BOILING SPRINGS – Bailey Fisher tied the game with 52.3 seconds to play in regulation Saturday, but Gardner-Webb lost 32-24 to Charleston Southern in double overtime.

It marked the third-straight gut-wrenching loss for the Runnin' Bulldogs (3-7, 1-5 Big South) and second in a row in overtime. GWU lost to No. 10 Kennesaw State with 11 seconds left (34-30) and dropped a 27-21 decision at Hampton last Saturday. GWU has five close losses overall this season.

Early on, it appeared Gardner-Webb and Fisher would run away with this one. 

After Charleston Southern (4-5, 3-4 Big South) missed a 50-yard field goal on its first drive of the game, Gardner-Webb took over at its own 34-yard line and pushed ahead. Fisher was perfect, connecting on 5-of-5 passes for all 67 yards. His 27-yard strike to Justin Franklin put Gardner-Webb up 7-0.

Charleston Southern had a chance late in the quarter, driving all the way down to the Gardner-Webb two-yard line. Gardner-Webb stepped up, with Will McRainey and Ga'Marcus Freeman bursting through on fourth down to stuff Jack Chambers in the backfield.

Gardner-Webb took over at its own five and drove out to the 32 before facing a third down. Fisher scrambled out of trouble and found a lane along the far sideline, dashing 68 yards for a touchdown that put the home team up by two scores with just 2.7 seconds to play in the quarter.

Charleston Southern seized control from there, dominating the second quarter. The Bucs rattled off 21 points in a row, taking advantage of a blocked punt and very short field to lead 21-14 at the half. Defensive end Elijah Harper bulled through to block the kick late and set Charleston Southern up at the Gardner-Webb seven-yard line with less that a minute to play before the half.

Chambers hit a wide open Geoffrey Wall for a seven-yard score on third down, putting Charleston Southern up with 36.7 seconds on the clock.

Neither team scored in the third quarter, with Gardner-Webb gaining just six yards on 13 plays. Charleston Southern couldn't scratch either, as Gardner-Webb's defense limited the visitors to 66 yards. 

The fourth quarter started with much of the same, with each team punting after stalled drives. A 50-yard completion from Fisher to Justin Jordan on Gardner-Webb's second drive of the quarter got the 'Dogs down to the CSU one-yard line with less than 11 minutes to play, but the Buccaneers held strong.

A loss of two on first down and two one-yard gains forced a fourth down chance, and Narii Gaither was stopped short of the goal by Shaundre Mims – turning the ball back to the Bucs with 8:08 to play.

Chambers struck quickly, finding Garrett Schwarting open for a 52-yard gain to give the visitors life. Another first down pass to the 20-yard line continued momentum before Honus Wagner sliced into the backfield for a TFL. An incomplete pass forced a field goal try and Sam Babbush's 35-yard chance missed wide left.

Charleston Southern got the ball back four plays later, when Hombre Kennedy stepped in front of a Fisher pass and returned it to the Gardner-Webb 25-yard line with 4:43 to play.

Gardner-Webb's defense, playing without All-America end Ty French, held strong. Shai Thomas sacked Chambers on first down and forced a 41-yard field goal try with 2:11 to play. Nathaniel Toole's chance was blocked by T.J. Comstock and Deonte Grier scooped up the bouncing ball and got into CSU territory.

A penalty pushed Gardner-Webb back to its own 40, but Fisher had plenty in the tank. 

Things looked bleak for the 'Dogs after a third-down hold and an incompletion. Facing 4th-and-20, Fisher stepped out of pressure and heaved a high, long pass that Quayvon Skanes came back to catch for a 42-yard gain down to the 28-yard line of Charleston Southern.

A connection with James Ellis II produced another first down at the CSU 17 and – after a fade route to Jameson Turner fell short in the end zone – Fisher stepped out of pressure once again and delivered a laser in the end zone to Franklin with 52.3 seconds to play. Austin McKay's extra point tied the game.

Any chance of a Charleston Southern drive was snuffed out by Gardner-Webb's pass rush. Janathian Turner hurried an incompletion on first down and Willie Harris sacked Chambers on second down. A short CSU pass was tackled well short of the first down marker and the clock ran down to zeros.

Gardner-Webb lost the coin toss for the second week in a row and went first in the overtime period. A completion for a first down to Franklin started the drive nicely, but a four-yard loss on second down put GWU behind the chains.

Fisher hit Jordan for a gain down to the five-yard line, but it was three yards shy of the first down. Gardner-Webb chose to kick a field goal this time and McKay nailed the 23-yarder for a 24-21 lead.

Gardner-Webb's defense held strong to force a Charleston Southern field goal and, after missing on its first four chances at a three-pointer, Babbush connected on a 35-yarder to force a second overtime.

Danuel Oscar carried twice for a first down to get Charleston Southern going and picked up 11 yards down to the Gardner-Webb two on his third carry of the period. Chambers kept on a read option to get into the end zone and found Ja'Rell Smith open on the mandatory two-point conversion.

Gardner-Webb started with an 11-yard pass from Fisher to Jameson Turner and got itself in a third-and-three situation after a seven-yard hookup down to the CSU seven-yard line.

A one-yard lass on third down put Gardner-Webb in danger and, after a timeout, Gaither was tackled short on an option pitch for no gain to end the game.

Fisher overcame four sacks and constant pressure to finish 25-of-51 for 345 yards and a pair of scores. He also tossed two interceptions, with one coming on a batted ball. Fisher ran for 68 yards on 12 carries and a score, giving him 413 yards of total offense on the day.

Gaither was held in check for much of the game, rushing 21 times for 72 yards. He also caught two passes for 24 yards. Ellis caught six balls for 60 yards, Jordan caught five for 89 and Turner had five catches for 50 yards. 

Franklin was clutch, catching three balls for 57 yards and two touchdowns in the game. Skanes' 42-yard grab was perhaps the biggest play of regulation.

Gardner-Webb out-gained Charleston Southern 475-407, out-rushed the Buccaneers (130-121) and had more first downs (21-19). The Buccaneers' edge came in the red zone, where they converted 5-of-7 opportunities into points. Gardner-Webb was 1-of-4 in the red zone Saturday afternoon.

Both teams had 10 tackles for loss and Gardner-Webb had nearly as many sacks as the Buccaneers (three).

William McRainey was all over the field Saturday, collecting a career-high 18 total hits (nine solo), 1.5 tackles for loss and a critical sack. He also broke up a third-down pass to force a punt in the second half and forced a fumble.

Wagner had nine total tackles (six solo), Comstock had seven hits and Thomas finished with six tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss (three pressures).

Chambers finished 23-of-39 for 286 yards and two touchdowns (one interceptions) and ran for 28 yards on 13 carries.

Oscar had 101 yards rushing and a score on 25 carries after coming into the game with zero net yards on five attempts this season. Wall led the receiving corps with 12 catches for 104 yards and a touchdown.

Freshman corner Kamron Smith had 11 tackles (nine solo) to lead Charleston Southern and broke up a pass. Mims had seven hits and 2.5 tackles for loss and four different Buccaneers had one sack apiece.

Gardner-Webb will close out the regular season next Saturday on the road, taking on Big South newcomer North Carolina A&T. Opening kick is set for 1:00 pm on ESPN3.