The Rowan football team dropped their second consecutive game after falling 24-14 to Frostburg State University on Saturday, Oct. 29. The Profs now have a 5-3 overall record and a 4-3 record in the New Jersey Athletic Conference.

With the loss the brown and gold’s playoff hopes have diminished. The Profs have entered a two-way tie with Christopher Newport University for fourth place in the conference. Frostburg State, Salisbury University and Wesley College currently sit atop the NJAC, each with a 6-1 conference record.

Rowan led the Bobcats 14-12 entering the fourth quarter. After falling behind 15-14, the Profs were unable to stop sophomore running back Jamaal Morant — who rushed for a total of 47 yards on three straight plays — in a drive that added six points onto the Bobcats’ lead.

Two costly interceptions late in the game by junior quarterback Dante Pinckney and a lack of defense allowed the Bobcats to score the final 12 points of the game to triumph over Rowan.

“We were right there at the end, we just couldn’t put it away and finish it off,” head coach Jay Accorsi said. “I was proud of how the players played. I thought we played hard. We just made a couple more mistakes than they did and that was kind of what cost us the game.”

Sophomore running back Anthony Diorio rushed for 52 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown in the game. Despite the tough loss, the team remains optimistic in finishing out the regular season strong.

“We’ve just got to keep practicing, keep working on our execution,” Diorio said. “We just have to come out with intensity and a will to win. We’ve got two games left.”

Frostburg State’s latest win helps keep them tied at first in the NJAC with Salisbury (7-1, 6-1). If both teams win their next contest, the final game of the season will be a tiebreaker to determine the conference winner.

While the Profs’ playoff hopes may be dashed, they are not ready to lie down just yet. Rowan hosts Kean University (4-4, 3-4) this Saturday at 1 p.m. for its senior game as well as the last home game of the season.

The Cougars are coming off a 32-3 victory over Southern Virginia University, their first win since dropping three straight.

This will be the 44th time these two teams will face off against each other, with the Profs holding a large advantage in wins, 35-8. However, in the matchup last year, Kean was able to defeat Rowan at home in a 20-17 overtime victory.

The brown and gold will look to bounce back from the team’s latest loss to win the final home game of the season to send the graduating seniors off on a high note.

“I’m a senior so I’m trying to get our guys pumped up,” senior linebacker Jeff Rodriguez said. “I’m kind of banged up, but I’ll be here motivating them if it’s from the sideline, on the field, whatever they need me to do I’ll do it.”

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