Box Score ATHENS, W.Va. – Even in a 37-34 offensive shootout, it was a late defensive stand that lifted the Concord University football team to a win Saturday afternoon at Callaghan Stadium over Bowie State.
With the win the Mountain Lions improve to 3-0 to start the season, the first time CU has accomplished the feat under head coach
Garin Justice. Bowie State drops to 0-3 with the loss.
Concord dominated the first half behind two passing touchdowns from sophomore quarterback
Brian Novak. The College Park, Maryland native connected with freshman wide receiver T.J. Smith on the first CU score and also threw his first of three touchdowns to
Ryan Stewart.
Special teams played an integral role in Concord's first half success as defensive end
Will Greathouse blocked a 41-yard field attempt by the Bulldogs. After the block, redshirt freshman cornerback
Jeremiah Johnson scooped up the loose ball and sprinted 65 yards as time expired in the second quarter, giving CU a 24-0 lead at halftime.
To start the third quarter, the Mountain Lions marched down the field as Novak hooked up with Stewart for his second receiving touchdown, putting Bowie State in what seemed as an insurmountable 31-point hole to climb out of.
After throwing three first half interceptions, Bowie State benched starting quarterback Matthew Goggans and turned to backup Trevon Bennett, who led BSU to 27 unanswered points, setting up a nail-biting finish.
Once the Bulldogs got within four points, 31-27, with 14:06 left in the game, Novak and the offense calmly marched down the field in three minutes where Novak found Stewart in the back corner of the endzone to extend the margin back to 10 points, 37-27.
However, the Bulldogs still had life after a sneak into the endzone by Bennett, cutting the lead to 37-34 for CU with 4:53 remaining. After a Mountain Lion turnover, Bowie State found themselves inside of Concord territory, where the Maroon and Gray defense rose to the occasion.
Facing a fourth-and-two from the Concord 14-yard line, the Bulldogs attempted to convert the fourth-down, which they had been 5-for-5 on fourth down prior to the play. CU's snuffed out a pass attempt from Bennett to wide receiver Jordan Garrison to preserve the three-point victory. Â
In the win, Novak threw for 419 yards and four touchdowns, marking the first time he has gone over 400 passing yards in his career. In the process, Novak also tied Ryan Pimentel for ninth all-time in passing touchdowns at CU with 18.
Stewart was able to tie Rayshaune Ward for fourth all-time on the touchdown receptions list with 19. Additionally, senior cornerback
Mike Carey intercepted his seventh career pass, putting him within one interception of tying cornerbacks coach
Tracy Gravely for ninth all-time at Concord.
Junior defensive back
Derrick Johnson and redshirt freshman cornerback
Jeremiah Johnson also picked off Goggans in the first half. It was the second straight game the trio of Carey, D. Johnson and J. Johnson intercepted passes.
Smith continued his stellar play as he went over the 100-yard receiving plateau for the first time in his young career. Furthermore, Smith has caught a touchdown in each game this season.
Entering Saturday's game, running back
Calvinaugh Jones needed six yards to become the 10
th player to rush for 2,000 yards in his Mountain Lion career. Jones netted 141 yards on the ground for the game as he outrushed the entire Bowie State team.
On the defensive side of the ball, senior linebacker
Gary Saylor tallied eight tackles, making it two straight years he has registered eight stops against the Bulldogs.
Also playing an important role for CU's defense was junior linebacker
Austin Dotson who made six tackles and broke up three passes as he and J. Johnson swatted away passes on Bowie State's final drive to set up the 4-and-2 attempt.
The Mountain Lions will stay home for next week's contest with West Liberty. Kickoff is at 12:00 p.m. at Callaghan Stadium.
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