ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University football team let a 21-17 halftime lead slip away in a 28-21 loss to West Virginia State Saturday afternoon in a Mountain East Conference game on Homecoming at Callaghan Stadium.
CU (2-4, 1-3 MEC) scored consecutive touchdowns in the second quarter to erase an early 14-7 deficit.
After West Virginia State (4-2, 3-1 MEC) went up a score with 2:27 remaining in the first quarter, the Mountain Lions only needed 3:07 off the clock spanning the first and second quarters to tie the game as sophomore quarterback
Tyler Mizzell found junior tight end
Headley Isnadin for one of Mizzell's three first-half touchdowns, a 20-yard strike.
The second touchdown drive of the second quarter was set up by an interception from senior defensive back
Corey Radcliff who climbed over top of the West Virginia State wide receiver to snare his fifth interception of the season at the Concord 25-yard line.
A lengthy 12-play drive was capped by Mizzell hitting senior wide receiver
Rodney Mike on a six-yard fade route for Mike's first career touchdown at the 6:02 mark. The touchdown gave Concord its first lead of the day.
WVSU knocked a 27-yard field goal through with 30 seconds remaining to reduce the margin to 21-17 at halftime.
The Yellow Jackets opened the second half with three more points of their first drive to get within one, 21-20.
Concord responded by burning nearly five minutes off the third-quarter clock, driving down inside the West Virginia State five-yard line, but was ultimately turned away on fourth-and-goal.
WVSU regained the lead, 28-21, with 13:30 remaining in the contest.
The Mountain Lions weren't done though as they got a 28-yard punt return from freshman running back
Curtis Clark on the next West Virginia State possession, setting up at the Yellow Jackets' 25-yard line. However, a turnover in the end zone snuffed out the potential to tie the game late in the fourth quarter.
After WVSU scored on its first drive of the game, Concord used a 95-yard touchdown pass from Mizzell to junior wide receiver
Damani Burrell to tie the game, 7-7, on its second possession. The 95-yard reception is the longest play in program history, eclipsing the previous record of 89 yards on a receiving touchdown by Tywan Pearce at Fairmont State in 2021.
Mizzell threw for 326 yards on 18-for-28 passing to go with his three touchdowns.
Spurred by his 95-yard score, Burrell tallied his first career 100-yard game with three catches for 123 yards. Sophomore wide receiver
Que Moore hauled in four receptions for 58 yards.
Junior defensive back
Nehemiah Scott recorded a game-best 11 tackles. Graduate defensive lineman
Jaylen Dollar threw in eight tackles to go with 0.5 tackle for loss. Radcliff had five tackles to go with his fifth interception of the year.
The Mountain Lions travel to Memorial Stadium in Summersville, West Virginia October 18 to face Glenville State at 1:30 p.m.
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