THROGGS NECK, N.Y. - Sophomore running back Michael Gimeli (Deerpark, N.Y.) plunged into the end zone with 53 seconds left to propel Gallaudet University to a thrilling 16-13 come-from-behind victory over SUNY Maritime College on Friday night. The Bison silenced the crowd of 3,217 at Reinhart Field with the game-winning drive that took 14 plays and nearly nine minutes to cover 53 yards.

"That was the grittiest performance I have ever seen," said Gallaudet coach Ed Hottle, in his fifth season at the helm. "Our players showed resilience against a very physical and well coached Maritime team. We are a battered group, at this point in the season, and our players showed up to play"

Gallaudet improves its overall record to 6-4 to complete the regular-season with a winning record against a varsity schedule (no club or JV teams) for the first time since 1930. The Bison are tied for second-place in the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) with Mount Ida College with a 4-2 mark. Unfortunately, for the Bison they lose a tie-breaker with Mount Ida to appear in next weekend's ECFC championship game because the Mustangs beat GU 23-6 back on September 19.

"A lot of credit for this season's success goes to our offensive staff and our senior leadership. The players had to show dedication back in the off-season in the weight room and they had to commit to a new offense and a way of thinking this year," said Hottle.

Friday night's game pitted two of the top rushing teams in NCAA Division III as the Privateers (6-4, 3-3 ECFC) entered ranked third in the nation in rushing offense with an average of 335 yards per game while Gallaudet was sixth (average of 301 yards). Gallaudet's defense entered ranked 15th overall in the country in total defense (250 yards per game) and sixth in pass defense (115 yards per game).

Maritime promoted Friday night's game as a "Black Out", a chance for fans to wear black shirts to the game, but Gallaudet flipped the switch and made the Privateers not want to remember the second half. GU's defense came to play as the Bison held Maritime to a season-low rushing total of 152 yards and 277 all-purpose yards. Gallaudet held Maritime scoreless for the entire second half. Privateers fumbled the ball six times, lost three to the Bison, and a bad snap on a punt led to a safety in the third quarter.

"We made some adjustments at halftime," said Hottle. "Maritime has posted some huge rushing numbers this season so to hold them way under their average and keep them off the board in the second half speaks highly of our defense."

Maritime's first possession in the second half saw quarterback Anthony Gagliano (61 rushing yards) fumble the ball away at his own 36-yard line as junior defensive lineman Richard Bailey (Willingboro, N.J.) made the recovery. Gallaudet moved the ball down to the 7-yard line but was stopped on fourth down and three. Maritime took over but the Bison defense forced a three-and-out as freshman Tom Pangia (Hammonton, N.J.) came up with a huge tackle for a loss of two yards on Jamie Spanopoulos (64 rushing yards) to force a punt situation. Maritime sailed the snap over its punter's head and out of the end zone for a safety with 1:27 left in the third quarter to give GU two points and cut the lead to five, 13-8.

Gallaudet's offense dominated time of possession in the game as the Bison held the ball for over 36 minutes. In the third quarter the Bison chewed up 11 minutes and 30 seconds and in the fourth quarter over 10 minutes with the bulk coming on the game-winning drive.

The Bison started the drive at their own 47-yard line with 9:42 left in the game and down by five points. Gimeli carried the ball 10 times and converted three of the four first downs picked up by GU down the stretch. Gimeli finished the game with 56 yards on 16 carries and the game-winning touchdown with 53 seconds left. The Bison converted the two-point conversion as sophomore Phillip Hayes (Baton Rouge, La.) ran the ball in.

Gallaudet ended the game with 193 rushing yards as the Bison offensive line of seniors Philip Endicott (Philadelphia, Pa.), William Jacobs (Austin, Texas), Benjamin Bottoms (Chesterfield, Va.), Michel Daze' (Frederick, Md.) and sophomore Ryan Mahoney (Farmington, Ark.) were solid against a tough Maritime defensive line.

Senior quarterback Jimmy Gardner (St. Augustine, Fla.) led the team with 78 rushing yards on 17 carries and completed one pass for seven yards. Junior running back Cole Johnson (Edina, Minn.) gained 50 yards on 11 carries and scored Gallaudet's first touchdown with 10:59 left in the second quarter. Senior Justin Wilson (Phoenix, Ariz.) missed the extra-point attempt as Gallaudet trailed, 7-6.

Maritime scored the game's first touchdown on a 1-yard plunge by Anthony Gagliano midway through the first quarter. The Privateers added a second score right before halftime when Hayes fumbled the ball at the Maritime 40-yard line. Five plays later, John Gagliano (28 yards) scored from four yards out with 32 seconds left in the half as Maritime led 13-6 at intermission.

Sophomore defensive back Jared Vollmar (Delavan, Wis.) led all Bison with nine tackles while senior Joshua Doudt (Medina, Ohio) made eight tackles. Sophomore Jon Van Wey (Alexandria, Va.) came up with two fumble recoveries for the GU defense. Maritime's Mike Oehl made 19 tackles in the game for the Privateers.

GU leads the series with Maritime, 3-1, since 2006. Last season, the Privateers shut out the Bison, 27-0.

The Bison are now eligible to be selected to an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Bowl Championship game. Gallaudet will have to wait until after the NCAA Division III football tournament field is announced on November 15 to see if the Bison will suit up for one more game on Saturday, November 21.