Green and Gold replaced Black and Gold at Saint Vincent College's Chuck Noll Field yesterday since 1994.

The 1,000-seat grandstand was sold out and another 2,000 or so watched from the hillside on both sides of the bleachers, making for a festive atmosphere. Unfortunately, the host Bearcats lost, 32-13.

Saint Vincent, the preseason home of the Steelers, played a better second half, but it was not enough to overcome a series of mistakes. Gallaudet is a school for the deaf and hearing impaired.

"I think our players expected to win, which is fine with me because I want them to expect to win and I don't care if we're a first-year program or not," said Saint Vincent coach Bob Colbert, brother of Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert. "No one is going to pity us because we're a first-year team just like no one has pity for Gallaudet for having players who are hearing impaired."

Like Saint Vincent, Gallaudet is in its first season of varsity NCAA Division III football. Unlike the Bearcats, the Washington, D.C. school has played a club football schedule for the past 10 years.

After a scoreless first quarter, Gallaudet forced a Saint Vincent turnover. That led to Jason Coleman throwing a fourth-down, 21-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Alley 49 seconds into the second quarter.

The Bison did not show much offense in the first half -- five first downs and 94 yards -- but protected the ball better than Saint Vincent. The Bearcats gave up a second touchdown when they had a punt blocked near their goal line. The ball was recovered in the end zone by Gallaudet's Robin Shannon for a 12-0 lead.

Gallaudet went ahead, 19-0, with 6.6 seconds left in the first half when Coleman found Alley again, this time from 8 yards out.

The Bearcats got their offense rolling on the first possession of the second half and drove 78 yards, scoring on an 8-yard pass from Phil Hamilton to Jake Gabelt. It was the first Saint Vincent score since a 28-12 defeat ended the 1962 season.

"A touchdown's a touchdown," Gabelt said. "It's just part of the game ... It's a real honor to play here. To watch the alumni come out and support us shows there really is an interest to have a football team here."

Saint Vincent scored on its next possession when Hamilton hit Rob James on an 86-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 19-13.

"We were overwhelmed at times, but I think we played hard," Colbert said. "We didn't make any special adjustments. I told the team at halftime that it was time for them to make a statement about what kind of football program we're going to be. Are we going to quit? Or are we going to fight? And I think they made a statement."