'Dogs Drop Fifth Straight In 28-14 Loss At Presbyterian
October 15, 2011 | Football
CLINTON, S.C. - Presbyterian used three first-quarter turnovers by Gardner-Webb to jump to a 21-0 lead, and the Runnin' Bulldogs would not fully recover in a 28-14 loss to the Blue Hose.
Presbyterian (2-4, 1-1 Big South) got three touchdowns and 88 yards rushing from Lance Byrd, and 62 yards rushing and 146 passing from reserve quarterback Ryan Singer in the win.
The loss is the fifth in a row for the Runnin' Bulldogs (1-5, 0-2 Big South), their first five-game slide since the 1996 season. GWU had turned the football over just six times in its first five games, but had four turnovers against the Blue Hose (two interceptions, two fumbles).
A short punt set the Blue Hose up with excellent field position on its opening drive, and Presbyterian needed only four plays to cover 47 yards to take a 7-0 lead on Byrd's 33-yard run to paydirt.
The lead grew to 14-0 after a GWU fumble set up the Blue Hose at their own 41, and Byrd again capped off a scoring drive - this time with a two-yard run with 2:10 to play in the first quarter. Another GWU fumble on a first-down catch by tight end Treymaine Schley just before the end of the quarter - and a late hit penalty tacked on at the end of the play - set PC up at the GWU 14-yard line, and Byrd scored his third touchdown from four yards out to push the lead to 21-0 at the 14:55 mark of the second quarter.
After a pair of turnovers, one by each team near midfield, and a stalled drive by the Blue Hose, Schley got through to block a punt - setting up the Runnin' Bulldogs at the PC 24-yard line. Beatty capped the drive with a one-yard sneak to trim the lead to 21-7 with 3:55 to play before the break.
The 'Dogs got the ball back with 1:59 to play before halftime after another Blue Hose punt and Beatty quickly worked his offense down to the PC 30-yard line - but was picked off by Antarious Terrell on first down to end the threat.
Presbyterian scored again to go up 28-7 with 2:22 left in a quick third quarter, getting an 11-yard scoring pass from Singer to tight end Joey Gilkey on third down. Singer had two long scrambles for first downs on the drive - which started at the PC 24-yard line after Gardner-Webb faltered on a fourth-down attempt. The Blue Hose drive chewed up 6:21 of valuable clock time.
The Runnin' Bulldogs pulled back within two scores with 11:50 to play in the game, with Ricky Rhodes going in from two yards out and Gardner-Webb had Presbyterian in a third-and-long situation quickly after that - but Singer again scrambled out of pressure for a first down. GWU got the ball back twice more, but was unable to threaten the lead further.
Gardner-Webb outgained Presbyterian 354-325 on the day, with Beatty passing for a career-high 215 yards and Kenny Little gaining 84 yards on 22 carries. Rhodes carried five times for 55 yards and a score and Perry led the receiving corps with seven catches for 140 yards.
Devin Johnson led the defense with nine total hits, Marty Patterson had eight and Dylan Taylor made a career-best five stops with a sack.
Gardner-Webb will remain on the road next week, traveling to Coastal Carolina for a 7:00 pm contest at Brooks Stadium. The game will be televised live on MASN (Mid-Atlantic Sports Network).
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