2019 Bryant Bulldogs football team

The 2019 Bryant Bulldogs football team represents Bryant University during the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They are led by first-year head coach Chris Merritt[1] and play their home games at Beirne Stadium. They are a member of the Northeast Conference.

2019 Bryant Bulldogs football
Conference	Northeast Conference
2019 record	4–8 (4–4 NEC)
Head coach	Chris Merritt (1st season)
Offensive coordinator	Darrius Smith (1st season)
Defensive coordinator	Tom Masella (1st season)
Home stadium	Beirne Stadium (Capacity: 4,400)

2019 Northeast Conference football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 23 Central Connecticut $^		7	–	0					11	–	1
Robert Morris		6	–	1					7	–	5
Duquesne		4	–	3					6	–	5
Sacred Heart		4	–	3					7	–	5
Saint Francis		3	–	4					6	–	6
Bryant		3	–	4					4	–	8
Wagner		1	–	6					1	–	11
LIU		0	–	7					0	–	10
Merrimack *		0	–	0					6	–	5
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant * – Merrimack ineligible for NEC title and FCS postseason play due to transition to NCAA Division I, and also ineligible for NEC title due to not playing a full conference schedule Rankings from STATS Poll

Previous season

Main article: 2018 Bryant Bulldogs football team

The Bulldogs finished the 2018 season 6–5, 2–4 in NEC play to finish in a tie for fifth place.

Preseason

Preseason coaches' poll

The NEC released their preseason coaches' poll on July 24, 2019. The Bulldogs were picked to finish in fifth place.[2]

Predicted finish	Team (1st place votes)
1	Duquesne (7)
2	Sacred Heart (1)
3	Central Connecticut
4	Wagner
5	Bryant
6	Saint Francis
7	Robert Morris
8	LIU

Preseason All-NEC team

The Bulldogs had two players at two positions selected to the preseason all-NEC team.[2]

Offense Vincent Nisivoccia – WR

Defense Tomas Wright – DL

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 29	7:00 p.m.	at Stony Brook*	Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium Stony Brook, NY	FloSports	L 10–35	9,652
September 7	7:00 p.m.	at Albany*	Bob Ford Field Albany, NY	FloSports	L 3–45	5,014
September 14	1:00 p.m.	Fordham*	Beirne Stadium Smithfield, RI	NEC Front Row	L 14–29	1,362
September 21	2:00 p.m.	Brown*	Beirne Stadium Smithfield, RI	NEC Front Row	L 30–35	2,242
September 28	1:00 p.m.	Saint Francis	Beirne Stadium Smithfield, RI	NEC Front Row	L 6–16	2,894
October 5	1:00 p.m.	at Merrimack	Duane Stadium North Andover, MA	NEC Front Row	W 24–17	10,172
October 12	1:00 p.m.	LIU	Beirne Stadium Smithfield, RI	NEC Front Row	W 27–22	1,268
October 19	1:00 p.m.	at No. 25 Central Connecticut	Arute Field New Britain, CT	NEC Front Row	L 14–52	5,114
October 26	Noon	at Robert Morris	Joe Walton Stadium Moon Township, PA	NEC Front Row	L 20–24	1,496
November 2	1:00 p.m.	Sacred Heart	Beirne Stadium Smithfield, RI	NEC Front Row	L 17–24	3,778
November 16	1:00 p.m.	Duquesne	Beirne Stadium Smithfield, RI	NEC Front Row	W 20–16	1,372
November 23	Noon	at Wagner	Wagner College Stadium Staten Island, NY	NEC Front Row	W 14–10	1,814
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

[3][4]

Game summaries

at Stony Brook

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	0	3	0	7	10
Seawolves	7	7	15	6	35

See also: 2019 Stony Brook Seawolves football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
1–3	2018	L, 21–50

at Albany

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	0	0	0	3	3
Great Danes	7	21	7	10	45

See also: 2019 Albany Great Danes football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
2–2	2012	L, 14–31

Fordham

	1	2	3	4	Total
Rams	0	6	0	23	29
Bulldogs	7	0	7	0	14

See also: 2019 Fordham Rams football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
2–2	2018	L, 39–41

Brown

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bears	0	14	7	14	35
Bulldogs	3	7	7	13	30

See also: 2019 Brown Bears football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
1–3	2017	L, 23–28

Saint Francis

	1	2	3	4	Total
Red Flash	0	10	3	3	16
Bulldogs	6	0	0	0	6

See also: 2019 Saint Francis Red Flash football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
6–5	2018	L, 14–27

at Merrimack

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	7	10	7	0	24
Warriors	7	7	3	0	17

See also: 2019 Merrimack Warriors football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
6–1	2017	W, 49–41

LIU

	1	2	3	4	Total
Sharks	0	10	0	12	22
Bulldogs	10	0	14	3	27

See also: 2019 LIU Sharks football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
First meeting

at Central Connecticut

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	0	14	0	0	14
No. 25 Blue Devils	14	14	14	10	52

See also: 2019 Central Connecticut Blue Devils football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
4–7	2018	L, 14–48

at Robert Morris

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	10	3	0	7	20
Colonials	0	0	17	7	24

See also: 2019 Robert Morris Colonials football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
9–2	2018	W, 49–46

Sacred Heart

	1	2	3	4	Total
Pioneers	0	14	10	0	24
Bulldogs	0	14	0	3	17

See also: 2019 Sacred Heart Pioneers football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
5–7	2018	L, 26–49

Duquesne

	1	2	3	4	Total
Dukes	3	0	3	10	16
Bulldogs	3	9	8	0	20

See also: 2019 Duquesne Dukes football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
6–5	2018	W, 21–20

at Wagner

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	0	0	7	7	14
Seahawks	7	3	0	0	10

See also: 2019 Wagner Seahawks football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
7–4	2018	L, 36–52

References

1. "Bryant University Bulldogs". Bryant University Bulldogs. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
2. "Duquesne Deemed 'Team to Beat' at #NECFB Social Media Day; Preseason All-NEC Team also Unveiled". July 24, 2019. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
3. "2019 Bryant Football Schedule". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
4. "2019 Bryant University Football Schedule". Bryant University Bulldogs. Retrieved August 2, 2019.