FAIRFIELD, Conn. (AP) — RJ Noel ran for two touchdowns and threw for another to lead Sacred Heart to a 27-14 victory over Lafayette on Saturday night in a meeting of two defending conference champions.

Noel scored from a yard out for an insurance touchdown with 1:41 left, one play after he threw a 57-yard pass that Jackson King corralled with a diving catch.

Noel threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Dube in the first quarter but Ross Scheuerman answered for the Leopards with a 90-yard kickoff return. A pair of field goals by Chris Rogers and a 7-yard run by Noel created a 20-7 halftime lead for the Pioneers (2-0), the Northeast Conference defending champions.

Drew Reed threw 24 yards to Brian Keller to get the Leopards (0-1), last year’s Patriot League champions, within 20-14.

The game’s start was delayed 35 minutes because of thunderstorms and again for 20 minutes during halftime.

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