WASHINGTON - The Gallaudet University football team lost Saturday's homecoming game, 54-8, to Husson University before an energetic crowd of 2,237 gathered at Hotchkiss Field. The Bison faced a tough task of hosting the defending Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) champions during homecoming weekend.

Husson (5-1, 4-0 ECFC) scored five touchdowns on its first five possessions as it led 34-0 midway through the second quarter. Running back John Smith ran in three scores during the opening stretch for the Eagles as he rushed for 135 yards on 18 carries. The Eagles' fifth score was setup after a Bison fumble on a kick return deep in Gallaudet territory. Two plays later, Husson quarterback Joe Seccareccia (7 of 11, 98 yards, three touchdowns) hit Jon Saban for a 28-yard score. Seccareccia added one more touchdown pass before halftime as the Eagles led 41-0.

The Bison defense gave up a season-high 272 rushing yards on 60 carries, four rushing touchdowns and surrendered 54 points.

Gallaudet (0-6, 0-4 ECFC) showed some flashes during the game as the Bison marched 51 yards on 11 plays on its second possession before turning the ball over on downs at the Husson 20. In the fourth quarter, the Bison marched 46 yards on seven plays and got to the Husson 6 before freshman quarterback Ramon Johnson (Sylmar, Calif.) had two incomplete passes as Gallaudet came away from the red-zone with no points.

Husson fumbled the ball back to Gallaudet when freshman Bobby Green Jr. (Louisville, Ky.) recovered the loose ball at the Husson 6 with 2:17 left in the game.

Freshman Austin Hundley (McKee, Ky.) ran the ball three times and on the last handoff he dove into the end zone for the touchdown. Johnson then completed the two-point conversion pass to freshman Lawrence Watson (Fayetteville, N.C.) as he held on with defenders draped on him.

On special teams, freshman Grant Getz (Fresno, Calif.) used his 6-foot-6 frame to block three extra-point kicks by Husson.

Junior Carneilus Smith (Chesapeake, Va.) and freshman Richard Harty (Montville, N.J.) led the defense with 15 tackles each. Fellow freshman Louie Akuffo (Bowie, Md.) added 11 tackles along with junior Jacy Pedersen (Newark, Calif.).

BISON TRACKS

• Hundley led GU's ground game with 43 yards on nine carries
• Freshman wide receiver Dylan Mento (Hammonton, N.J.) made three catches for 29 yards
• This was the largest home crowd for the Bison this season
• Gallaudet has lost its past two homecoming games
• GU defeated Husson, 16-13, on homecoming in 2013
• The Bison have lost 11 straight

UP NEXT
The Bison will hit the road next weekend and travel to Massachusetts to face Becker College (4-3, 2-2 ECFC) in a conference game on Saturday, Oct. 31, at noon.