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UNH 27, NCCU 10

DURHAM, N.C. — Quarterback Matt Vezza completed 10-of-17 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns in his first career start as the University of New Hampshire opened its season with a 27-10 victory over North Carolina Central on Saturday night.

BOX SCORE

UNH led 10-3 at halftime and 24-10 after three quarters.

“Just extremely proud of the guys and how they fought all the way through,” UNH coach Rick Santos said. “(NCCU is an) extremely talented football team. We knew that in ’22 when they came up to our place and put it on us pretty good, so I thought it was a complete effort in all three phases.

“Really proud of the way we finished that game off. Matt Vezza’s first start — I thought he was poised in there. He took a couple of vicous hits. Really made some plays with his legs. Had two or three really nice deep balls with touch. Defensively I thought they were stout all day. Their running attack was really explosive. We knew that as of last week.

“We won the turnover battle and won the time of possession battle. Those were two of the goals we had going into it.”

The Wildcats scored twice in just over three minutes late in the third quarter. After Vezza scored on an 8-yard run, he connected with tight end Peyton Strickland for a 65-yard TD pass. Before joining the UNH program, Strickland played at Goffstown High School.

UNH’s first TD came on a 4-yard pass from Vezza to tight end Denin Limouris. Nick Reed’s PAT handed the Wildcats a 10-0 lead. Reed also made field goals from 29 and 39 yards.

UNH running back Myles Thomason gained 76 yards on 22 attempts, and Vezza rushed for 36 yards on 12 carries. UNH’s Caleb Burke led all receivers with five receptions for 78 yards.

Inside linebacker Trevor Barry recorded 10 tackles (seven solo). Justice Akinmoladun, Darren Burton II, and Zach Garron each had one sack for the Wildcats.

NCCU running back Chris Mosley rushed for 106 yards on 19 carries. The Eagles, who opened the season with a 31-14 victory over Southern last weekend, fell to 1-1.

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