SALEM, Va. – At the site of over 25 NCAA Division III football national championships, Gallaudet University ran into Salem Stadium for its first road Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) game in program history as the Bison faced Roanoke College before a crowd of 5,215 on Saturday afternoon.

Unfortunately for the Bison, turnovers cost the buff and gold on the road as the host Maroons won, 38-14, to stay undefeated this season and earn its first ODAC victory.

Gallaudet (1-2, 1-1 ODAC) threw two interceptions on its first three possessions of the game. Roanoke (3-0, 1-0 ODAC) built a 17-0 lead behind two rushing touchdowns from Tyson Miller before the Bison got on the scoreboard right before halftime.

First-year quarterback JeVaughn Sargent (Laurel, Md.) led the Bison on a 12-play drive that covered 63 yards in six minutes. Sargent ended the drive with a 16-yard touchdown pass to first year wide receiver Dwayne Collins II (Frederick, Md.) with 57 seconds in the first half. First-year placekicker Hawkins Morgan (Whitesboro, Texas) converted on the point after attempt as GU trailed 17-7 at the half.

GU received the ball to begin the third quarter but a six-play drive stalled out at midfield and the Bison were forced to punt. First-year Giovanni Arroyo (Harlem, Ga.) booted a 45-yard punt that landed at the Roanoke 1.

The Bison defense had the Maroons stopped deep in their own territory but a Gallaudet substitution penalty on fourth down gave Roanoke new life. Maroon quarterback Kam Hill went to work and connected on passes of 16-, 52- and 10 yards to complete the 99-yard drive in four minutes and 43 seconds. Hill hit Malcolm Levenberry for Roanoke's third touchdown in the game.

On the ensuing drive, Sargent threw his third interception and the Maroons turned that turnover into seven points. Roanoke running back Polo Hill (nine carries, 48 yards) ran in from 18 yards out at the 2:20 mark in the third quarter as the Maroons led 31-7.

Gallaudet turned the ball over on downs after four plays as Roanoke had a short field to work with. On the first play of the fourth quarter Kam Hill (19-for-28, 286 yards, two touchdowns, one interception) connected with Grey Deal (six receptions, 115 yards) on a 31-yard touchdown pass to put the game out of reach.

The Bison added a second touchdown late in the fourth when first-year wide receiver Dakota Fisher (Lake City, Fla.) ran in from seven yards out with 1:51 left in the game. GU covered 80 yards on nine plays in just under five minutes.

Sargent finished 10 of 22 for 86 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Sophomore quarterback Dylan Officer (Fairfax, Va.) was inserted on GU's final drive and completed two passes for 46 yards. Junior running back Marcus Brown-Gabriel (Beeville, Texas) ran the ball 13 times for 40 yards and Fisher ended the game with six rush attempts for 32 yards. Collins II led all Bison receivers with four receptions for 41 yards and one score.

On defense, Gallaudet was led by senior Joshua Saaty (Ada, Okla.) with eight tackles and sophomore linebacker Trevin Adams (Riverside, Calif.) and senior linebacker Jacob Hundley (McKee, Ky.) finished with six tackles each. Adams had two sacks for a loss of five yards. First-year defensive back Jayden DeFalco (Indianapolis, Ind.) made GU's only interception and added four tackles.

This is Roanoke's first season of varsity football since 1942. The Maroons play their home games at Salem Stadium the site of the NCAA Division III football national championship from 1993-2017 and most recently in 2023. 

UP NEXT
Gallaudet returns home next Saturday, Oct. 4, and will host Guilford College (1-3, 0-2 ODAC) in a 1 p.m. conference game at Hotchkiss Field.