With almost 30 minutes in the books, the football team was staring up at a 7-0 deficit against the Hamilton Continentals, a team that finished dead last in the NESCAC in scoring last year.
But Tufts surged ahead just before halftime and ran away in the second half, defeating Hamilton 24-7 in Clinton, N.Y.
The Continentals led 7-0 going into the final minute of the first half, but the Jumbos dominated the final last minute of the first half and the whole second half behind a stellar team defensive effort and a career game from senior quarterback Matt Russo.
Russo threw for a career-high 205 yards on the day to go along with two touchdown passes. Wide receiver David Halas, a junior, hauled in four receptions for 92 yards, while classmate Stephen Black caught three for 83 yards. On the defensive side, sophomore safety Tom Tassinari led the team with eight tackles, seven solo and two assisted,to go along with two interceptions.
Senior cornerback Nate Scott came up big for the Jumbos in the fourth quarter, intercepting a pass from junior quarterback Ben Saccomano at the Jumbo 39. Russo was quick to capitalize, hitting Black for a 54-yard touchdown bomb to give Tufts a 17-7 lead.
"We are definitely a grind-it-out team," Russo said. "We want to be the more physical team, and we love to run the ball. But Hamilton was playing with eight guys in the box and they wanted to stuff the run, so it opened things up for some big passing plays. Big plays can definitely change the game in this league."
Tufts got the ball back quickly, as senior linebacker Tyson Reynoso forced a Saccomano fumble on Hamilton's first play of the ensuing possession. With excellent field position on the Hamilton 29, the Jumbos let senior Chris Guild carry them on the next drive.
Guild made five runs in a row for the Jumbos, including a key 12-yarder on fourth down and four. Russo then hit Halas for a nine-yard touchdown with 5:20 left to put the finishing touches on the 24-7 victory.
"I think we regrouped after being tied at halftime," senior tri-captain Kevin Gleason said. "We kind of put it all together and realized what we had to do in the second half and came out and executed. Everyone knew what they had to do, and everyone came out and did their part."
Tufts came out in its first possession of the game hoping to establish the run. But a three-and-out made it apparent that the stout Hamilton defense was going to force the Jumbos to beat it through the air.
Meanwhile, the Continentals' offense was surprisingly effective in its first drive, using a 30-yard pass from Saccomano to freshman wideout Scott Kleinklaus and a 16-yard run by freshman Jon Higginbotham to push the ball to the Jumbos' 27.
Luckily, the Tufts defense kept the Continentals at bay. Tassinari made the first of his several big plays on the day, coming up with the first of two interceptions to thwart the Hamilton drive. The offense, however, continued to struggle, punting on its first seven possessions and fumbling on the eighth.
"The first game of the year, it is always tough to get on track," Russo said. "For a couple guys out there, it was their first start. The first half of the first game, it took a little while to get on track, but once we slowed down and got comfortable, I think everything was fine."
While Tufts stalled on the offensive end, Hamilton took advantage. With 1:09 left in the first quarter, Saccomano found senior running back Claudius Zorokong for a 43-yard touchdown strike, giving the Continentals their 7-0 lead.
The tides finally turned the Jumbos' way at the end of the second quarter. After the defense forced Hamilton into its fourth punt of the quarter, Tufts started on its own 33 with 2:40 left in the half. On back-to-back plays, Russo hit Black for an 18-yard strike and Halas for a 49-yarder to get to the Hamilton 5.
With time winding down in the half, junior Will Forde ran the ball in from the 1, giving the Jumbos their first touchdown of the season and knotting the score at seven.
rom there, Tufts dominated on both sides of the ball. The Jumbos took their first lead of the game on their initial drive of the second half, which culminated in a 38-yard field goal by freshman Greg Stewart.
Though Hamilton outgained the Jumbos in total yardage, the Continentals' four turnovers, combined with their inability to finish off drives, doomed them.
The Jumbos now prepare to travel to Lewiston, Maine to face Bates next Saturday. The Bobcats were shut out by Amherst Saturday at home and will be looking for their first win of the season.
"This sets a big tone for us," Gleason said. "It's a good start, and it's always good to start with a win. We need to focus on Bates now for next week. I think everyone can improve in just doing their part; everyone can improve each week and get better."
