MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – Charleston Southern football started slowly, rallied before ultimately falling just short Saturday in a 31-24 road defeat at Robert Morris in Big South action at Joe Walton Stadium.

LONG PASS PLAYS
Quarterback Jack Chambers continued to display strength in his arm, connecting on 21 passes for 334 yards with a long of 64 yards to Geoffrey Wall on the game's third play. His touchdown strikes to Demetrius Jones and Ja'Rell Smith were of 21 and 42 yards, respectively. Chambers finished the game locating five different receivers, each with at least three catches.

KENNEDY INT SETS UP SCORE
After the Colonials used a short field to grow a 10-0 lead midway through the second period, the Buccaneers defense started to come to life. Hombre Kennedy stepped in front of a George Martin pass on the Charleston Southern 40 and returned it 39 yards, giving the Bucs a short distance to paydirt for his first career interception.

The Bucs took advantage of the short field. On the only play of the ensuing possession, Chambers hit Jones across the middle for the 21-yard strike. It helped build momentum late in the half as CSU entered the halftime break ahead, 14-13.

DEFENSE SWARMS BEHIND THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE
The defensive pressure continued throughout the whole unit, as the Buccaneers finished with 14.0 tackles for loss, including solo sacks by Garrett Sayegh and Shaundre Mims. Jerome Rice III finished with 3.5 tackles for a loss of nine yards, Sayegh added 3.0 for a loss of 10 yards and Mims had 1.5 for a loss of 16 yards. John Chirarmonte Jr. chipped in 2.0 for a loss of seven yards and Nick Salley recorded 1.5 tackles for a loss of two yards.

Salley and Mims were each credited with two quarterback hurries and Anton Williams provided the other for five, three more than Charleston Southern had on the season entering the contest.

BABBUSH CONNECTS ON FIELD GOAL
The final score of the game came off the leg of freshman kicker Sam Babbush. He drained a 26-yard field goal, the second of his young career, to pull the Buccaneers within one score. His other career conversion was in the season opener at The Citadel, September 11.

RECORDS
Charleston Southern: 1-3, 0-2 Big South
Robert Morris: 2-2, 1-1 Big South

UP NEXT
The squad returns to Buccaneer Field for Homecoming next weekend when it plays host to Hampton at 6 p.m. on ESPN+. It will be North Charleston Appreciation Day sponsored by Raising Cane's.