Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs closed out the regular season with their sixth straight victory Saturday afternoon, taking down Mars Hill 37-22 in South Atlantic Conference football action at Irwin Belk Stadium and Founders Field. The Bulldogs improve to 9-2 overall and 7-2 in the SAC, while the Lions fall to 5-6 overall and 4-5 in league play. This marks the ninth straight year the 'Dogs have won at least eight games in a season. Wingate leads the league in win and SAC victories since the 2016 season.

KEY STATS

- The 'Dogs had 340 passing yards and 113 rushing yards, good for 453 yards of offense
- Mars Hill had 285 passing yards and 29 rushing yards for 314 total yards
- The Lions held a 21-18 advantage in first downs
- MHU was eight-for-16 on third down; the Bulldogs were five-for-10
- Mars Hill held the ball for 30:05 compared to Wingate's 29:55
- The Lions had two of the three turnovers on the day
- Wingate scored on all six red zone trips Mars Hill scored on four of five
- The 'Dogs piled up eight sacks on the day

KEY BULLDOGS

- Elijah Holmes was 14-for-29 for 340 yards
- Xavier Pugh had 62 rushing yards and three touchdowns
- He now has 21 TDs on the year, breaking the WU single-season record of 18
- Pugh also went over 1,000 yards on the season
- First 1,000-yard rusher for the 'Dogs since Nijere Peoples went for 1,103 yards in 2018
- Jaylen Himes had three receptions for 103 yards
- The freshman went over 1,000 yards on the year
- First 1,000-yard season for a WU receiver since Chris Bowden in 2012
- Bowden was inducted into the Wingate Hall of Fame Friday night
- First time the 'Dogs have had a 1,000-yard rusher and receiver in the same year since 2010
- That season saw Nelson Woods run for 1,200 yards, with Perry Floyd (1,236 yards) and Delric Ellington (1,077) yards both go over 1,000 receiving yards
 - Xavier Jackson had four catches for 79 yards
- Carlos Estronza added a pair of grabs for 59 yards
- Jaquan Edwards had nine tackles with a tackle for loss
- Elihu Lipscomb had four tackles with three sacks, adding three QB hurries
- Anthony Dangerfield had seven tackles with an interception
- Ryan Green contributed six tackles with half a tackle for loss
- Bryson Steele had five tackles with a sack
- Jonathen Cross had four tackles, 1.5 TFLs, a sack and three QB hurries
- Ephraim Wright had a sack and pass break-up
- Noah Collins had three tackles, a TFL, an interception and two pass break-ups
- Jaylin Brown and Elijah Barnes each added a sack on the night
- Caleb Bonesteel made three field goals and all four PATs, making two more field goals over 40 yards
- Rivers Teeter had a 42-yard punt
- Lawson Thorn had six of his seven kickoffs go for touchbacks

FIRST QUARTER

- The 'Dogs went 80 yards in nine plays on the first drive of the game
- Holmes hit Himes for 48 yards on third and 16 to get it to the MHU 26
- He hit Jaedyn Fulton for 23 yards to get it inside the five
- Pugh punched it in from three yards out for the record-breaking 19th touchdown
- The 'Dogs forced a three-and-out, then took over at their own 20
- Wingate went on another nine-play, 80-yard TD drive to take a 14-0 lead
- Holmes hit Himes for 14 yards and Jackson for 17 to get it into Mars Hill territory
- Holmes then connected with Estronza for 51 yards, getting it to the two
- Pugh scored from two yards out, his 20th of the year to make it 14-0 at the 5:19 mark
- The 'Dogs forced another punt, but a fumble on the return set MHU up at the Wingate 19
- JR Martin hit Javonte Sherman for a 16-yard TD, making it 14-6 with 2:50 to go

SECOND QUARTER

- Lon Teachey drilled a 27-yard field goal to make it a 14-9 game with 11:53 left in the half
- Wingate responded with a seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive
- Holmes connected with Malik Tyrell-Crittington for 17 yards to get it near midfield
- Holmes found Himes for 41 yards to get the 'Dogs inside the MHU five
- Jayshawn Appling scored from three yards out to make it 21-9 at the 7:30 mark
- The Lions drove it inside the WU 25 on the ensuing possession
- Collins picked off Lukas Kachilo in the end zone to halt the drive
- Wingate went 55 yards in seven plays to setup a field goal
- Pugh's 36-yard run and Jackson's 24-yard reception got the 'Dogs back in the red zone
- Bonesteel nailed a 42-yard field goal to make it 24-9 with 21 seconds remaining

THIRD QUARTER

- Wingate forced a Mars Hill punt on the opening drive and took over at the MHU 47 after Jake Snapp's 27-yard return
- Holmes connected with Zymill Patterson on the first play to get it to the Mars Hill 31
- Holmes then found Jackson for 15 yards to get it down to the 10
- Pugh scored from four yards out to put the 'Dogs on top 31-9 with 9:53 to go
- The Lions answered with a 12-play, 75-yard drive
- Kachilo hit Caleb Lominac from six yards out to make it 31-16 at the 3:48 mark

FOURTH QUARTER

- Mars Hill had its drive halted on Dangerfield's interception at the MHU 38
- Nine-yard runs from Appling and Jacob Johnson helped get the 'Dogs inside the 25
- A pass interference got Wingate down to the 10
- Boneteel's 24-yard field goal made it 34-16 with 10:58 remaining
- Sacks from Cross and Lipscomb on the ensuing drive backed Mars Hill up 23 yards, inside the five
- The punt from the end zone was returned 13 yards by Snapp to the MHU 24
- Bonesteel drilled a 45-yad field goal to make it 37-16 at the 7:19 mark
- Mars Hill answered with a 15-play, 81-yard TD drive
- McKendrie Douglas hit Sherman from nine yards out to make it 37-22 with 46 seconds left
- The Bulldogs recovered the ensuing onside kick, then ran the clock out to preserve the win

UP NEXT

- Wingate will learn its postseason future Sunday night, when the NCAA play-off bracket is revealed
- The Bulldogs were ranked fifth in the most recent NCAA region rankings
- The field will be announced Sunday at 6 p.m. on NCAA.com
- The 'Dogs have made the play-offs in five of the last seven years