Emory, Va.----The Wingate University Bulldogs went on the road and picked up a huge conference victory Saturday afternoon, scoring the go-ahead touchdown in the final two minutes in a 27-20 victory at #22 Emory & Henry Saturday afternoon in South Atlantic Conference football action. The Bulldogs improve to 5-2 overall and 3-2 in the SAC, while the Wasps fall to 6-2 overall and 5-2 in league play.

KEY STATS

- Wingate threw for 279 yards and ran for 130 yards, good for 409 total yards
- Emory & Henry had 186 passing yards and 104 rushing yards for 290 yards of offense
- The Bulldogs held a 21-17 advantage in first downs
- The 'Dogs held the ball for over 35 minutes on the day
- Wingate was 10-for-17 on third down; E&H was five-for-14
- Both teams went one-for-two on fourth down
- The Bulldogs scored on five of six red zone trips; the Wasps scored on all four
- Wingate had the only turnover in the contest

KEY BULLDOGS

- Elijah Holmes was 17-for-28 for 279 yards and a touchdown, adding a rushing TD
- Xavier Pugh ran for 63 yards and a score
- Xavier Jackson had three catches for 91 yards, adding a big 27-yard run in the fourth quarter
- Jaylen Himes had six receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown
- Laron Warner added five grabs for 56 yards
- Silas Tate notched a 41-yard reception
- Ryan Green had eight tackles with 0.5 sacks
- Ephraim Wright added seven tackles with a pass break-up
- Tory Kelly registered four tackles, a break-up and 0.5 tackles for loss
- Elihu Lipscomb had three tackles and a pair of break-ups
- Brandon Perry added three break-ups and two tackles
- Jake Snapp had 59 return yards on the day
- Caleb Bonesteel made both field goal attempts and all three PATs

FIRST QUARTER

- The Wasps missed a field goal on their opening drive, with Wingate taking over at the 28
- Holmes hit Himes for 15 yards on fourth-and-three to keep the drive alive
- Bonesteel drilled a 37-yard field goal to give the 'Dogs the lead
- E&H blocked a Wingate punt, setting the Wasps up at the WU 19
- Emory & Henry had to settle for a Trace Butcher 22-yard field goal to tie it with 1:29 to go

SECOND QUARTER

- Wingate started at its own 13, with Holmes finding Jackson for 19 yards on the first play
- Holmes found Warner for a 25-yard connection to get the 'Dogs to the E&H 21
- Holmes ran it in from 17 yards out to give the Bulldogs a 10-3 lead
- The Wasps tied it on Cole Lambert's nine-yard touchdown pass to Cam Peoples at the 4:11 mark
- Holmes hit Jackson for a 60-yard pass on the ensuing drive, getting Wingate to the E&H 11
- Bonesteel nailed a 27-yard field goal to put the 'Dogs on top 13-10 at halftime

THIRD QUARTER

- Wingate drove the ball inside the Emory & Henry five on the opening drive of the second half
- A fumble at the three yard line halted the drive
- The Bulldogs forced a three-and-out, taking over at the WU 42
- Holmes hit Tate for 41 yards on the first play of the drive to get it into the red zone
- Holmes found Himes in the end zone from 14 yards out to give Wingate a 20-10 lead with 4:59 to go
- Emory & Henry responded with a 72-yard touchdown drive
- Jordan Jackson capped the drive with a 23-yard TD run, making it 20-17

FOURTH QUARTER

- The Wasps drove it deep into Wingate territory on the first drive of the quarter
- Emory & Henry settled for a 20-yard field goal, tying it at 20 with 9:48 remaining
- The teams traded punts, with the 'Dogs taking over at the WU 39 with 7:57 to go
- Pugh ran for six and three yards to set up a third and one
- Jackson's 27-yard run got the Bulldogs to the E&H 25
- Pugh followed with an eight-yard run and two-yard run for a first down at the 15
- CJ Gray followed with a seven-yard run and four-yard run, setting up first and goal at the four
- Pugh would punch it in from a yard out and third and goal, making it 27-20 at the 1:50 mark
- Lambert hit Peoples for 24 yards to get the Wasps to the WU 45 with just over a minute left
- The drive would stall, with Lipscomb getting a break-up on third down, then the defense forcing an incompletion on fourth and nine

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Saturday, traveling to Anderson for a 2 p.m. kickoff