GWU Falls At No. 8 Wofford, 52-17, Saturday
October 13, 2007 | Football
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Wofford rang up 24 points in the fourth quarter Saturday to top Gardner-Webb, 52-17, resulting in a deceptive final margin of victory.
The eighth-ranked Terriers (6-1) led 28-17 early in the fourth quarter, but went on a long touchdown drive, kicked a short field goal and took advantage of two late Bulldog interceptions and turned the short field into 14 points for the final margin.
Gardner-Webb (2-4) didn't help itself at all with four turnovers
in the game, and Wofford took advantage in the latter stages of the
third quarter and much of the fourth quarter to pull ahead.
Wofford surged to a 14-0 lead early – controlling the clock
and getting a pair of short scoring runs. Kevious Johnson's
three-yard burst capping a 75-yard drive with 3:25 to play in the
first quarter.
Gardner-Webb finally settled down on defense. After allowing 130
yards on the Terriers' first two series, GWU did a better job,
holding Wofford to just over 100 yards the rest of the half –
and getting its offense the football.
GWU trimmed the lead to 14-7 with 1:23 left before halftime, with
Duvaughn Flagler catching a nice fade route from
Stan Doolittle from the one.
The ‘Dogs wasted little time tying the game when the third
quarter began, with backup Devin
Campbell finding a wide open Hughie
Dixon over the middle for a 43-yard touchdown strike at the
13:50 mark.
Josh Collier hit Andy Strickland on a nice 40-yard pass play to get
Wofford into excellent position on its next drive, and Kevious
Johnson scored on the next play on a forward option pitch from
Collier for a 21-14 edge.
A strange decision on third down with Gardner-Webb backed near its
own goal line effectively turned the game on the Bulldogs' next
drive, and gave Wofford a defensive score. Campbell lined up in the
shot gun, but attempted a quick-kick punt on third down –
which Wofford promptly blocked in the end zone and recovered for a
score and a 28-14 lead.
Gardner-Webb drove down to the Wofford five on its next possession
midway through the third quarter, but was stuffed on two-straight
run plays and – after a failed third down pass to Flagler in
the end zone – Evan Kay booted home a 27-yard field goal to
pull GWU to within 28-17 with 7:30 remaining in the third.
Wofford went on one final long drive in the fourth quarter's early
stages, marching 75 yards on 13 plays to go up 35-17 on Collier's
one-yard sneak on third-and-goal and 12:19 left in the game.
A Bulldog fumble by Dobson Collins led to a short drive and
field goal by the Terriers for their comfortable 38-17 edge at the
fourth quarter's 9:23 mark.
Gardner-Webb pushed out to its own 39-yard line on its next drive,
but Campbell tossed an interception on a tipped ball by Michael
Combest that was returned to the Bulldog 25. From there, the
Terriers popped off a 19-yard reverse and – on
second-and-goal, Jeremy Marshall completed a halfback pass for
six.
Another interception, this time by Doolittle, with 3:00 left put
Wofford back in business at the Bulldog 13, and Brian Whitehurst
capped the scoring with a 10-yard run for the Terriers' final
touchdown.
Wofford rushed for 293 yards in the game and were whistled for just
two offensive penalties for 10 yards – both on illegal
formations. The Terriers were not whistled for a holding call all
afternoon.
Gardner-Webb got 80 yards on the ground from David
Montgomery, and the Bulldog sophomore added a season-high eight
catches for 45 yards. GWU managed 316 yards of total offense on 67
plays, but converted just 5-of-13 on third down.
Hughie Dixon caught three passes for a
career-high 67 yards and his first career touchdown. Flagler and
Collins each had six catches for the Bulldogs.
Freshman Jeffrey Williams did his best to stop the
Terriers' rushing attack, and led GWU with a career-high 13
tackles. Quantavis Jackson added 10 hits and All-America
end Brian Johnston had eight stops, a forced fumble
and a quarterback knockdown – despite constant double teams, a
regular tactic this season by opposing offenses.
Kendrick Best and Cedric
McGowan each had interceptions in the secondary for
Gardner-Webb, with Best's pick near midfield late in the second
quarter setting up Gardner-Webb's first touchdown.
GWU will turn its attention to Big South Conference play next
weekend, as it travels to face VMI in Lexington, Va. The Runnin'
Bulldogs and Keydets will kick off at 1:30 pm ET, with the game set
to be carried live on the Big South Conference's online video
streaming network – The Edge.
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