WALTHAM, Mass. – Last year after a difficult season-opening loss to West Chester University, the Bentley University Falcons bounced back with a three-game winning streak, all against Northeast-10 opponents.

This year's team will be looking to repeat that trend after dropping a 44-6 decision to a West Chester team now ranked 23rd in Division II last Thursday.

It won't be an easy task as the Falcons will begin their conference schedule Thursday night with a 7 pm game at Southern Connecticut State. The Owls opened with a 35-32 road win at Gannon University and dating back to last season, now have a five-game winning streak.

Bentley, which dug an early hole with three of its first six possessions ending in turnovers, was outplayed on both sides of the ball in the opener by the Golden Rams. First downs were 21-7 and the Falcons were limited to just 63 yards of total offense.

The offense was led by sophomore running back Andrew Brazicki (Franklin Lake, N.J./Bishop Ahr HS), with 46 rushing yards on 15 carries.

Sophomore QB Stephen Sturm (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley HS), who completed 73 percent of his passes last year and averaged 303 yards with 11 TD passes in his four starts last year, was off the mark against West Chester. With preseason All-America Austin Ryan (Foxborough/Foxborough HS) on the sidelines due to injury, he completed only nine of 19 for 50 yards and was sacked a half-dozen times.

All of Bentley's scoring in the opener came via a pair of field goals from junior Grant Buchanan (Holliston/Holliston HS), the NE10 Special Teams Player of the Week. He kicked a career-best 46-yarder in the first quarter and a 25-yarder in the second after junior safety Quintin-John McDermott (Franklin/ Milton Academy) returned an interception 52 yards to the West Chester 10.

Bentley's leading tacklers on Thursday were freshmen defensive end Cedric Dashiell II (Buena Park, Calif.) and sophomore linebacker Josh Martin (Abington/Abington HS), each of whom finished with eight. Dashiell also had 1.5 tackles for losses, including half a sack in his collegiate debut.

Southern Connecticut scored twice in the final minute – the fourth rushing TD of the night for tailback Eli Parks and a 40-yard pick-six by David Campbell – to claim its opening night win. It was quite a turnaround for the Owls, who dropped a 55-22 decision to Gannon in the 2017 opener.

Parks scored his four TDs while gaining 127 yards on 17 carries. Red-shirt junior Matt Sanzaro made his first start at quarterback and responded by completing 18 of 32 for 195 yards. Six different players were on the receiving end of his aerials, with Izaiah Sanders his primary target (6 for 96 yards).

Southern gave up 397 yards total offense to the Golden Knights but came up with three takeaways and a blocked punt in the penalty-filled game (a total of 27, including 14 for 123 on the Owls).

The Southern D features defensive lineman Matt Weiss, a first-team All-Northeast-10 honoree a year ago, and safety Kyle Armour, who had ten tackles and a forced fumble against Gannon.

Last year's Bentley-Southern game was a high-scoring shootout with both teams scoring in every quarter and the Owls prevailing in the end, 45-42. Southern rushed for 454 yards, including 159 by Parks. Sturm completed 19 of 24 for 313 yards and two TDs, and also rushed for two, to lead the Falcons. Ryan was outstanding, hauling in six balls for 209 yards and three scores (45, 35, 69 yards).

Following the trip to Connecticut, Bentley will return home to prepare for its Sept. 15 Homecoming Day game against Merrimack College.

FALCON FACTS: Bentley is 12-8 all-time against Southern Connecticut, but has dropped two straight after winning four in a row from 2012-15 … Junior Jack O'Hanlon (South Huntington, N.Y./ Chaminade HS) impressed as Bentley's punter in the opener as he averaged 45.4 yards on five kicks in his collegiate debut.