakup by Albert.
UP NEXT:
- Following a bye week, the Engineers are back in action on Saturday, September 16th as the team travels to Curry College for a 1 p.m. start in Milton.
STAY CONNECTED:
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