Newberry, S.C.----The Newberry College Wolves erased a 21-0 deficit against visiting Wingate University, scoring in the final minute of regulation to force overtime, then converting a walk-off two-point conversion to collect a 43-42 victory in South Atlantic Conference football action. Newberry improves to 4-1 overall and 3-1 in the SAC, while the Bulldogs fall to 3-2 overall and 1-2 in league play.

KEY STATS

- Wingate threw for 307 yards and ran for 156 yards, good for 463 total yards
- Newberry had 413 passing yards and 66 rush yards for 479 total yards
- Each team had 24 first downs
- WU converted five of 10 third downs; NC was four-for-13
- The Wolves went two-for-two on fourth down conversions
- Newberry held the ball for over 33 minutes
- NC scored on all five red zone trips; Wingate scored on all four trips
- Each team had one turnover

KEY BULLDOGS

- Elijah Holmes was 20-for-26 for 307 yards and two touchdowns, adding 22 rush yards
- Xavier Pugh ran for 115 yards and three TDs, adding five catches for 38 yards and a score
- Carlos Estronza had five receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown
- Jaylen Himes had four grabs for 84 yards
- Jesse Clinesmith added two catches for 48 yards
- Diego Aviles led Wingate with eight tackles
- Guy Taylor had a sack and a pick-six
- Ephraim Wright added five tackles with a TFL and pass break-up
- Mandjou Berte and Omar Ba each added five tackles and a TFL
- Brandon Perry had two pass break-ups and a pair of tackles

FIRST QUARTER

- Wingate got the opening kickoff and went on a 76-yard TD drive
- A 13-yard run for Pugh and 22-yard grab from Estronza got WU in the red zone
- Holmes hit Estronza for a 16-yard touchdown to give the 'Dogs a 7-0 lead at the 12:22 mark
- The teams would trade punts the rest of the quarter

SECOND QUARTER

- The Bulldogs went on an 88-yard scoring drive to take a two-touchdown lead
- Holmes hit Estronza for 37 yards to get the 'Dogs to the NC 39
- Everett Joyner's 18-yard reception got Wingate in the red zone
- Pugh's 17-yard TD reception put the 'Dogs on top 14-0 with 12:31 to go
- The Bulldogs followed with a 64-yard touchdown drive to take a 21-point lead
- Clinestmith's 32-yard reception got Wingate back into the red zone
- Ethan Wallace's nine-yard run got it to the 11
- Pugh punched it in from three yards out, making it 21-0 at the 6:24 mark
- Newberry got the ball with 1:51 after a Wingate punt and went on a 77-yard scoring drive
- Reed Charpia hit Keith Desausse for a seven-yard TD to cut the lead to 14 with 25 seconds left

THIRD QUARTER

- The Wolves went on an 89-yard scoring drive to open the second half, taking nearly eight minutes
- Newberry converted a pair of third downs and a fourth down in the drive
- Charpia found Quez Spells for a 29-yard touchdown to make it 21-14 with 6:01 to go
- After a Wingate punt, the Wolves went 75 yards to score again and tie it
- Charpia hit Rico Dorsey for a 17-yard touchdown to make it 21-21 at the 2:09 mark
- Newberry got it back off a Wingate fumble, starting the fourth quarter in WU territory

FOURTH QUARTER

- Charpia connected with Dorsey for an 11-yard TD, giving the Wolves a 28-21 advantage
- The Bulldogs turned it over on down, giving it back to Newberry at the 44
- Taylor had the big play, picking off Charpia and taking it back 56 yards for a touchdown
- A low snap caused the PAT to fail, leaving NC on top 28-27 with 9:03 to go
- The Bulldogs forced a punt, taking over at their own 31
- Wingate needed just two plays to go 69 yards
- Holmes hit Himes for 40 yards to start the drive
- Pugh followed by running it in from 29 yards out
- Holmes hit Himes in the back of the end zone on the two-point try, giving WU a 35-28 lead
- The 'Dogs then forced a punt, getting it back at their own 29 with 4:05 to go
- The Wolves forced a three-and-out, getting it back at the NC 38 with 2:38 remaining
- On third and 12 from the 19, Charpia hit Kenmane Brunson for a 19-yard TD, tying it with 54 seconds left
- Holmes hit Clinesmith for 16 yards and Himes for 11 getting it to the Newberry 48
- Holmes found Himes for another 15 yards to get it to the 33 with under 10 seconds left
- Caleb Bonesteel's potential 50-yard game-winning field goal was off the mark, sending it to overtime

OVERTIME

- Wingate got it first, with a Holmes 12-yard run setting up first and goal from the 10
- Pugh's seven-yard run got it to the three
- Pugh punched it in for his fourth TD of the night, giving the 'Dogs a 42-35 lead
- Charpia's 16-yard run got the Wolves to the WU seven
- He then connected with Desaussure on the next play to make it 42-41
- The Wolves went for two, with Charpia finding Desaussure in the back of the end zone for the win

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Saturday, hosting Catawba at 6 p.m.