Albany, N.Y.- Chandler Brayboy returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and went over 2,000 career receiving yards as Elon traveled to New York and defeated UAlbany on their Homecoming 30-14 Saturday. Brayboy became the first player in the program's FCS history to return two kicks for a touchdown in one game. UAlbany falls to 3-4 and 1-2 in CAA play with the loss, while Elon improves to 2-5 overall and 1-2 in CAA action with the win.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• UAlbany took the opening kickoff and drove 65 yards for a touchdown. But Elon answered back quickly when Chandler Brayboy took the ensuing kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown.
• Elon took the lead later in the first quarter with a 6-play, 54-yard scoring possession. TJ Thomas Jr. ran five times for 36 yards on the drive, plunging in from a yard out for the 14-7 advantage.
• The two teams traded punts in the second quarter until UAlbany was stuffed on fourth down with 34 seconds remaining in the half. Elon quickly moved down the field and Jack Berkowitz connected on a field goal attempt from 40 yards out for the 17-7 lead.
• To start the second half, Elon took control with a 7-play, 75-yard drive that ended with an eight-yard TJ Thomas Jr. touchdown. Thomas had a 40-yard rush on the first play of the drive as the Phoenix went ahead 24-7.
• UAlbany cut into the deficit with a touchdown later in the quarter but Elon iced the contest when Brayboy returned his second kickoff for a touchdown, this one 93 yards, to make it 30-7.
• Elon closed the game with a 17-play drive that ran out the final 12:29 of the game.

 
NOTES AND STATS

• With a 13-yard reception in the second quarter, Chandler Brayboy became the sixth player in Elon history with 2,000 career receiving yards.
• Chandler Brayboy's 94-yard kick return for a touchdown was the first for Elon since Shamari Wingard had a 96-yard kick return score in 2019 at Richmond.
• Jeff Yurk had a career-long 72-yard punt in the first quarter. He followed that with punts of 57 and 54 yards in the first half as well.
• Yurk averaged 51.7 yards over six punts. He entered the game ranked No. 4 nationally at 47.5 yards per punt on the season and improved to 48.2.
• Elon started three drives inside its own two-yard line in the first half. While the Phoenix was unable to pick up a first down on any of those possessions, Yurk's long punts kept UAlbany from being able to take advantage.
• TJ Thomas Jr. scored a touchdown for the sixth straight game. He ran the ball 19 times for 138 yards – his third 100-yard game of his true freshman season.
• As a team, Elon ran for 214 yards, improving to 10-0 in Head Coach Tony Trisciani's tenure when running for at least 200.
• The Elon defense held UAlbany to just 234 yards of total offense, including just 20 yards on the ground. In the past two games, opponents have run 54 times for just 52 yards.
• Elon was 3-for-3 on fourth down conversion attempts. Neither team had a turnover.
• Elon now leads the all-time series with UAlbany 3-1, including three straight victories.
• Elon improved to 2-1 on the road in 2024. This was the team's first game outside the state of North Carolina.

 
UP NEXT

• Elon will be back on the road to play at Hampton Saturday at 2:00 p.m. It will be a second straight road Homecoming game for the Phoenix.