Newberry, S.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs scored the final 21 points of the game Saturday afternoon, rallying for a 31-17 victory at Newberry College in South Atlantic Conference football action. Wingate wins its fourth straight, moving to 6-3 overall and 3-2 in the SAC. The Wolves fall to 4-5 overall and 2-3 in league play.

THOUGHTS FROM JOE REICH

"The defense played out of their minds, what a great day. They were so physical and we carried that momentum over to the offense in the second half. We were inconsistent on offense in the first half and just couldn't get a rhythm. In the second half we decided we were going to run the ball. Then when they started packing it in, Shaw Crocker is such a smart quarterback, he picked the right moments, called the right thing and got us in the right situation. Really excited, just a great win for us overall, a great team win.

NOTES

- Wingate is now 15-14 all-time against the Wolves and 7-8 at Newberry
- Second straight win over NC, first victory at Newberry since 2012
- 17th straight win for the 'Dogs when scoring over 30 points
- Wingate goes 4-0 in October for the second straight year; 12-1 last three Octobers
- Newberry entered the game leading the SAC in scoring defense and total defense 
- WU has now scored 175 total points during the four-game winning streak
- Wingate is the second Division II school to score over 30 against the Wolves this year
- Only Division II to score four offensive TDs against Newberry this season
- The 353 total yards are the most Newberry has allowed to a Div. II school this year

KEY TEAM STATS

- Wingate had 353 total yards while holding Newberry to 181 yards
- WU had 224 rushing yards on a season-high 5.1 yards per carry
- Second time this season Wingate has held an opponent under 200 total yards
- The Bulldogs have held the last four opponents to under 90 rushing yards
- Newberry had 100 passing yards, least yards allowed this year
- Wingate converted eight-of-14 third downs and one-of-one fourth down
- The Wolves won the time-of-possession battle (30:41 – 20:19)
- Wingate had the ball for nearly 18 minutes in the second half
- Newberry was just two-for-12 on third down
- Each team had two turnovers

KEY BULLDOGS

- Nijere Peoples had 28 carries for 135 yards and two touchdowns
- The freshman has gone for over 130 yards in four of his last five games, scoring seven TDs
- Shaw Crocker was nine-for-23 for 129 yards and a touchdown
- Bryan Mitchell had a season-high five catches for 37 yards and his third score of the year
- J.T. Stokes had two catches for 56 yards; Jalen Brooks had two catches for 36 yards
- Domineke McNeill added 74 rushing yards and a touchdown
- Cameron Mattison had three tackles and an interception
- Matthew Ellis-White added two tackles and a pick
- Kam Johnson led the 'Dogs with eight tackles including 1.5 tackles for loss
- Elijah Gilmore had six tackles with a sack
- Cal Hanford added six tackles, a TFL, 0.5 sacks, a hurry and a breakup
- Auntrell Mack had six stops with two TFLs and 0.5 sacks
- Robbie Wallace added 1.5 TFLs for the 'Dogs, collecting five tackles
- McLean Robertson was four-for-four on PATs, adding a 35-yard FG and three touchbacks
- Chris Birozes had four punts, averaging 44.2 yards with a long of 52, also had a 13-yard run

FIRST QUARTER

- WU forced a three-and-out on the opening possession, then went 63 yards on seven plays
- Peoples had runs of 11, seven and eight yards before a McNeil 18-yard run got it in the red zone
- Peoples scored from 17 yards out to make it 7-0
- Newberry took advantage of a Wingate fumbled punt, going 29 yards in four plays
- Darius Clark hit Markell Castle for a 15-yard touchdown to tie it

SECOND QUARTER

- Newberry went 68 yards on eight plays
- Castle threw the TD to cap this drive, finding Austin Gordon from 34 yards out to make it 14-7

THIRD QUARTER

- Ra'Quan Simmons returned the opening kick of the second half 45 yards to the NC 47
- Three carries from Peoples and a Mitchell catch got Wingate inside the Newberry nine
- After a penalty, the 'Dogs settled for Robertson's 35-yard field goal to make it 14-10
- Anthony Blue's 34-yard interception return set the Wolves up first-and-goal at the eight
- Newberry gained zero yards on the next six plays and could not get in the end zone
- A Shea Rodgers 25-yard field goal put the Wolves on top 17-10
- Joe Reich on the defensive stop:
"That was the turning point in the game. To hold them out of the end zone six consecutive plays and just get a field goal out of it, you could feel the momentum change on the sideline."
- Wingate countered with a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive
- Peoples started the drive with a 19-yard run; Stokes hauled in a 25-yard catch on third-and-18
- Peoples scored from 12 yards out to tie it at 17 heading to the fourth quarter

FOURTH QUARTER

- The Bulldogs marched 94 yards on 13 plays to regain the lead
- Crocker hit Mitchell for 16 yards on third-and-12 to keep the drive alive
- Crocker and Stokes hooked up for 31 yards, while a Peoples 15-yard run got it to the four
- McNeil scored from a yard out to give the 'Dogs a 24-17 advantage
- Ellis-White ended the next drive with a pick, giving it back to Wingate in NC territory
- A Crocker-to-Brooks 17-yard completion kept the drive going on third-and-seven
- An 11-yard Peoples run got it inside the 10-yardline
- Crocker hit Mitchell for a four-yard score to make it 31-17
- Mattison put the finishing touches on the game, returning a pick to the Newberry 15 in the final minute

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back on the road next week, traveling to Limestone at 4 p.m.
- First back-to-back road games for the Bulldogs this season
- Wingate returns home Saturday, Nov. 10, hosting Tusculum at 3 p.m. on Senior Day