By Brian Bohl
As Northeastern completed a late drive with a game-winning touchdown, the Pride saw its postseason hopes take a tremendous hit. When Alex Broomfield’s halfback pass fluttered into a receiver’s hands with 11 seconds left, it handed the road team a demoralizing 35-31 loss.
Hofstra saw more than just a heartbreaking Huskies’ comeback on Parsons Field. In fact, Brookline, Ma. could be viewed as the site where coach Dave Cohen’s team squandered a chance at a spot in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. After starting 6-0, the Pride are now 7-3 and will need to beat UMass in the regular season finale before hoping a slew of other FSC contenders lose in the regular season finale this Saturday.
A win over Northeastern would have improved Hofstra to 8-2 overall and given them a 5-2 ledger against CAA competition. That would have put them in position to tie UMass for first place in the North Division with a win at home this weekend. Instead, the Pride surrendered a season-worst 446 yards to the Huskies, giving them a third loss against a conference opponent.
“That Northeastern offense-no one’s handled us like that in the two years I’ve been the head coach,” Cohen said. “They had us on their heels. We were outcoached and outplayed on that side of the ball.”
The 18th-ranked Pride failed to stop Northeastern’s passing attack, watching helplessly while Anthony Orio picked the unit apart for 249 yards on 19-23 passing. Maurice Murray exploded for 148 rushing yards against a defensive line that only generated one sack.
Hofstra entered the contest ranked first in the CAA in total defense. Neither the safeties nor the corners could do much to contain receivers Tony Lott and Brian Mandeville, who each recorded six receptions. Bryan Savage helped reestablish the lead in the final two minutes, handing his defense a reprieve. The extra chance was wasted following the Huskies’ 12-play, 92 yard drive that preceded the winning touchdown.
“The problem when you go Cover 2 is you go hard in the corners and [put] the safeties deep,” Cohen said about the zone coverage. “That gives them [space] in the flat. Their tight ends run so well, they were able to covert third-downs by going down the middle of the field.”
Orio methodically exploited the pass coverage. It also helped that the Pride defense did not record a single pass deflection, failing to support another strong game by Savage. Defensive backs David Darby, Kyle Arrington, Stephen Tate and Nick Altomare combined for just eight solo tackles, failing to produce an interception.
The focus now shifts to Massachusetts, who scores an average of 30 points-per-game. A victory at Shuart Stadium doesn’t guarantee anything more than a positive end to the season, though the Pride could still sneak into the 16-team playoff tournament with a strong showing if bubble teams like Georgia Southern, Grambling, New Hampshire, Eastern Illinois, Fordham and Youngstown State lose as well.
“It’s tough to be anything but proud of the way our players competed,” Cohen said. “As much as Northeastern’s offense had their way with us, we found a way to be ahead with two minutes left in the game.”