Salisbury MD (9/24/05) - Running back RYAN MCCOACH scored from 12 yards midway through the fourth quarter as Montclair State pulled off the upset with a 31-27 victory over Salisbury at Sea Gull Stadium.

ERIC FERRIOL threw for 180 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for another score as the MSU picked up its first victory of 2005. Quarterback Dustin Johnson ran for 178 for Salisbury.

Salisbury took a 27-24 lead with 11:56 left in the fourth as Johnson's 56-yard run gave the Sea Gulls a first down at the MSU 18. But SU could not advance any further and settled for a 27-yard field goal by Brock Boland.

MSU then got possession, but deep in its own territory at the 12. McCoach then began an 88-yard Red Hawk drive with a 12-yard run and his 15-yard burst plus afive-yard penalty put the ball at the Salisbury 39. A blocking penalty two plays later nearly proved to be a crushing blow for MSU, which faced a 2nd-and-31 at its own 40. However, Ferriol found McCoach out the backfield for a 40-yard gain. Two more runs moved the ball to the 12 and after a timeout, McCoach scampered the final yardage off right tackle putting the Red Hawks up, 31-27.

The Sea Gulls had a chance to take the lead briging the ball to the MSU 15. But after two runs, Salisbury's two pass attempts fell incomplete. MSU then ran out the clock with Ferriol picking upa first down on a seven-yard run inside the last two minutes.

MSU fell behind 10-0 in the first quarter, but the Red Hawks were jump-started by returner JARED GREENBERG, who took the ensuing kickoff 92 yards to set up MSU's first score.

In the second half, the Sea Gulls built the lead to 24-14, but again Greenberg came through with an 84-yard return that led to a field goal as Montclair pulled within 24-17 with 8:33 left in the third quarter. MSU tied the score on the next possession as Ferriol found FRED CARTER for a 27-yard touchdown.

Ferriol finished 11-of-22 for 180 yard through the air while McCoach talked 52 yards on 10 carriers. DERRICK SIMMONS (one interception, two pass breakups) led the defense with 10 tackles while TROY BISHOP, MORGAN BURKLOW and JOHN VALKOS totaled eight apiece.