Wingate, N.C.----The 19th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs held the Carson-Newman University Eagles to 45 yards of total offense in the second half, while getting a career-high 176 rushing yards from Domineke McNeill, rallying for a 30-28 victory in South Atlantic Conference football action at Irwin Belk Stadium Saturday night. The 'Dogs improve to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the SAC, while the Eagles fall to 1-1 overall and 0-1 in league play.

THOUGHTS FROM JOE REICH

ON THE EFFORT
"Carson-Newman really just had four big plays on us in the first half, the four big passes. Credit to them on that, they really did a good job scheming us up on that. We just have to react a little better. How much did they really have after that? If you take away those four plays, we're feeling pretty good. The second half we just made some adjustments to the some of the passes and everything else just stayed put. I am so proud of our guys right now. Nijere Peoples was out the whole game, BJ Muckelvene went out, Floyd Louallen went out, numerous other guys went out with injuries. And nobody even flinched. I am as proud of this group over any game of my career. It was a great game for us."

ON DOMINEKE MCNEILL & KALEN CLARK
"They were awesome, and here's the thing about Dom: he was out all week. He finally practiced Friday. He was sick, they gave him an IV before the game. He did not take a live rep, a full-speed rep until Friday. And Kalen really stepped up. We knew Kalen would, but for Dom to come out in the conditions he came out under, my hat's off to him. And then the O-line, just a phenomenal job. That opening drive of the second half, just crushing it. That was impressive."

ON PATRIOTS' DAY
"I would like to say thank you to all the armed service personnel as well. Thanks for your service. We have so many that have service member families. We can't thank you enough. This one was for you."

NOTES

- Wingate starts the year 3-0 for the fourth time in the last five seasons
- The Bulldogs are now 7-25 all-time against Carson-Newman; WU has won six of the last 10
- Second straight win over CN in Irwin Belk Stadium
- Wingate is now 10-1 all-time under the lights at Irwin Belk (first-ever game was vs. CN in 2017)
- The Bulldogs are now 29-9 over the last three seasons, the most wins of any SAC team
- WU is a SAC-best 17-5 in league play since the start of the 2016 season
- Wingate has won nine straight regular season games and 10 of its last 11 contests overall
- In nine-game regular season win streak, the 'Dogs are outscoring opponents 346-166
- The Bulldogs have won 15 of their last 17 regular season home games
- The 'Dogs have won 22 straight games when scoring at least 30 points
- WU has scored at least 30 points 10 times since the start of the 2018 season
- First time CN has been held to under 100 rushing yards since the 2013 season
- Career-high 176 rushing yards on 19 carries for McNeill
- He has 273 rushing yards over the last two weeks
- First game over 100 rushing yards since the 2018 season opener
- Clark had a career-high 74 yards and 22 carries
- Freshman RJ Mobley led the Bulldogs with three receptions
- Wingate piled up a season-high six sacks on the night
- The 'Dogs forced four turnovers after not forcing a turnover in the first two games
- McLean Robertson had two field goals of at least 40 yards for the second straight week
- The All-SAC kicker now has seven career field goals of at least 40 yards

KEY STATS

- CN had 352 yards of offense compared to Wingate's 317 yards
- The 'Dogs outgained the Eagles on the ground 236-87
- Wingate averaged 5.0 yards per rush; Carson-Newman had 2.1 yards per rush
- The Eagles had a 265-81 advantage in passing yards
- CN turned it over four times (three fumbles, interception); WU had one lost fumble
- The Eagles went five-for-13 on third down; the 'Dogs were just two-for-13
- Wingate controlled the ball for over 35 minutes, holding more than a 10-minute advantage
- The Bulldogs had 17 first downs compared to Carson-Newman's 13

KEY BULLDOGS

- McNeill went for his 176 yards on 19 carries, adding a touchdown with a long of 50 yards
- Clark added 74 yards on 22 carries, adding a TD
- Shaw Crocker was 10-for-21 for 81 yards and a score
- Mobley had a touchdown grab for the Bulldogs
- RaQuan Simmons had a team-high 39 receiving yards
- Elijah Gilmore piled up 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks
- Jesiah Carlton added 10 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks
- Robbie Wallace had 10 tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery
- Cal Hanford added nine tackles with a pair of sacks
- Colton Beard contributed seven stops; Gabe Price had five tackles, half a sack and a fumble recovery
- Davion Washington had an interception in the end zone
- Robertson connected on three field goals and all three PATs
- Ethan Evans averaged 42 yards per punt on seven attempts; added a pair of touchbacks

FIRST QUARTER

- Derrick Evans hit Braxton Westfield for an 81-yard touchdown on third and 13 in the opening minute of the game to put CN up 7-0
- Wallace recovered a Carson-Newman fumble inside the 10 to set the Bulldogs up deep in CN territory
- Crocker hit Mobley for an eight-yard TD to make it 7-7
- Another CN fumble inside its own 10 led to a 26-yard Robertson field goal to put WU on top 10-7
- The Eagles regained the lead when Evans hit Westfield for a 53-yard score to make it 14-10

SECOND QUARTER

- Robertson drilled a 41-yarder early in the second quarter to get Wingate within one
- Evans hit Trevor Makarov for a 79-yard touchdown to put the Eagles on top 21-13
- Wingate answered with a six-play, 55-yard scoring drive
- McNeill's 20-yard run and Clark's 12-yard run got it into the red zone
- Clark punched it in from eight yards out to make it 21-20 at the 6:31 mark
- Evans found Westfield behind the defense again for a 35-yard score to give CN a 28-20 halftime lead
- Carson-Newman would not score the rest of the way

THIRD QUARTER

- Wingate went 75 yards on five plays on the opening drive of the second half
- McNeill's 42-yard run got it to the CN 23-yard line
- Clark added a 16-yard run, while McNeill scored from five yards out to get WU back within a point at 28-27
- Carson-Newman threatened late in the frame, but Evans was intercepted in the end zone by Washington

FOURTH QUARTER

- Wingate got the ball two minutes into the fourth quarter, trailing by one
- McNeill's 21-yard run got it to the Carson-Newman 33
- Robertson came through with a huge 43-yard field goal to give the 'Dogs the 30-28 advantage
- The 'Dogs used an eight-play drive to eat up over five minutes, giving CN the ball back at its own 22 with 2:30 to go
- Carlton and Gilmore came up with a sack on first down, followed by a Carlton sack on second down
- On fourth and 13 it was Wallace putting the finishing touches on the win with his sack back at the 15 yard line

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back on the road the next two weeks
- The 'Dogs are at Catawba next Saturday at 7 p.m.
- WU is at Tusculum the following Saturday
- Wingate opens a three-game home stand Oct. 12 against Limestone at 6 p.m.