Bridgewater State Set for ECAC Legacy Bowl

By Jim Fenton, The Enterprise (Brockton)

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University football team had a young roster in 2011, which is also the case this season.

Four years ago, the Bears kept getting better as the fall went on, winning their final five regular-season games to earn a spot in the ECAC Northeast Bowl against Alfred.

The experience gained from that run sent BSU into the 2012 season with momentum, and the Bears earned a rare at-large berth in the NCAA Division 3 tournament.

Coach Chuck Denune is hoping a similar scenario can unfold for his program.

BSU has won five of its past six games for a 7-3 regular-season record and an invitation to the ECAC Legacy Bowl, where it plays Carnegie Mellon University on Sunday at noon in New Britain, Conn.

The Bears are looking to build on another strong finish to carry over into 2016 when a majority of starters will be returning.

"The last time we were in an ECAC game in 2011, even though we lost, it catapulted us to that great 2012 season where we made the NCAA tournament,'' said Denune.

"It's got that kind of feeling.

"You've got a young team that's done really well, gotten themselves into the postseason. I think it could really be one of those things where it kind of springboards us into the offseason and motivates them to take the next step.''

BSU was 2-2 in September and coming off a 35-3 loss at Fitchburg State when the season turned around with four straight wins in October.

The young players got accustomed to their roles and the offense took off, and now the Bears are headed to Central Connecticut State University, which is hosting six ECAC bowl games beginning today.

"It should be terrific,'' said Denune. "It's a chance to play for a championship. It gives the seniors another game. This is going to raise the stakes for next year.''

The BSU coaching staff has been doing a lot of homework to put together a scouting report on Carnegie Mellon, located in Pittsburgh.

The Bears, who average 34.2 points, and the Tartans (7-3, 40.7 points per game) will be meeting for the first time.

One of Carnegie Mellon's top offensive players is Sam Benger of Hingham, the Presidents' Athletic Conference offensive player of the year with 1,897 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns.

Benger needs 103 yards against BSU to become the 21st player in the history of NCAA Division 3 to reach 2,000 yards in a season.

One of the Bears' assistant coaches, former BSU quarterback Pat Callahan, taught Benger at Hingham High.

Defensive lineman Brian Khoury is third in the nation with 131/2 sacks for 95 yards and has forced two fumbles.

"They've got a great back,'' said Denune. "He's terrific. They've got a defensive end who looks like he's going to be a problem. Obviously they're a good football team at 7-3.

"Other than that, I'm just not real familiar with them, which I think makes for a great game. This isn't just out of New England, it's way out of the region.''

This is BSU's 10th postseason appearance, including seven in the ECACs and three trips to the NCAA tournament.