Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs welcomed #17 Delta State University to Irwin Belk Stadium and held the Statesmen 44 points under their season average, prevailing 21-7 in NCAA Division II football action at Irwin Belk Stadium. The Bulldogs move to 2-0 on the year, while Delta State falls to 2-1 overall.

KEY STATS

- Wingate had 183 passing yards and 158 rushing yards, for 341 yards of total offense
- Delta State had 109 passing yards and 144 rushing yards for 253 total yards
- The Statesmen scored 47 in the season opener and 55 last week
- DSU was averaging over 320 passing yards per game through the first two weeks
- The 'Dogs had a 22-11 advantage in first downs
- Wingate held the ball for over 36 minutes
- Each team had one turnover
- The Bulldogs piled up five sacks and 13 tackles for loss on the afternoon
- Wingate was three-for-13 on third down; Delta State was four-for-16
- The Statesmen made just one red zone trip, failing to score
- The 'Dogs scored touchdowns on three of their four red zone trips

KEY BULLDOGS

- Brooks Bentley was 16-for-28 with 183 yards and a touchdown
- O'Brien Barnett had seven carries for 52 yards and a touchdown
- Ethan Wallace picked up 59 yards on 12 carries
- Xavier Jackson had three receptions for 39 yards and a TD
- Carlos Estronza added four grabs for 54 yards
- Evan McCray contributed four catches for 44 yards
- Corey Siemer had 39 rushing yards, adding a 26-yard reception
- Dontorian Best piled up 13 tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss
- Marquise Fleming had three tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and four QB hurries
- Daniel Morrison notched eight tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack, adding a hurry
- Kai Russell had 1.5 TFLs and a sack with two QB hurries
- Jonathen Cross contributed 1.5 TFLs and 0.5 sacks
- Jaquan Edwards notched eight tackles and 1.5 TFLs
- CJ McGarity had an interception and two tackles
- Dequan Mosley had four tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss and a pass break-up
- Joseph Reddish, Mark Burks, Omar Ba and Brandon Perry each added a break-up
- Rivers Teeter averaged 39.3 yard per punt on six punts, putting one inside the five yard line
- Caleb Bonesteel made all three PATs

FIRST QUARTER

- Delta State struck first, going 73 yards in just three plays
- Cole Kirk took a QB keeper 65 yards to the house on third and two to give the Statesmen the lead
- Delta State would be held off the scoreboard over the final 51 minutes of action
- Wingate answered with an eight-play, 75-yard scoring drive
- Bentley's 26-yard toss to Siemer on a double-reverse pass got WU inside the red zone
- Bentley hit Jackson from 14 yards out to tie it at seven with 1:10 left in the first

SECOND QUARTER

- The 'Dogs used a seven-play, 79 yard drive to take a 14-7 lead late in the first half
- Bentley hit Jackson for 21 yards on the first play of the drive to get it near midfield
- Bentley's 17-yard strike to McCray got it to the DSU 30
- Barnett followed with a 29-yard run to get it down to the one
- He punched it in two plays later to put the 'Dogs on top 14-7 with 40 seconds left

THIRD QUARTER

- The Bulldogs went on a 10-play, 86-yard TD drive in just over four minutes to take a two-score lead
- Bentley's 12-yard connection with Estronza got the 'Dogs to their own 30
- Bentley hit Austin Cain for 12 yards to get down to the DSU 32
- A 13-yard strike to McCray got the Bulldogs inside the five
- Noah Bell punched it in from two yards out to make it 21-7

FOURTH QUARTER

- Delta State was unable to get anything going against the WU pass rush late in the game
- A 41-yard Teeter punt was downed at the four with under four minutes left
- DSU went just two yards before punting to Wingate at the 2:51 mark
- The Bulldogs were able to run the clock out to preserve the win

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Saturday, traveling to Carson-Newman for a 1 p.m. start to open SAC play
- The 'Dogs return home Saturday, Sept. 28, hosting Mars Hill at 6 p.m. on Family Weekend