Akron takes a break from power-conference opponents to beat FCS foe Colgate 31-20

Updated Sep. 14, 2024 9:58 p.m. ET

Associated Press

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Ben Finley threw for 358 yards and four touchdowns, and Bobby Golden and Adrian Norton each had 100-plus yards receiving and a touchdown as Akron took a break from power-conference opponents to beat FCS foe Colgate 31-20 on Saturday.

Akron (1-2) and Colgate (0-3) were both trying to avoid an 0-3 start for the second straight season.

Akron surrendered the opening 17 points of the game before Finley had touchdown passes of 7, 2, 56 and 18 yards to take a 28-17 lead with 30 seconds left in the first half.

Colgate’s Luke Vogeler booted a 51-yard field goal in the third quarter and Akron’s Garrison Smith matched it with a 32-yarder early in the fourth.

Akron sealed it when CJ Nunnally IV knocked the ball out of Colgate QB Jake Stearney’s hands and Nathan Kapongo recovered it with 1:01 left in the fourth quarter.

Golden finished with 125 yards and Golden added 119 for Akron, which lost at No. 2 Ohio State and Rutgers to begin the season and now travels to Columbia, S.C., to battle the South Carolina on Saturday.

Stearney and Michael Brescia combined to complete 19 of 32 passes for 159 with one touchdown and one interception for Colgate.

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