MOON TWP, Pa. — The Robert Morris Colonials (3-3, 1-0 NEC) defended their home field on homecoming weekend as they blanked the Delaware State Hornets (1-6, 0-0 MEAC) by the score of 23-0.
“It was just a bounce back week for us,” linebacker Jamar Shegog told Pittsburgh Sports Now following the game. “We had the bye week to get our minds right, get our bodies right. … The bye week was just good for us to self scout and overall get better.”
The Colonials defense allowed just 201 total yards and completely shut down any of the Hornets scoring chances.
“It [was not] really the game plan, it was just our mindset and our work, our preparation,” Shegog said. “Each week we just preach on getting better, getting better each week.”
The Hornets received the ball to start the game and after picking up one first down near midfield, the Colonials defense held strong on a third-and-long, forcing a punt.
The Colonials first offensive drive did not end with points but they did sustain a 13-play drive that got them well into Hornets’ territory. The drive stalled on a failed fourth down attempt.
On the Hornets second drive of the game, their offense again moved the ball past midfield and were set up for a 47-yard field goal but Nathan Wilson’s attempt sailed wide right.
The Colonials scored the only first-half points on their next drive. Accelerated by a 24-yard rush by sophomore Ethan Shine, the Colonials moved all the way down to the Hornets’ 20-yard line before settling for 37-yard field goal by Jayson Jenkins.
The Colonials looked to score again later in the second quarter but opted to not settle for another field goal as they attempted a fourth-and-short scenario from the plus-12 but were shutdown for no gain.
The Hornets offense failed to muster any more long, sustained drives for the rest of the first half and the Colonials carried their 3-0 lead into halftime.
“When we went into halftime we had a conversation,” wide receiver Carl Smith Jr. told Pittsburgh Sports Now following the game. “We trusted the game plan, we didn’t change much. We stuck with what we knew and that was the outcome, everybody ate.”
Despite an unnecessary roughness penalty on the Colonials, they used the initial drive of the second half to reinforce their lead. Anthony Chiccitt found Carl Smith Jr. on a deep crosser and then he dashed his way into the end zone, completing the 43-yard touchdown connection.
“The team all together, we all worked hard all week, prepared, after the bye week we had enough time off to come together and put together a good gameplan.” Smith said. “I just received an opportunity today and thankfully God blessed me with enough talent to do what I did today.”
Smith finished as the game’s leading receiver with 88 yards on three catches, one of which was a touchdown. Chiccitt completed 25 of his 31 passes for a game-high 224 yards and two touchdowns. Chiccitt added a 20-yard rushing touchdown as well.
Later in the third quarter, the Colonials extended their lead to three possessions on a four-yard touchdown strike between Chiccitt and Cole Mitchell. The Colonials added one more touchdown in the fourth quarter in route to their shutout win of the Hornets.
Next week, the Colonials stay at home to play host to Long Island in an NEC showdown.