Coming off bye week, the Rowan football team was optimistic about coming for the Homecoming game against The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) this past Saturday.

That optimism didn’t carry over, as the Profs dropped their third-straight game by a score of 20-14. The Lions won their first game on the season with their quarterback being a big reason for that.

TCNJ senior quarterback Trevor Osler went 25 of 32 for 340 yards and threw three touchdowns. He also threw an interception. It seems that when Rowan faces an upperclassmen quarterback, they brings a tough test along with them. One that challenges their secondary through the entire game.

“Against a senior quarterback who throws the ball as well as he does, we gave up some balls that cost us,” head coach Jay Accorsi said. “If you look at the games defensively, that is what it has been.”

Osler’s receiving corps played a tremendous part in the Lions’ 20-0 lead that withstood until the final minute of the second quarter. Thomas Koenig had four receptions for 131 yards and a touchdown. Vincent Guckin caught six passes for 30 yards and was a big red zone threat with two touchdowns, one from ten yards out and the other from six yards out. The Lions also used the tight end position heavily in many packages, as Chase Vena had five catches for 46 yards.

On the opposite side, it was decided before the game that the brown and gold would start sophomore quarterback Quinn Collins. After just three completions on five pass attempts to go along with 46 yards in their game against Christopher Newport, Collins had an efficient performance versus TCNJ, going 21 of 29 for 148 yards.

“I’m sad the game did not turn out the way everyone wanted it to,” Collins said. “However, we played well and we just need to make adjustments.”

“Quinn played well and I thought he did some good things,” Accorsi said. “He is a sophomore with not a lot of experience and I hate to use that as an excuse.”

Rowan’s run game improved, considering they had negative yardage in that dismal performance against CNU. Against the Lions, the Profs had 97 total rushing yards. Juniors Anthony Diorio and John Mannion had a combined 23 carries for 92 yards and the game’s two touchdowns.

The front seven were impressive, accumulating eight sacks on Osler during the game. Linebacker Godwin Asamoah had two sacks and an interception on the first drive of the game.

After the Profs made it a one score game in the third quarter, they couldn’t find the end zone with their final four possessions. Rowan’s schedule doesn’t get any easier, as they will travel to #14 DIII ranked Wesley College on Saturday. The Wolverines are sitting atop the New Jersey Athletic Conference at 5-0, tied with Salisbury University. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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