Dayton clinches 1st FCS playoff berth, beats Marist 28-21

Published Nov. 14, 2015 8:19 p.m. ET

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DAYTON, Ohio (AP) Alex Jeske rushed seven yards with less than a minute to play, scoring the game-winner as Dayton held off Marist 28-21 on Saturday, narrowly remaining unbeaten and claiming the school's first berth in the FCS playoffs.

Tucker Yinger's 48-yard run set up a first-and-goal for the Flyers (10-0, 7-0 Pioneer League), and Jeske scored two plays later with 53 seconds left. Yinger finished with 237 yards rushing, 194 after halftime.

Dayton built a 17-0 lead against Marist (5-5, 4-3) only to see it slowly evaporate, setting up the dramatic final minutes. The Red Foxes grabbed a 21-20 lead when Marcellus Calhoun scored from the 1 to cap a 79-yard drive with 3:38 remaining. Calhoun gained 158 yards on 20 carries and scored twice.

Dayton entered the game as one of three unbeaten teams, but Harvard lost Saturday, and McNeese State was idle.