The University of Dayton football team scored 35 points in the second half on Saturday, Oct. 31, rallying past Stetson 44-34 in DeLand, Florida, for its fourth straight victory, according to the University of Dayton athletics department. The Flyers (7-1, 4-1 Pioneer Football League) trailed 16-9 at halftime before taking control of a game the Hatters (1-8, 0-5 PFL) kept pulling back within reach.
Dayton’s offense found its footing after the break. Quarterback Bryce Schondelmyer found Michael Mussari for a touchdown that tied the game 16-16 in the third quarter, and Gavin Lochow’s touchdown put the Flyers ahead, the University of Dayton reported. Lochow’s score gave him 188 career points, moving him into 17th place on Dayton’s all-time scoring list.
The fourth quarter turned into a shootout. Mason Hackett’s 17-yard touchdown run pushed Dayton’s lead to 30-19, but Stetson answered with a 59-yard passing touchdown, and after Luke Hansen’s first touchdown of the day the Hatters scored again with a two-point conversion to cut it to 37-34 with 7:40 to play, according to the University of Dayton. Hansen answered one more time, breaking a 33-yard touchdown run with just under four minutes left to restore the 10-point margin.
Hansen finished with 158 rushing yards and two touchdowns on just 12 carries — a 13.2-yard average — and passed 2,000 rushing yards for his career, the University of Dayton reported. Schondelmyer went 19-of-27 for 206 yards and three touchdowns, and Donovan Weatherly set career highs with six catches for 79 yards and a touchdown.
Stetson’s offense made Dayton earn it. The Hatters produced a season-high 570 yards of total offense, and quarterback Thomas von Grote completed 28 of 46 passes for 346 yards and three touchdowns, extending his streak of 300-yard passing games to five, Stetson University athletics reported. Stetson led 16-9 at halftime and was within three points midway through the fourth quarter before Dayton’s final touchdown.
Dayton’s defense closed the door late. After injuries thinned the secondary, sophomore Tallen Hulvey came off the bench and intercepted a pass as Stetson threatened the red zone in the final minutes, and senior linebackers Joe Kingsbury and Sam Schmiesing recorded 10 tackles each, according to the University of Dayton.
The win keeps Dayton in control of its Pioneer Football League destiny at 4-1 in league play. What happens next brings the Flyers home: they host Valparaiso on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 12 p.m. at Welcome Stadium in Dayton.
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