PITTSBURGH — The LIU football team's first victory of the
Ron Cooper era proved extra, extra special.
Making his first collegiate start,
Luca Stanzani connected on a two-point conversion pass to
Michael Love in the second overtime and the Sharks defeated host Duquesne, 50-48, to earn their first win of the season.
Stanzani, a true freshman from Clearwater, Fla., who produced the second most passing yards in Florida prep history, completed 22 of 27 passes for 346 yards and four TDs.
The 50-point scoring output marked the most by LIU in its Division I era, and the most for the program overall since a 70-point outburst against American International on Oct. 21, 2017.
Redshirt freshman
Eric O'Neill recorded five tackles for loss and two and a half sacks.
Davon Wells had seven receptions for 199 yards and two TDs and
Pat Bowen rushed 23 times for 128 yards and one TD. Stanzani also rushed for a touchdown.
LIU (1-7, 1-3 NEC) had trailed 14-0 and was in danger of falling behind by three touchdowns when
Victor Nelson Jr. produced an interception. Nelson recorded his fifth and sixth interceptions of the season — and his first since Week 2. He retook sole possession of the national FCS interception lead.
The Sharks then rattled off 28 unanswered points. LIU also held a 35-21 fourth-quarter lead, but Duquesne produced a pair of touchdowns in the final quarter of regulation to force the extra period.
