Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs scored 35 points in the second half, defeating UVA Wise 45-7 on Saturday afternoon at Irwin Belk Stadium in South Atlantic Conference football action. The Bulldogs improve to 9-2 overall on the year and 7-2 in SAC play, while the Cavaliers end their season at 2-9 overall and 1-8 in league play.
 
KEY STATS
 
- Wingate out-gained UVA Wise 327-231
- The Bulldogs gained 129 yards on the ground and 198 through the air
- Wise gained just 15 rushing yards while throwing for 216 yards
- WU picked up 16 first downs to the Cavaliers' 15
- The Cavs were seven-for-17 on third down; Wingate was four-of-10
- The 'Dogs cashed in on all five red zone trips; Wise was unsuccessful in both opportunities
- Wingate picked up six sacks on the afternoon, while the Cavaliers recorded one
- The Bulldogs forced three turnovers which all turned into touchdowns
- UVA Wise possessed the ball for nearly 33 minutes
 
KEY BULLDOGS
 
- Trevor Grant hauled in six passes for a career-high 144 yards and two touchdowns
- Shaw Crocker was 10-of-15 for 198 yards and three touchdown passes, while adding two more on the ground
- Alexander Wilson had 22 carries for 99 yards
- Kamal Desor recorded three catches for 48 yards and a TD
- Justin Armwood led the 'Dogs with 10 tackles, a pair of TFLs and a sack
- Tre Morrison picked up four tackles with three pass breakups and an interception
- Jaheim Mullen had the other pick for the 'Dogs, adding four tackles and a breakup
- Jordan Thomas added nine tackles and a pass breakup
- Jaquan Edwards also tallied nine tackles, three of which were for a loss
- Marquise Fleming piled up eight tackles, four for a loss with three sacks
- Sirod Cook had a strip sack and returned the fumble for a touchdown
- DJ Horne had 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble
- Ethan Evans averaged over 51 yards on his four punts, downing two inside the 20, while connecting on a 24-yard field goal
- Ra'Quan Simmons racked up 87 yards on three punt returns
 
NOTES

- Sixth straight fall season with at least eight wins for the Bulldogs
- The nine wins are the most since the program-record 10-win season in 2019
- Wingate is 56-16 overall in the last five full seasons, going 37-10 in league play
- WU leads the league in overall wins and SAC victories in that span
- The 'Dogs are 77-38 at Irwin Belk Stadium since 2001
- The Bulldogs have now won 36 of last 37 games when scoring 30 points
- Wingate has scored at least 30 points 25 times since beginning of '18
- WU leads the nation in TFLs and third down defense
- The 'Dogs are second in total defense and sacks, ranking fifth in scoring defense
- Wingate is fifth nationally in rush defense and sixth in pass defense
- Seventh time this season the Bulldogs have held an opponent to 10 or fewer points

FIRST QUARTER
 
- The Bulldogs' opening play from scrimmage was intercepted
- UVA Wise was unable to capitalize, punting down to the Wingate 10-yard line
- A 47-yard completion to Grant and a 20-yard Wilson run helped Wingate move the ball down the field to set up a two-yard Crocker TD run, putting the 'Dogs up 7-0 with just over nine minutes left in the opening quarter
- The teams traded punts on their ensuing possessions
 
SECOND QUARTER
 
- UVA Wise's 13-play drive went just 48 yards before they punted back to Wingate
- The teams traded back-to-back punts
- Midway through the quarter, the Cavs recovered a fumble near midfield
- The Bulldog defense held strong, forcing yet another punt
- Wingate's 13-play, 73-yard drive stalled as Evans' 24-yarder gave the Bulldogs a 10-0 lead with just seven seconds left in the half
 
THIRD QUARTER
 
- The first three drives of the second half resulted in punts
- Simmons returned UVA Wise's second punt of the half 40 yards to set the 'Dogs up with a first and goal at the four-yard line
- Crocker's three-yard TD pass to Grant put the 'Dogs up 17-0 with 8:19 left in the third quarter
- After two punts, Wise's Juwan Dent completed a 93-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Kirkess to put the Cavs on the board
- Wingate responded right back with a drive consisting of a 41-yard completion to Grant bookended by completions of 23 yards and 11 yards for a touchdown to Desor
- The three-play, 75-yard drive gave WU a 24-7 lead with less than two minutes to go in the quarter
 
FOURTH QUARTER
 
- UVA Wise punted before turning the Bulldogs over on downs to start the fourth quarter
- Dent's pass was intercepted by Mullen, who returned it 43 yards into Wise territory
- Crocker's 29-yard touchdown pass to Grant pushed Wingate's lead to 31-7 midway through the quarter
- Wise's first play on the next drive was intercepted by Morrison, who returned it to the Cavalier 11-yard line
- Crocker cashed in with a one-yard scoring plunge, as the 'Dogs led 38-7 with just over five minutes left
- On Wise's next drive, Cook forced a fumble and returned it 15 yards for the score
- Marked 21 Wingate points in just over three minutes
- The Bulldogs stopped the Cavaliers on a fourth and one to ice the victory
 
UP NEXT
 
- Wingate learns its postseason fate during the Division II NCAA Tournament selection show tomorrow at 5:30 p.m.
- The 'Dogs were fifth in this week's NCAA Super Region 2 poll
- The selection show will air on NCAA.com Sunday evening