NEW HAVEN, Conn. – After scoring a program-record 42 points in the first half against Southern Connecticut State University in Saturday afternoon's season finale, Post University Football would squander a 28-point lead to the Owls, falling in their first-ever overtime game in program history, 52-45, after being held to only three second-half points following a 143 rushing yard afternoon from sophomore running back Edward Bandy in which he found the end zone three times. 

THE BASICS

Post University 45, Southern Connecticut State University 52 (OT)

Post University (4-6, 1-6 NE10)

Southern Connecticut State University (4-6, 4-3 NE10)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Senior quarterback Malakai Taylor was slinging the ball in the air early on for the Eagles, going 8-for-8 to start the game with a pair of touchdown passes to freshman wide receiver Israel Hiraldo for four yards and a 62-yard strike to sophomore wide receiver DJ Lisbon as part of the onslaught of points in which Post scored 28 unanswered points with the score tied at 14 all. 

Not to be forgotten, Bandy ripped off a pair of long touchdown runs during that stretch, giving the Eagles the lead 14-7, before ripping off a 71-yard run later on in the second quarter that capped off a 28-point second quarter for Post that aided them in taking that 42-14 lead. While Bandy finished with 143 rushing yards and three touchdowns, junior running back Kieran Falzon also had a monster game on the ground for the Owls, exploding for 213 yards rushing with three touchdowns of his own on 23 carries. 

Both teams combined for 460 rushing yards alone with four touchdowns, in addition to 490 passing yards with five touchdowns combined on an afternoon where 13 touchdowns and two field goals were scored in the 97-point affair. After all three of Bandy's first-half touchdowns, he would be held to nine rushing yards on six carries in the second half as the Owl defense clamped down on the rushing attack of Post, while converting in the air to will themselves back into the affair.

Despite two turnovers on the afternoon from freshman quarterback John Giller, who hit senior wide receiver Seth Westover with a 48-yard touchdown pass to snap the 28-point stretch for the Eagles, senior quarterback Brandon Jorgenson led the comeback charge with his 16-for-24 afternoon passing with 184 yards and two touchdowns. After Giller opened up the second half with a 10-yard touchdown run, which was responded to by Post's final points of the game from freshman kicker Nathan Hawkins' 28-yard field goal, Jorgenson would do the rest in the fourth quarter and overtime with his team trailing by 17. 

Westover, who made two touchdown grabs as part of his seven receptions for 164 yards, started the fourth-quarter rally with a 60-yard touchdown from Jorgenson with only 9:32 remaining that pulled Southern Connecticut back within 10 points. Post would end up going three-and-out on their next two possessions in between a field goal made from the Owls that brought the deficit down to seven, giving Southern Connecticut one more chance with a little over two minutes left. Using only 1:30 of that time, Jorgensen connected with Falzon for a 10-yard touchdown pass with 45 seconds left in regulation, completing the Owl comeback to force overtime.

It would only take one play in overtime for Southern Connecticut to take its first lead of the afternoon as Falzon rushed 25 yards to the end zone in the untimed extra session, which starts at the opponent's 25-yard line. Having the same situation, Post turned to junior quarterback Tyler Phommachanh to try tying things up, but two end zone incompletions and only six yards rushing between him and Bandy would end the game for Post, faltering in their season finale, 52-45, in overtime to the Owls. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• After rushing for 142 yards last week at home, Edward Bandy finished with 143 rushing yards and three touchdowns -- Bandy's 143 yards on the ground were the third-most for a single game in program history for Post University, while his three touchdown runs tied the program record
• Nathan Hawkins tied his own program record for points after attempts with six in the game – Hawkins had six PATs against West Virginia Wesleyan College to start the 2025 season
• Scoring 45 points offensively today, that is the second-most points in a game for Post University in program history, behind only their 51-point outing against West Virginia Wesleyan College to start the 2025 season – Post's 447 total yards of offense were the second-most in program history as well
• This is the first time this season in which Post University has lost a game when rushing for more than 150 yards – The Eagles were 4-0 on the season when rushing for more than 150 yards as a team coming into the day
• Today's overtime session marked the first time in program history in which Post University has gone to overtime in a game since it began the program back in 2022