Coastal Carolina Drops GWU, 23-18, In Big South Matchup
November 08, 2008 | Football
BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb lost for the fifth time in
five seasons to Coastal Carolina, as the Chants held on for a 23-18
win in Spangler Stadium.
The loss ended a shot at the Bulldogs' first Big South Conference
title since 2003, as Liberty (4-0 Big South) clinched its second
trophy in two seasons with a win at VMI Saturday.
Gardner-Webb (5-5, 2-2 Big South) was able to move the football for
much of the game against a Coastal Carolina defense that had been
suspect for much of the season, but the Chants (5-5, 1-3 Big South)
were able to get stops on third down - limiting the ‘Dogs to
just four conversions in 13 attempts.
Ryan Gates' 29-yard field goal late in the first quarter put
Gardner-Webb up 3-0, but Coastal Carolina sandwiched a pair of
short touchdown passes from Zach MacDowell to Marquel Willis around
a 49-yarder by Gates in the second quarter to lead 13-6 at the
break – with a missed extra point keeping GWU within
seven.
Gardner-Webb answered with 1:15 to play in the third quarter, as
Devin Campbell connected with Dobson Collins on a 41-yard bomb
– but Gates scrubbed the extra point and GWU trailed 13-12.
After a short punt gave Coastal excellent field position at the GWU
39 early in the fourth quarter, MacDowell threw his third touchdown
pass of the game, as Trent Usher dashed through untouched for a
39-yard score and a 20-12 lead with 10:53 left.
Campbell hit James Perry III on a 62-yard play over the middle to
get Gardner-Webb back within striking distance, and found Collins
open in the end zone from 15 yards out to trim the Chanticleers'
lead to 20-18. A two-point conversion pass was dropped in the back
of the end zone, and Gardner-Webb would not be able to challenge
again.
After a defensive stop, Gardner-Webb got the ball back with 6:46 to
play, but managed just one first down before punting with 5:37
left. Coastal moved the football near midfield, before a sack and a
holding call made it 2nd-and-23 from the Chants' 33. A 12-yard pass
to Jamar Anderson put the distance in a more manageable range for
Coastal, and Gardner-Webb called its second timeout with 2:24
remaining. Facing 3rd-and-11, GWU blitzed, but McDowell was able to
escape and found Anderson wide open at the Bulldog 25 for a 30-yard
gain and a crucial first down.
The drive culminated in a 36-yard field goal by James Pallassino
with 46.5 seconds left, pushing the lead to five points for the
Chants.
Campbell completed a pair of passes to get the ball to the Coastal
47-yard line with just over 30 seconds left, but a drop and an
incompletion left the ‘Dogs with just one heave at the buzzer.
The pass was off the mark, ending the game and handing the Chants
their first league win of the season.
Gardner-Webb piled up 439 yards on offense and 26 first downs, but
were hampered by poor field position all game. Campbell was
21-of-45 for 338 yards and a pair of scores (one interception),
hitting Perry III six times for 131 yards and Collins six times for
105 yards and both scores. Josh Miller caught five passes for 41
yards as well.
David Montgomery led the ground game with 51 yards on 10
attempts.
Coastal Carolina's MacDowell was efficient, completing 21-of-30
passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns (no interceptions). The
Chants managed just 52 yards on the ground, and 344 total yards in
the game.
Jeffrey Williams (14 tackles) and Jordan Woods (nine tackles, 2.0
sacks) paced Gardner-Webb defensively. D.J. Rice had eight stops to
pace Coastal Carolina, while true freshman corner Marcus Lott was
strong with six total hits, an interception and three pass break
ups in his second career start.
Gardner-Webb will close out the 2008 season next Saturday at
Liberty (7 pm ET). Coastal Carolina stays on the road for a game at
Presbyterian that same afternoon.
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