VIDEO | Joe Reich Interview
VIDEO | Shaw Crocker Interview
VIDEO | Sirod Cook Interview

Wingate, N.C.----The 21st-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs jumped out to a 30-7 halftime lead Saturday night, rolling to a 40-21 victory over the visiting Fayetteville State University Broncos in NCAA Division II football action at Irwin Belk Stadium. Wingate moves to 2-0 on the season, while the Broncos fall to 1-1 overall.

KEY STATS

- Fayetteville State had 415 yards of offense; Wingate had 406 total yards
- The 'Dogs had 146 rushing yards and 260 passing yards
- The Broncos put up 356 passing yards to go along with 59 rushing yards
- Wingate held a 23-19 advantage in first downs
- The Bulldogs held the ball for over 34 minutes on the night
- WU went seven-for-11 on third down; FSU was four-for-11
- The 'Dogs scored on five-of-six red zone trips; The Broncos did not run a play inside the 20
- Each team had two sacks
- Each team threw an interception and lost a fumble
- Fayetteville State punted five times on the night; Wingate only punted once
- The 'Dogs piled up 135 kick return yards, averaging 33.8 per return compared to FSU's 21.5

KEY BULLDOGS

- Shaw Crocker was 22-for-30, throwing for 260 yards and three touchdowns
- Nijere Peoples ran for 131 yards and a pair of touchdowns
- Trevor Grant had five catches for 86 yards and a TD
- Myles Dillon registered four receptions for 40 yards and a score
- Damian Sutton Jr. added five grabs for 33 yards
- Dequan Mosley had seven tackles and an interception to lead the defense
- Jaquan Edwards and Romario Johnson each had six tackles and a TFL
- Sirod Cook had five tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and a QB hurry
- DJ Horne had a TFL and two QB hurries
- Justin Armwood registered a tackle for loss and a pass break-up, while blocking a punt and a field goal
- Tre Morrison had a pair of pass break-ups and two tackles
- Kyron Thomas piled up 135 kick return yards on four returns, with a long of 51
- McLean Robertson hit field goals from 33 and 47 yards
- Ethan Evans had one punt for 52 yards; four of his eight kickoffs were touchbacks

NOTES

- Wingate improves to 40-13 overall since the start of 2016
- The Bulldogs are 72-35 at Irwin Belk Stadium since 2001
- Wingate moves to 13-2 under the lights at Irwin Belk
- 31st straight victory for WU when scoring at least 30 points
- 19th time scoring at least 30 points since the start of the 2018 season
- The Bulldogs have won 22 of their last 25 regular season home games
- Wingate improves to 7-0 all-time against Fayetteville State
- The 'Dogs are 4-0 against the Broncos at home
- Crocker now has 52 career TD passes
- 15th time the All-SAC QB has thrown for at least 200 yards in a game
- Peoples went over 2,000 career yards Saturday night
- 10th career hundred-yard rushing game for Peoples
- The two-time All-SAC running back has 26 career touchdowns
- Five different Bulldogs receivers have a TD catch this season
- Career highs in receptions and yards for Grant; second career touchdown
- Martin has over 60 receiving yards each of his two games this season
- Career highs for receptions and yards for Sutton
- Dillon's first career touchdown catch
- First career interception for Mosley; career high seven tackles
- Thomas has piled up 165 kick return yards on five returns this season

FIRST QUARTER

- Wingate went 66 yards in 10 plays on the opening drive
- A 12-yard rush for Peoples and a 10-yard Crocker to Trevor Bryan hookup got WU to the FSU 27
- Grant's 12-yard catch got Wingate inside the 15
- Peoples scored from six yards out to start the scoring
- Armwood blocked FSU's 45-yard field goal attempt on the first Broncos' possession
- Wingate scored on the ensuing possession to make it 14-0
- Crocker hit Austin Cain for 20 yards to get it into FSU territory
- Crocker hit Grant for a 35-yard TD strike on third and two to give the 'Dogs a 14-point lead

SECOND QUARTER

- The Broncos got on the board on a Khari Lane 25-yard TD pass to Johnnie Glaspie
- The Bulldogs answered with their third straight touchdown to go back on top by two scores
- Thomas started the possession with a 41-yard kick return
- An 18-yard run from Peoples got it into FSU territory
- Crocker found Martin for 24 yards to get it inside the five
- Crocker hit Dillon from two yards out to take a 20-7 advantage
- Cook's sack forced a fumble on the FSU possession, which was recovered by Jordon Anderson
- Crocker started the WU drive with a 16-yard strike to Dillon
- Robertson ended the drive with a 47-yard field goal to make it 23-7
- Wingate went on a six-play, 80-yard drive to hit the 30-point mark at halftime
- Crocker started the drive with a 24-yard completion to Grant
- A 35-yard run from Peoples got it inside the FSU five
- Peoples scored from four yards out to give the 'Dogs a 30-7 halftime lead
- The Broncos threatened, but Mosley's pick at the WU 14 halted the FSU drive

THIRD QUARTER

- Lane hit Tyeous Sharpe for a 26-yard TD five minutes into the second half to make it 30-14
- Armwood blocked an FSU punt to set Wingate up on the Broncos' 37-yard line
- Crocker hit Dutton on third and six for 10 yards to get it inside the Fayetteville 10
- Crocker found Martin for a seven-yard touchdown to make it 37-14

FOURTH QUARTER

- Robertson's 33-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter put WU on top 40-14
- Lane hooked up with Braxton Knotts from 42 yards out for his third TD pass of the night, making it 40-21

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Saturday, traveling to Carson-Newman at 1 p.m.
- The 'Dogs host Catawba Sept. 25 at 6 p.m.
- WU's fourth home game in the first five weeks is Oct. 2 against Tusculum at 6 p.m.