Robert Morris Sees Fourth Quarter Rally Fall Short in Loss to Central Connecticut State

MOON TWP, Pa. — After three quarters of self-inflicted mistakes, Robert Morris (1-5, 0-1 NEC) turned it on in the fourth quarter as it attempted to pull off a comeback against the defending NEC Champs, Central Connecticut State (4-3, 2-0 NEC).

Despite scoring two touchdowns in just under two minutes of game time, the Colonials could not muster any more points over the final eight minutes as they fell to the Blue Devils by the score of 24-12.

Final pic.twitter.com/ZHuZ8htlU8

— RMU Football (@RMU_Football) October 11, 2025

The Colonials started the game on defense and quickly allowed the Blue Devils to march down the field after three chunk throws by quarterback Brady Olson for gains of 12, 14 and 17 yards.

The Blue Devils got as far as the Colonials’ 28-yard line before attempting to go for it on fourth-and-one. The pass attempt from Olson sailed over the head of the intended receiver which resulted in a turnover-on-downs.

In turn, the Colonials’ offense took a shot on the first play of the ensuing drive which resulted in a 25-yard connection between quarterback Cooper Panteck and tight end Chaz Middleton.

Unfortunately for the Colonials, that was about it for their first offensive drive as they were forced to punt three plays later. The punt by Jayson Jenkins placed the Blue Devils at their own 15-yard line.

On the first play of the Blue Devils’ drive, the Colonials’ defense got a big-time sack of Olson when linebacker Jerry Riggins screamed through the line to take down Olson for a six-yard loss. The sack halted the drive before it could get started as the Blue Devils went three-and-out.

A short punt that set the Colonials up on the Blue Devils’ side of the field but it turned into a Robert Morris turnover just three plays later. On a third-and-five, Panteck thought he had an open receiver down the right sideline but he did not see cornerback Jahvante Royal looming in the flat.

The Blue Devils turned the momentum that the defense created into points after a seven-play drive ended in a 34-yard touchdown connection between Olson and wide receiver Donovan Wadley.

Following another Colonials’ three-and-out, the Blue Devils added to their lead on a 29-yard rushing touchdown by running back Elijah Howard.

The Colonials and the Blue Devils each missed field goals down the stretch part of the second quarter which kept the score 14-0 as the teams headed into the locker rooms for halftime.

Robert Morris opened up the second half with another explosive connection between Panteck and Middleton as the preseason All-NEC First Team tight end hauled in a 44-yard reception.

On the very next play, Panteck made a freshman mistake as he attempted a backwards pass that was intercepted by Blue Devils’ linebacker Devon Anderson.

Anderson caught the interception in the backfield and had nobody in front of him which allowed him to take the interception 55 yards the other way for a pick-six.

Later in the third, the Colonials used big plays from Middleton and fellow tight end Richard Ransom to get into Blue Devils’ territory but after a couple of incompletions, the drive stalled out.

Jenkins came on for a 32-yard field goal attempt but missed it wide left with his second miss of the afternoon, which kept the Colonials off of the scoreboard.

The Colonials eventually got on the board early in the fourth quarter after sophomore quarterback Jake Wolfe, who replaced an injured Panteck, threw a 34-yard pass to Middleton which placed them on the Blue Devils’ nine-yard line.

Middleton finished the drive off four plays later, on fourth-and-goal, as he snagged Wolfe’s back shoulder fade and got one foot down for the touchdown. Initially, the play was ruled as an incompletion but it was overturned after replay.

Count it!!! pic.twitter.com/22twWXr3zU

— RMU Football (@RMU_Football) October 11, 2025

Just when things looked wrapped up, the Colonials recovered an onside kick with over 10 minutes left in the game and down by just 13 points.

After a short run, Wolfe looked for Middleton again and he found him on another back shoulder throw for a gain of 28 yards. A roughing call took the ball from the 14-yard line down to the seven. Running back Donta Whack rushed in the second Colonials’ score of the fourth quarter on the very next play.

Unfortunately, a failed two-point conversion helped maintain a two possession lead for the Blue Devils as the score turned to 21-12.

The Blue Devils managed to answer the touchdown minutes later with a 35-yard Jack Hennessey field goal to extend their lead but the Colonials’ defense did their job by keeping it a two-score game.

With under four-and-a-half minutes left in the game, the Colonials needed to score quickly to keep the fourth quarterback comeback alive. After Wolfe moved the offense past midfield, the Blue Devils’ defense stiffened up and stopped running back Ethan Shine inches short of the line to gain on a fourth-and-long attempt.

The defensive stand by the Blue Devils all but wrapped up the Colonials’ fifth loss of the season.

Robert Morris will now hit the road for three straight games before returning to Joe Walton Stadium for a matchup against NEC foe Wagner on Nov. 8.