Matt Vezza Leads Wildcats Past Great Danes With Dual-Threat Performance
By Tiffany Williams –
New Hampshire made sure Wildcat Stadium stayed hostile for UAlbany’s CAA opener. Behind quarterback Matt Vezza’s steady hand and a suffocating defense, UNH rolled past the Great Danes 24-6 on Saturday to notch its first league win.
The Wildcats (3-2, 1-0 CAA) dominated possession from the jump, chewing nearly eight minutes off the clock on a 15-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a one-yard plunge from sophomore running back Denzell Gibson. UAlbany (1-4, 0-1) had its shot early in the second quarter but pushed a 32-yard field goal wide, and UNH punished the miss. Vezza capped a grinding 91-yard march before halftime with a six-yard fade to Ryan Blagg—his first career catch—to stretch the lead to 14-0.
When UNH was pinned at its own three midway through the third quarter, Vezza engineered another backbreaking drive. He finished it himself with a three-yard touchdown run to make it 21-0, effectively putting the game on ice. Kicker Nick Reed tacked on a 47-yarder in the fourth before UAlbany finally broke through with 3:08 left, as Colin Parachek hit Alex Jreige from six yards out.
Parachek’s day summed up UAlbany’s struggles: 21-for-42, 181 yards, one TD, one interception. The Great Danes managed just 94 rushing yards, and when they did reach scoring position, dropped passes and penalties derailed momentum.
Vezza was sharp, completing 19 of 24 for 190 yards and a touchdown while adding a rushing score. Chase Wilson hauled in four catches for 74 yards, while Gibson and Myles Thomason combined for 110 yards on the ground.
UNH’s defense was relentless. Freshman corner Kelby Hampton snagged his first career interception, and Duncan Moreland and Zeroun Skinner led the charge with five tackles each. UAlbany’s bright spots came from linebacker Parris Smiley and defensive lineman Balansama Kamara, the latter sacking Vezza twice.
“We need to play better,” Great Danes coach Jared Ambrose admitted. “Too many self-inflicted wounds—drops, missed tackles, penalties. Against a program like UNH, that’s not going to cut it.”
The Wildcats now ride momentum into the teeth of their CAA schedule. UAlbany heads home licking its wounds for a rivalry showdown with Stony Brook and the annual Golden Apple on the line next weekend.
