Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs dropped their 2022 home opener on Saturday night, falling to Emory & Henry College 17-10 in overtime in South Atlantic Conference football action at Irwin Belk Stadium. The Wasps improve to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in the SAC, while the Bulldogs drop to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in league play.

KEY STATS

- Wingate out-gained Emory & Henry 228-194
- The Bulldogs rushed for 82 yards and threw for 146
- The Wasps' ground game was limited to just 48 yards, while also throwing for 146
- WU had 13 first downs to E&H's 11
- The Bulldogs were three-of-18 on third down; the Wasps were two-for-16
- WU did not convert on either of their two fourth-down attempts
- Wingate capitalized on two of three red zone trips; E&H never reached the red zone
- Emory & Henry threw two interceptions on the night; Wingate threw one pick
- The Wasps held a slight advantage in time of possession at 32:47
- Each team blocked a punt on the night

KEY BULLDOGS

- DJ Horne led the defense with nine tackles including three for a loss, a sack and a QB hurry
- Sirod Cook recorded nine tackles, 2.5 of which were for a loss, with a sack and two QB hurries
- Marquise Fleming piled up seven tackles including three for loss, with 1.5 sacks, a pass break-up and a QB hurry
- Davon Gilmore had eight tackles, 2.5 of which were for a loss
- Justin Rhodes added five tackles with two for a loss
- Austin Richardson racked up five tackles, half a sack, an interception and two pass break-ups
- Tre Morrison added four tackles and three pass break-ups
- Justin Armwood notched three tackles, one of which was for a loss and an interception
- Mark Burks had four tackles, a pass break-up and a blocked kick
- Shaw Crocker threw for 146 yards and rushed for 33 yards and a touchdown
- O'Brien Barnett led the 'Dogs on the ground with 29 yards on nine carries
- Kalen Clark added 25 yards on nine carries and a catch for two yards
- Kamal Desor was Crocker's leading receiver with 75 yards on four catches, including 43 in one haul
- Ra'Quan Simmons added 42 yards on three catches and 57 punt return yards
- Ethan Evans averaged 40.8 yards per punt in nine attempts, including five kicks inside the 20 and three over 50 yards
- Evans was one-for-three on field goal attempts, cashing in from 21 yards

FIRST QUARTER

- The Bulldogs forced a three-and-out on the opening series
- On a third and nine, Crocker's 10-yard completion to Simmons moved the sticks
- Two incompletions followed a loss on first down and the Bulldogs punted to E&H's 11
- Kyle Short's 14-yard completion to Jermawn Ford moved the chains on second down
- Tmahdae Penn's 20-yard catch then moved the Wasps into Bulldog territory
- An E&H holding penalty moved them back on the next play
- The Wasps were stopped on third and 25
- Burks blocked Ethan Muncy's punt and the 'Dogs recovered at the E&H seven-yard line
- The Wingate drive stalled there, as they settled for a 21-yard Evans field goal to take a 3-0 lead
- Emory & Henry drove the ball down the field on their ensuing drive, reaching the Wingate 24 before the end of the quarter

SECOND QUARTER

- The Wasps settled for a 44-yard field goal from Trace Butcher, tying the game at three
- Three incomplete passes forced Wingate to punt
- E&H's Jaylyn Kreimes blocked Evans' punt and recovered it for a touchdown as the Wasps took a 10-3 lead with 14:33 left in the half
- The Wasp defense forced another three-and-out, as Evans' 55-yard punt set Emory & Henry's offense up at their own 18-yard line
- Wingate's defense forced E&H to a three-and-out, but a personal foul extended the drive
- Fleming's sack and a Wasp personal foul forced them to punt on fourth and 33
- Wingate started in Wasp territory, but a three-and-out forced an Evans punt, which was downed at the six-yard line
- The Wasps went nowhere on their three plays and punted back
- After falling a yard short on third down at the E&H 43, Alexander Wilson was stopped on fourth down
- The teams traded punts for the next three possessions
- Wingate moved the ball into the red zone at the end of the half, but a 34-yard attempt from Evans hit the right upright, as the Wasps held a 10-3 halftime lead

THIRD QUARTER

- The Bulldogs returned a short kickoff to the E&H 45 to start the second half
- The drive stalled, and WU was forced to punt
- The 'Dogs D held up the Wasps, as a punt gave the ball to the Bulldogs at their own 25
- Wingate marched the ball down the field 75 yards in seven plays
- Crocker hit Dillon for 25 yards to get it to the E&H 32
- Crocker connected with Simmons for 21 yards to the one yard line
- A one-yard Crocker touchdown run tied the game at 10
- The two sides traded punts on consecutive possessions
- With the ball on their own 17, Short's pass was intercepted by Richardson, who returned it for a touchdown, but a Wingate block in the back moved the ball back to the Wasps' 31
- The offense was only able to advance the ball four yards from there and Evans' 44-yard field goal try was wide left
- Short's very next pass was intercepted again, this time by Armwood, setting the Bulldogs up in plus territory
- Crocker's completion to Simmons got the ball down to the Wasp 34 at the end of the quarter

FOURTH QUARTER

- A WU holding penalty knocked them out of field goal range and were forced to punt
- The 'Dogs defense forced a punt on the next possession, giving the offense the ball at the E&H 38
- Crocker's deep pass was intercepted at the two-yard line
- The sides traded punts on the next four possessions
- The Wasps got to midfield, but a desperate heave as time expired was unsuccessful

OVERTIME

- The 'Dogs won the toss and elected to play defense first
- Short's 25-yard touchdown pass to Penn was the Wasps' opening play of overtime
- After two short runs and an incomplete pass, Crocker's final pass fell incomplete to end the game

UP NEXT

- The Bulldogs return to the road next Saturday, traveling to Erskine for a 4 p.m. kickoff