DURHAM – Shaw erased a six-point deficit in the final quarter, scoring 13 unanswered points to pull out a 20-13 victory over Winston-Salem State on Saturday at Durham County Memorial Stadium.
The Bears trailed for most of the afternoon but found their rhythm when it mattered most, engineering two fourth-quarter touchdown drives that flipped the outcome. Shaw improved to 2-4 overall and 2-2 in conference play, while Winston-Salem State fell to 3-4 and 1-3 in the CIAA.
Freshman quarterback Alexander Marsh directed the comeback, completing 12 of 22 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns while adding 53 yards on the ground. His dual-threat ability kept the Rams' defense off balance throughout the second half, and he delivered when Shaw needed him most.
The turning point came midway through the fourth quarter. Facing fourth-and-16 from the Winston-Salem State 28-yard line, Marsh connected with receiver Tyrek Hardison for a 28-yard touchdown strike at the 6:05 mark. The extra point attempt failed, leaving the score tied at 13-13.
Shaw's defense then forced Winston-Salem State into a quick three-and-out, giving the offense the ball back at its own 21-yard line with 4:26 remaining. What followed was a methodical 10-play, 79-yard march that consumed over four minutes of clock. Marsh capped the drive with a six-yard touchdown pass to Trey Thorpe with just seven seconds left, and Jordan Lane's extra point gave the Bears their final margin.
Winston-Salem State had seized early momentum in the second quarter. Linebacker Zymiere Dempsey-Freeman recovered a fumble and returned it 73 yards for a touchdown at the 13:51 mark, giving the Rams a 6-0 lead after a failed extra point attempt. Less than seven minutes later, running back Daylin Lee punched in a one-yard touchdown run to cap a nine-play, 90-yard drive. Angel Gomez-Corona's conversion made it 13-0.
Shaw answered before halftime, marching 75 yards on 17 plays over nearly seven minutes. Marsh scored on a nine-yard run with 25 seconds left in the half, and Lane's kick cut the deficit to 13-7 at the break.
The Rams controlled possession for just 16 minutes and 13 seconds compared to Shaw's 43 minutes and 47 seconds. That disparity told the story of the game. Shaw ran 78 offensive plays to Winston-Salem State's 34, grinding out yards on the ground and keeping the Rams' offense on the sideline for extended stretches.
Shaw rushed for 186 yards on 56 carries, averaging 3.3 yards per attempt. Fabian Diggs led the way with 70 yards on 19 attempts, while Thorpe added 42 yards on 14 carries in addition to his game-winning touchdown catch. Marsh's 53 rushing yards came on 17 attempts, and he also threw a second-quarter touchdown pass to cut into Winston-Salem State's lead.
Hardison emerged as Marsh's top target, hauling in five catches for 76 yards and the crucial fourth-quarter score. Christian Rutledge added one reception for 30 yards, and Diggs caught three passes for 19 yards out of the backfield.
Winston-Salem State averaged 8.2 yards per rush but managed only 21 attempts for 173 total yards. Running back JaQuan Kelly broke off a 57-yard run in the first quarter and finished with 115 yards on six carries. Noah Marshall contributed 57 yards on seven attempts, but the Rams struggled to sustain drives as the game wore on.
Quarterback Daylin Lee completed eight of 13 passes for 51 yards but threw two interceptions, both of which came in the third quarter and stalled potential scoring opportunities. Receiver Jayden Grimes caught six passes for 38 yards, providing a reliable target in the short passing game.
Shaw's defense tightened considerably after halftime, holding Winston-Salem State scoreless over the final two quarters. Linebacker Latrell McFadden intercepted Lee in the red zone during the third quarter, snuffing out a promising drive. Defensive back Brian Collins also picked off Lee later in the third, giving Shaw favorable field position.
The Bears generated consistent pressure on Lee, recording two sacks for 19 yards. Jaden Perkins and Amarion Mbaye combined for 1.5 sacks, and the defensive front limited Winston-Salem State to an average of 6.6 yards per play despite the Rams' explosive rushing capability.
Winston-Salem State's defense kept the game close for three quarters, limiting Shaw to 4.2 yards per play and forcing the Bears into third-and-long situations. Linebacker Jamieson Alston led the Rams with 16 total tackles, including 13 solo stops and three tackles for loss. He also forced the fumble in the second quarter that led to Dempsey-Freeman's touchdown return.
But Shaw's ability to convert on third and fourth down proved decisive. The Bears went 7-for-20 on third down and an impressive 7-for-9 on fourth down, repeatedly extending drives that kept Winston-Salem State's offense off the field. The Rams, by contrast, failed to convert any of their four third-down attempts and didn't face a fourth-down decision until late in the game.
Special teams played a role as well. Shaw punter Jordan Lane averaged 42.7 yards on three punts, including a 52-yarder that pinned Winston-Salem State deep in its own territory. The Rams attempted two field goals, both of which missed. Gilberto Lorenzana's 47-yard attempt sailed wide in the first quarter, and Gomez-Corona's 38-yard try in the fourth quarter fell short, preserving Shaw's chance for a comeback.
Winston-Salem State outgained Shaw in total offense, 224 yards to 331, but the Bears' time of possession and ability to finish drives in the fourth quarter made the difference. Shaw reached the red zone twice and scored both times, while Winston-Salem State converted just one of four red-zone opportunities into a touchdown.
The victory marked Shaw's first win over Winston-Salem State since 2022 and came during the program's annual Breast Cancer Awareness Game. The Bears now return home for Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 18, when they host Johnson C. Smith at 1 p.m.
Winston-Salem State will also play at home next week, welcoming Livingstone College to Bowman Gray Stadium for its Homecoming game on Oct. 18 at 1:30 p.m.
Top Performers
Shaw
- Alexander Marsh: 12-of-22 passing, 145 yards, 2 TDs; 17 rushes, 53 yards, 1 TD
- Tyrek Hardison: 5 receptions, 76 yards, 1 TD
- Fabian Diggs: 19 rushes, 70 yards; 3 receptions, 19 yards
- Latrell McFadden: 1 interception, 28-yard return
Winston-Salem State
- JaQuan Kelly: 6 rushes, 115 yards
- Jamieson Alston: 16 total tackles, 3 TFL, 1 forced fumble
- Jayden Grimes: 6 receptions, 38 yards
- Noah Marshall: 7 rushes, 57 yards
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