DURHAM – Senior wide receiver Neil O’Connor put together another huge game against Stony Brook, but it wasn’t enough and the University of New Hampshire football team lost to the Seawolves, 35-7, on Homecoming in Wildcat Stadium on Saturday.
In front of a crowd of 17,687 fans, O’Connor had a career-high 14 catches for 156 yards and UNH’s only score. His previous best for catches was 13 in a game at Stony Brook last season. His catches covered 182 yards that day.
UNH fell to 1-5 overall and 0-3 in the Colonial Athletic Association. No. 19 Stony Brook improved to 5-2 and 3-1 league.
The Wildcats play their third straight home game next Saturday against Delaware in Wildcat Stadium at 3:30 p.m. for Family Weekend.
Stony Brook scored a pair of defensive touchdowns in the opening half, the first on an interception return and the second on a fumble return.
Senior quarterback Trevor Knight completed 27 of his 48 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown.
The UNH defense came up with a season-best three turnovers and allowed 317 yards of offense.
Junior safety Rick Ellison grabbed his second interception in as many games and Prince Smith, Jr. also had a pick. Sophomore safety Evan Horn forced a fumble that senior tight end John DiCaro recovered.
Stony Brook grabbed a 14-0 lead with the only two scores of the first period.
Joe Carbone connected with Andrew Trent for an 8-yard TD pass with 10:27 left in the period.
TJ Morrison returned an interception 35 yards for a TD with 8:50 left.
Knight hit O’Connor for a 27-yard pass play with 1:07 left in the half to cut Stony Brook’s lead to 21-7.
The Seawolves had scored on a 54-yard fumble return by Shayne Lawless 11 seconds into the quarter.
O’Connor caught 10 passes for 108 yards in the first half.
Carbone and Marshall Ellick teamed for a 19-yard TD pass to push Stony Brook’s lead to 28-7 with 6:16 left in the period.
O’Connor’s first catch of the period was his 14th of the game, giving him a career high.
Stony Brook’s Kameron Pickett scored on 18-yard run with 1:32 left in the game to close the scoring.