FINAL GAME STATS

BOILING SPRINGS - Gardner-Webb overcame four turnovers, including two that Glenville State returned for long touchdowns, and the Bulldogs' defense allowed just one offensive touchdown to top the Pioneers, 31-23, Saturday night.

Gardner-Webb (4-2) opens Big South Conference play at Liberty (3-3) next week. The Flames lost a heartbreaker at home to William & Mary on Saturday, 14-13, and steamrolled the same Glenville State squad, 31-7, in their second game earlier this season. Kickoff is set for 1 pm ET in Lynchburg, Va.

GWU, coming off a bye week, showed rust early as Glenville State (3-4) took its opening drive 71 yards and posted a 7-0 lead after wide receiver-turned quarterback Tavon McGee scrambled 28 yards for the score.

Gardner-Webb responded with a 67-yard drive of its own, with Devin Campbell hitting Austin Gaines on an 8-yard scoring play to tie the game, 7-7, with 7:40 remaining in the opening quarter. Short scoring runs by David Montgomery (three yards) and Campbell (one yard) pushed the Bulldogs' lead to a comfortable 21-7 with 8:22 remaining before halftime.

After a Glenville State field goal cut the lead to 21-10 with 2:55 left before the half, both teams traded possessions before GWU had one last chance to punch in a late score before intermission. With the ball on the Pioneers' 40, Campbell threw his second interception of the game - and Glenville's Lawrence Bethea returned the pick 78 yards to the end zone with just 21 seconds left to cut Gardner-Webb's advantage to 21-17 at the break.

Bubba Wallace carried GWU on a four-play, 61-yard touchdown drive to open the third quarter, bulling in from five yards out for a 28-17 lead with 13:11 remaining. A Hunter Smith field goal from 38 yards with 7:12 left in the third made the score 31-17, ending the offensive production for Gardner-Webb.

The 'Dogs did have a golden chance to score after a Glenville State fumble, but Campbell's third interception was picked off in the end zone to end that threat.

GWU stuck to the ground after that, and the Pioneers turned another Bulldog miscue into six points. Brandon Jackson fumbled inside the Glenville 35-yard line, and Jacob Lilly scooped up the mistake and raced 68 yards untouched for another defensive score, cutting the Bulldogs' once comfortable lead to 31-23. The extra point try resulted in a botched snap and failed, leaving the final margin.

After GWU's offense stalled on the next possession, Glenville State had a small glimmer of hope, but Omar Taylor fumbled inside his own 40 with under a minute to play to seal the Bulldog win.

Mario E. Brown led Gardner-Webb's strongest defensive effort of the season to date, as GWU held its first opponent under 300 total offensive yards - as Glenville managed just 251 yards on 58 plays, and just one offensive touchdown. Brown had 13 tackles (five solo), a sack and two pass break ups on the night. Brian Johnston finished with seven tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, a sack and three quarterback pressures up front for GWU. Kyle Daye, Thurston Lee and Rent Sherrill recovered Glenville State's three fumbles on the night.

GWU held the Pioneers to just 78 yards in the second half.

Gardner-Webb had 292 yards of total offense, with 144 on the ground and 148 through the air. Wallace made the most of his 10 carries, rushing for 73 yards and a touchdown - all in the second half. Philip Peoples started and rushed for 60 yards on 12 carries.

Campbell finished 16-of-26 for 145 yards and a score, but threw three interceptions.

Glenville State's McGee, normally a wide receiver, completed 19-of-28 passes for 118 yards with no turnovers, and rushed for 91 yards on 12 carries and a score. No other Pioneer runner had more than 25 yards on the ground - as McGee accounted for all but 42 of the Pioneers' offensive production.