KINGSTON, R.I. – Towson University true freshman kicker Aidan O'Neill kicked a 55-yard field goal as time expired to give the Tigers a 32-31 victory over Rhode Island in the 2016 season finale.
 
How it Happened

• Trailing 31-29, the Tigers got the ball on their own nine-yard line with 52 seconds remaining.
• After two incompletions, Morgan Mahalak hit Andre Dessenberg for 18 yards and a first down.
• Two plays later, Trey Kilgore made a leaping catch over the middle for 25 yards to midfield.
• The duo of Mahalak and Kilgore connected one more time, this one for a 15 yard gain down to the URI 33.
• The Tigers were able to spike the ball with one second left.  After URI called a timeout to try and ice the kicker, the Tigers were hit with a false start.
• Not fazed by any of this, O'Neill stepped into the kick and drilled it right down the middle with plenty of room to spare.
• The momentum of the game turned in the third quarter as a bad snap from center turned into a 65 yard Rams touchdown.
• URI used that momentum to score two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter to take a 31-23 lead with 9:22 left to play.
• After an exchange of punts, the Tigers got the ball on their own 20 with 2:52 to play.  Towson wasted little time in moving down the field as Mahalak connected on five-straight passes, the last being a 20-yard touchdown pass to Christian Summers.
• The two-point conversion would fall incomplete and the Tigers would need a stop from their defense.
• The defense came up big with three stops against the run, setting up the final drive.
• URI got on the board on their opening drive to take a 7-0 lead. 
• The Tigers responded a with 17-play drive, but were stopped on the one yard line.
• The defense came up big three plays later as Monty Fenner forced a fumble that was recovered by Jordan Mynatt.
• Six plays later, Shane Simpson scored from one-yard out to tie the game.
• The defense got its second turnover of the game on a Troy Jeter interception.  That turned into a 19-yard O'Neill field goal to give the Tigers a 10-7 lead.
• The Tigers next possession was a quick one as Mahalak kept the ball on a zone read for 34 yards, then hit Andre Dessenberg for a 41-yard touchdown on the next play.
• URI kicked a field goal with under two minutes left in the first half, before the Tigers drove down the field and a get a 45-yard field goal from O'Neill to end the first half. 

 
Inside the Numbers

• Kicker Aidan O'Neill tied the school record with four field goals.  He ties the record set by Jerome Nolan in 1984, and tied by Sam Hurwitz last season.
• It was the first game-winning field goal since D.J. Soven hit a 23-yard field goal to beat Richmond on October 8, 2011.
• The 55-yard field goal is the second-longest in school history, trailing only the 57 yarder kicked by Sean Landetta in 1980.
• Morgan Mahalak finished the game 26-of-44 for 353 yards and two touchdowns.  He also ran for 37 yards on seven attempts.
• The 353 passing yards are the most since Peter Athens threw for 355 yards against Villanova in 2013.
• Christian Summers was the main target with 10 catches for 132 yards and a touchdown.  It was his second game this season with at least 10 catches, and the third game this season over 100 yards.
• Andre Dessenberg added seven catches for 106 yards and a touchdown, while Trey Kilgore added three grabs for 56 yards.
• Shane Simpson returned five kickoffs for 100 yards in setting a new single-season record for kickoff return yards with 915 yards.
• He also added 66 rushing yards and 27 receiving yards to finish with 193 all-purpose yards.
• Jake Ryder averaged 46.7 yards on three punts.  He finished the season with a 45.8 yard averaging, besting the old school record of 44.7 by Sean Landetta in 1982.
• Jordan Mynatt led the defense with eight tackles, while Monty Fenner added four tackles and his team-leading fourth forced fumble.