Charlotte, N.C.----Wingate University redshirt junior quarterback Kyle Johnson (Hickory, N.C.) passed for a touchdown and rushed for a score, leading the Bulldogs to a 14-0 victory over Johnson C. Smith University Saturday night at the Irwin Belk Complex and Eddie McGirt Field. The contest was the season opener for both teams.
 
The shutout is Wingate's eighth during the school's senior college football history (1986-present). Four of Wingate's eight shutouts have come at the expense of CIAA members. The Bulldogs blanked Saint Augustine's 30-0 last season (Sept. 13, 2014) and Fayetteville State 19-0 on August 26, 2006. Wingate opened the 2002 season with a 24-0 decision over the JCSU Golden Bulls (August 31).
 
"We believe this was a good first game for us," Wingate head coach Joe Reich says. "We saw good things on both sides of the ball. We had some penalty challenges…but we were able to overcome those with big plays on defense and ball control on offense."
 
Johnson completed 15-of-20 passes for 143 yards and one touchdown. He rushed six times for 51 yards. The two-year team captain opened the Bulldogs' scoring with a nine-yard TD run in the first quarter. Johnson's scoring scamper concluded a 13-play, 80-yard drive. Wingate junior place kicker Caleb Baird (Kinston, N.C.) added the PAT to make the score 7-0 'Dogs with 8:27 left in the first frame.
 
Wingate took the slim margin to the halftime locker room. Johnson and his offensive teammates struck again in the third quarter, putting together an eight-play, 79-yard march to take a two-touchdown margin. Bulldog redshirt junior wide receiver Jody Fuller (Indian Trail, N.C.) did the honors, hauling in a 38-yard TD pass from Johnson. Baird's extra point concluded the scoring with 5:52 remaining in the third stanza.
 
The Bulldogs forced three fumbles to win the turnover margin 3-1. In his first game in the Navy Blue and Vegas Gold, redshirt freshman Robert Wallace (Covington, Ga.) had a team-best eight tackles with three tackles for loss (14 yards), 1.5 quarterback sacks (13 yards) and one fumble recovery. Three Wingate defenders had six tackles each.
 
Wingate senior defensive back Nortavius Otis (Gastonia, N.C.) forced the fumble which led to the Bulldogs' second score. The JCSU Golden Bulls had second-and-two on the Wingate 23-yard line when Otis made his big play. Robert Wallace recovered and the Bulldog offense went to work.
 
Reich improves to 13-2 overall in season openers during his 15 Wingate seasons. He believes the Bulldogs are ready to take the next step. "We have some film now, so we can see where we need to improve," Reich says. "Everyone always says the most improvement comes from game one to game two. We hope this is true."
 
"We didn't execute all the way through the game," Reich says. "We give much credit to Johnson C. Smith. They have a young freshman QB with a tremendous upside… and they are very well coached. We were fortunate to pick up the victory."

Wingate sophomore running back Lawrence Pittman (Charlotte, N.C.) made a triumphant return to his hometown, rushing 19 times for 94 yards (both career-highs). The Mallard Creek High School product also caught one pass Saturday night.

Both Fuller and junior wide receiver Jordan Berry (Irmo, S.C.) caught five passes each. Fuller had five catches for 64 yards and one touchdown. Berry recorded five receptions for 39 yards. Wingate redshirt sophomore tight end Jake Jensen (Fayetteville, N.C.) had two catches for 23 yards.

Wingate hits the road again next week, visiting Durham County Memorial Stadium to face Shaw University (6 p.m. kick-off). The WU Bulldogs and SU Bears will meet for the first time in history. Johnson C. Smith is also on the road next Saturday, visiting Kentucky State University.