Lehigh outlasts Central Connecticut 20-14

Published Sep. 4, 2015 9:52 p.m. ET

foxsports

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (AP) Nick Shafnisky passed for one touchdown, ran for another and Lehigh outlasted Central Connecticut State 20-14 in the opener for both teams Friday night.

Shafnisky was 19 of 27 for 263 and an 11-yard touchdown pass to Gatlin Casey, and rushed 16 times for 72 yards and a touchdown. Casey finished with seven catches for 67 yards.

After a scoreless first, Lehigh put together a five play, 59 yard drive that culminated in Shafnisky's 22-yard jaunt. On the next possession, CCSU was stopped on fourth down and Lehigh needed five plays to punch it in again, as Shafnisky found Casey from 11 yards.

A pair of Ed Mish field goals had Lehigh up 20-7 after three. CCSU's Tavoin Pauldo led a 10-play, 70-yard drive, ending with his 6-yard TD pass to Dan Hebert to cut the deficit to 20-14 with 3:47 left, but Lehigh ran out the clock.