While Christopher Newport looks forward to the return of intercollegiate competitions, our friends at TowneBank are partnering with CNUsports.com to spend some time throughout the fall semester looking back at a few of the more memorable moments in the storied history of the athletic department. Over the course of the next three months, the Captains will honor the anniversary of three dozen record-setting accomplishments, championship-clinching victories, and other historic events in order to celebrate the past while preparing for even more great moments in the future.

AT A GLANCE
Facing a nationally-ranked opponent in the 55th Annual Oyster Bowl, the Christopher Newport football team capitalized on a series of big plays and a stunning performance by its backup quarterback to snatch a 21-16 victory over No. 18 Bridgewater at Darling Memorial Stadium in Hampton on September 25, 2004. Earning his first career start under center, sophomore Hudson Bryant hauled in MVP honors after stepping up with a highlight-reel performance, including a 76-yard bomb to break the game open in the third quarter.
 
BACKSTORY
Two weeks before the Oyster Bowl, starting quarterback Phillip Jones suffered a knee injury during a victory over McDaniel. Following a bye week, the Captains hadn't officially scratched Jones, but the quarterback position was up in the air. Jones was the heady veteran who had started 13 consecutive games dating back to the start of the 2003 season. Meanwhile, Hudson Bryant had 16 total completions in his career, including seven in mop-up duty against McDaniel.
 
Although there were lingering questions at quarterback, there were few issues anywhere else on the roster. The Captains split their first two games of the year, but the loss was a one-point nail-biter to national power Rowan in the season opener. Boasting a veteran roster that had propelled the program into the second round of the 2003 NCAA Tournament, Christopher Newport was a regular in the national polls at the start of the 2004 campaign.
 
Entering the Oyster Bowl, the Captains were slotted 25th in the country. Putting its national reputation on the line, the squad faced a familiar foe that was equally respected.
 
OPPOSITION RESEARCH
Historically-speaking, there should have been a giant gulf between the football programs at Christopher Newport and Bridgewater. Their inaugural games were separated by a century. An entire century. The Eagles played their first game in 1899. The Captains? 2001. With a 102-year head start, Bridgewater's football program had a slight upper hand.
 
And yet, despite the generational divide, Christopher Newport had caught up quickly, and a burgeoning rivalry was quietly developing.
 
Almost exactly one year before the 2004 Oyster Bowl, Bridgewater entered POMOCO Stadium ranked fifth in the country. The Eagles hadn't lost a regular season football game since 2000. Putting that into perspective, Bridgewater's regular season winning streak was longer than the entire history of the Christopher Newport football program.
 
Then the Captains beat them.
 
One month and two days after Christopher Newport shocked Bridgewater with a 16-12 victory, the teams met again in the second round of the 2003 NCAA Tournament. This time, the Eagles exacted their revenge. Returning to Newport News, Bridgewater pulled out a 26-3 win on the way to a semifinal appearance in the national playoffs.
 
After splitting their two meetings in 2003, both programs were ready for the rematch. As senior defensive end Olando Holmes told the Daily Press prior to the Oyster Bowl, "The game means a lot to us. We're not supposed to look ahead, but we kind of circled this one on the calendar after November's loss."
 
GAME RECAP
With a quarterback making his first career start, Christopher Newport relied on its defense to snatch an early advantage. After shutting out the high-powered Bridgewater attack over the first 15 minutes of the contest, the Captains grabbed a lead in the second stanza when Kareem Morse scooped up a fumble and rumbled 25 yards for the game's first score.
 
On the very next drive, Bridgewater pieced together its longest surge of the contest, but David Briggs picked off a pass in the end zone to thwart the response.
 
Holding a 7-0 advantage, Christopher Newport's offense orchestrated its best drive of the first half. Keeping the Eagles on their heels, George Jones had a pair of first-down runs, including a 10-yard scamper that took the squad across midfield. Meanwhile, Bryant completed four passes on the drive, which was capped off by a 36-yard dagger to Nathan Davis, who was blanketed by three defensive backs in the end zone but still managed to make the grab and give the Captains a 14-0 halftime lead.
 
Following the break, Christopher Newport's young signal-caller landed the biggest blow of the contest. After Bridgewater chipped away at its deficit and closed the gap to 14-9, Bryant showed wits well beyond his years. Just before the end of the third quarter, he audibled out of a play after seeing tight coverage on Davis. With the perfect read, he connected on a 76-yard missile, marking the second-longest touchdown pass in the first four years of the football program.
 
Although Bridgewater found paydirt again in the fourth quarter to pull within one score at 21-16, the defense clamped down on the Eagles' final drive. Rob Rodriguez and Josh Horn broke up back-to-back passes, which eventually led to a do-or-die 4th-and-10. Driving home the final nail, Ian Vincent broke through the offensive line and ripped down Bridgewater's quarterback for his second sack of the game, which sealed the victory.
 
For his work during the contest, Bryant was honored as the MVP after going 10-of-17 for 201 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also filled in as the punter and booted six attempts for 209 yards. To this day, that performance remains the only time in history in which a Captain registered at least 200 yards passing and punting in the same game.
 
POSTSCRIPT
Along with Bryant's historic showcase, the win itself was notable for the entire football program. Winning the Oyster Bowl is a memorable experience, since the historic contest remains one of the longest-running regular season bowl games in the country. But, this win was especially significant, because it was the second time Christopher Newport had captured the prestigious battle after upending Ferrum in the 2001 edition of the game.
 
With the second win, the Captains became the first Division III program to win multiple Oyster Bowls and only the 10th team at any level of the NCAA to snag a pair of crowns. In fact, they added themselves to an exclusive club of multi-time winners, which included the likes of Roger Staubach's Navy team from the 1960s, Randy White's Maryland squad from the 1970s, and Bruce Smith's Virginia Tech team from the 1980s.
 
Meanwhile, Bryant remained the team's starting quarterback for the rest of the season and helped lead the Captains into the NCAA playoffs for the fourth straight year. He went on to toss at least one touchdown in all 10 starts while establishing a school record with 20 touchdown passes. That total still ranks second in program history, while Davis' 10 touchdown receptions remain the school record.
 
Although Bryant was excellent in his own right, the sophomore quarterback was surrounded by talent. He played behind one of the most decorated offensive lines in program history, anchored by first-team All-American and future Christopher Newport Athletics Hall of Famer Tommy Fitzgerald. Rounding out the legendary group, Pat Cavallario, Jake Schindler, Cliff Macklin, and Brian Arroyo all hauled in All-Conference honors for their efforts during the year.
 
In addition to the stars in the trenches, running back Roland Hilliard was named the USA South Offensive Player of the Year after becoming the first Captain to eclipse 1,000 yards rushing in a single campaign. His 1,071 total yards in 2004 still rank third on the all-time charts, and he joined Fitzgerald in the Hall of Fame in 2013.
 
For a full listing of the fall 2020 features published to date, click here.
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