Box Score
Concord erased a four-point halftime deficit by outscoring the Fighting Falcons 24-3 in the second half. The 34 points were the second most scored by Concord this season.
The win, Concord's second in a row, improves the Mountain Lions' record to 4-1 overall and to 3-0 in Mountain East Conference competition. The loss drops Fairmont State's record to 2-3 overall and 1-3 in MEC play. CU's win combined with Shepherd's victory against Charleston leaves the Mountain Lions and Rams as the only two teams undefeated in league play.
CU had 406 yards of total offense, its best performance since gaining 417 yards at Shepherd last season. For the game, Concord held edges over Fairmont State in total offense (406-226), passing yards (168-107), rushing yards (238-119), first downs (17-13) and turnovers forced (3-2).
Jones, whose previous career-best rushing total was a 186-yard effort vs. Glenville State in 2012, accomplished his big day on just 25 attempts, giving him an average of 8.4 yard per carry. Jones busted off five runs of over 15 yards including gains of 45 and 46 yards. He has now rushed for 341 yards and three touchdowns over his last two games played.
Redshirt freshman quarterback
Brian Novak completed 9-of-18 passes for 168 yards and one touchdown in addition to one rushing touchdown. Redshirt freshman
Tony Miller was on the receiving end of Novak's touchdown-pass, a 33-yard reception in the fourth quarter.
Sophomore wide receiver
Tiko Henderson garnered most of Novak's attention on the day, pulling in five receptions for 109 yards, including a 54-yard catch that helped set up Concord's go-ahead field goal in the fourth quarter.
A week after making a CU-record 48-yard field goal at West Liberty, sophomore kicker
Andy Ellington once again made history by tying his own record with another 48-yard strike on Saturday. On the day, Ellington was 2-for-3 from field goal range with his other make coming for 33 yards out.
Defensively, Carey paced the Mountain Lions with the first two-interception game of his career. In addition to the two picks, Carey made six tackles and broke up two other pass attempts. Sophomore linebacker
Austin Dotson added seven stops and one sack.
Senior safety
Davon Marion made eight stops while the trio of junior defensive lineman
Keith Ferguson, sophomore defensive lineman
Ervin Moore and sophomore defensive lineman
Anthony Pyle all registered five tackles with two of Ferguson's being tackles for loss.
Fairmont State broke a scoreless tie late in the first quarter with a 10-play, 60-yard drive that was finished off by a two-yard run from quarterback Cooper Hibbs. The Mountain Lions responded with consecutive scoring drives in the second quarter that were capped off with Ellington's 33-yard field goal and a 45-yard sprint from Jones, giving Concord a 10-7 lead midway through the opening half.
Fairmont Sate was able to answer back with another long drive that lasted seven plays and went 80 yards, resulting in a two-yard scoring-run from running back Dawerence Roberts to put the Fighting Falcons up 14-10 over CU heading into halftime.
Not to be outdone, Concord quickly had an answer coming out of the locker room. Carey made his first interception of the game on FSU's opening series of the third quarter, giving the Mountain Lions' offense the ball at the Fairmont 31. Two plays later, Jones scored his second touchdown of the day when he broke a 24-yard run to the end zone.
FSU battled back to tie the contest again off of a field goal. Through three quarters the score remained tied at 17-17.
However, the fourth quarter belonged to Concord. Ellington started the period with his second 48-yard field goal in as many weeks and Novak found Miller for a touchdown pass on Concord's ensuing possession to pull Concord ahead 27-17.Â
After junior safety
Russell Bailey pounced on an FSU fumbled punt return, the 10-point advantage was pushed to 34-17 off of Novak's eight-yard run on the team's fourth series of the quarter. Carey ended any doubt of an FSU comeback bid with his second INT on what would be the Falcons' final possession.
Concord will take its perfect conference record to Urbana University Saturday at 12:00 p.m.
NOTES
Bailey has now blocked one kick and recovered one fumble on special teams for Concord this season.
Bill Owens, the first African-American student-athlete in Concord history (football / 1954-55) was an honorary team-captain.
Jones became Concord's first 200-yard rusher since Brian Kennedy ran for 303 yard vs. West Virginia Wesleyan in 2011.
