Ewing, NJ ….. Ursinus College scored on a touchdown pass with less than three minutes left in the game as they spoiled The College of New Jersey's home opener 24-20 on Friday under the lights at Lions' Stadium.
 
That deciding play came with 2:56 left as quarterback Chris Curran (Oceanview, NJ/Ocean City) threw a 45-yard pass to Ryan Lynady (Morrisville, PA/Notre Dame) and a successful extra point gave the Bears a 24-20 lead.
 
TCNJ (0-1) had one last chance and drove the ball into Ursinus territory, but the Bears (1-0) held the Lions on fourth down and then ran off the final 1:44.
 
The loss halted TCNJ's modest five-game home winning streak that dated back to the 2010 season.
 
The Lions had taken a 20-17 lead with 2:46 left in the third quarter as Derrick Hughes (Robbinsville, NJ/Robbinsville) nailed a 28-yard field goal putting TCNJ in front.
 
Ursinus had the only other score in the second half as Eric Boyer (Fort Washington, PA/Upper Dublin) converted a field-goal attempt from 32 yards.
 
The Lions enjoyed a torrid start, scoring on their initial two possessions of the season with both touchdowns coming off drives of 83 yards. Senior Justin Doniloski (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Knolls) plunged in from the one to open the scoring before quarterback Daniel Dugan (Clark, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson) raced in from the five. Following each score, Hughes booted the point after making it a 14-0 lead for the home team.
 
In the second quarter, the Bears offense began to heat up as Curran lofted a 15-yard touchdown pass Darius Jones (Lawnside, NJ/Haddon Heights). Boyer kicked the extra point making it 14-7.
 
Hughes got three points back for the Lions with a 19-yard field goal, but Ursinus added a late touchdown just before the half as Jones caught a 46-yard strike from Curran. Boyer kicked the PAT as the Lions held a 17-14 advantage at the half.
 
Dugan, making his first collegiate start, put his name in TCNJ's record book as he finished the game going 28-for-50 with 275 yards. He broke the single-game record for attempts in a game with 50, breaking the old mark of 46 set by Chris James during the 2007 season. Dugan also tied a school record for completions in a game at 28 with former teammate and current coach Jay Donoghue. That record was set last season.
 
Doniloski had a solid game on the ground for TCNJ churning out 121 yards on 24 carries and a touchdown.
 
Curran had a huge game for the Bears throwing for 379 yards on 26-of-47 passing with three touchdowns. Jones caught seven of those passes for 138 yards.
 
Ursinus sophomore Matt Glowacki (Spring Valley, PA/Spring-Ford) finished with a game-high 15 tackles, while Greg Burns (Hamilton, NJ/Hamilton West) and Nick Bricker (Middletown, NJ/Middletown South) each finished with seven for the Lions.
 
TCNJ didn't help themselves as they were flagged for eight penalties for 140 yards.
 
The Lions will spend the next month on the road as they play three straight games with a bye week in the mix. TCNJ begins that stretch of road games with another Friday game next weekend heading to FDU-Florham at 7 p.m. Ursinus returns home next weekend as they play Centennial Conference opponent Gettysburg College at 1 p.m. on September 8.