FAYETTEVILLE – Johnson C. Smith scored the winning touchdown with 13 seconds remaining to complete a comeback victory over Fayetteville State on Friday afternoon in Fayetteville. The Golden Bulls improved to 8-1 overall and 6-1 in conference play, while the Broncos fell to 5-4 and 5-1.
Trailing 14-10 with 3:22 left in the game, Johnson C. Smith quarterback Kelvin Durham engineered a nine-play, 69-yard drive that consumed the final three minutes. Bobby Smith finished the march with a six-yard touchdown run, and Lukasz Smolen's extra point provided the final margin.
The winning drive featured Durham's 15-yard scramble to the Fayetteville State 29-yard line on a first-and-15 play, keeping the drive alive after a false start penalty. The Golden Bulls faced another obstacle when Durham was sacked for an 11-yard loss by Shawn Robinson, creating a third-and-21 situation from the 30-yard line. Durham found Clinton Riley for 12 yards, then converted on fourth-and-9 with a 12-yard run to the six-yard line before Smith's decisive score.
Durham completed 20 of 27 passes for 182 yards with one interception. He also rushed nine times for 33 yards and a touchdown, though he absorbed three sacks. Smith carried 31 times for 113 yards and the game-winning score, averaging 3.6 yards per attempt.
Fayetteville State erased a 10-0 deficit with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Bryce Council's 21-yard touchdown run at 13:25 of the final period cut the margin to 10-7. The Broncos took their only lead with 3:28 remaining when Demari Daniels connected with Xayden Watson on a 52-yard touchdown pass, capping a five-play, 92-yard drive that took just 88 seconds.
That scoring drive began at the Fayetteville State eight-yard line following a punt. Daniels completed a 14-yard pass to Unique Kelly, then found Watson streaking down the middle for the touchdown. John Hernandez-Vargas converted the extra point to give the Broncos a 14-10 advantage.
Johnson C. Smith controlled possession for more than 38 minutes compared to Fayetteville State's 21:37. The Golden Bulls ran 68 offensive plays to the Broncos' 50 and held a 328-236 advantage in total yardage.
The game remained scoreless until Johnson C. Smith drove 57 yards in 10 plays on its second possession. The drive stalled at the Fayetteville State 13-yard line, but Smolen converted a 32-yard field goal with 3:36 left in the opening quarter.
Johnson C. Smith extended its lead to 10-0 early in the second quarter. Taking over at the Fayetteville State 30-yard line after a failed fourth-down conversion, the Golden Bulls needed six plays to reach the end zone. Durham capped the drive with a three-yard touchdown run at 2:44 of the second period.
Durham set up the score with a 13-yard completion to Lane, reaching the four-yard line. After a one-yard rush, Durham scored on a three-yard run two plays later.
Fayetteville State struggled to generate offense through the first three quarters. The Broncos managed just 87 rushing yards on 25 attempts and completed 16 of 25 passes for 149 yards. Daniels accounted for all of Fayetteville State's passing production, finishing 16-for-25 with one touchdown and no interceptions.
Council led the Broncos' ground attack with 78 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries, averaging six yards per attempt. His 21-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter came on third-and-7 from the Johnson C. Smith 21-yard line, breaking through the middle for the touchdown.
Deandre Proctor caught six passes for 57 yards to lead Johnson C. Smith's receiving corps. Lane added three receptions for 22 yards, while Cayden Bell-McKethan had one catch for 25 yards. Durham spread the ball to eight different receivers.
Watson's two receptions totaled 62 yards and the touchdown for Fayetteville State. Kelly caught three passes for 35 yards, and Kahlil Ashley-Diarrah had four receptions for 23 yards.
The Golden Bulls converted six of 14 third-down attempts and went one-for-one on fourth down. Fayetteville State converted four of 13 third downs but failed on its only fourth-down attempt in regulation.
Penalties proved costly for both teams. Johnson C. Smith was flagged 10 times for 85 yards, while Fayetteville State committed seven penalties for 67 yards. Several of those infractions came at crucial moments, including multiple pass interference calls and false start penalties that disrupted drives.
Jatavien Taylor recorded an interception for Fayetteville State in the second quarter, returning it three yards to set up the Broncos at their own 26-yard line. The turnover ended a Johnson C. Smith drive that had reached the Fayetteville State 35-yard line.
Vincent Hill led Johnson C. Smith's defense with 10 tackles, including six solo stops. Jaxson Hickson added six tackles and recorded one sack. Matthew Leach paced Fayetteville State with 12 tackles, while Taylor finished with 10 tackles to go along with his interception.
Robinson registered two sacks for 18 yards for the Broncos, including the crucial third-quarter sack that created the third-and-21 situation on the final drive. Joseph Woodard added another sack for Fayetteville State.
The victory kept Johnson C. Smith in contention atop the conference standings with one regular-season game remaining. Fayetteville State saw its four-game winning streak snapped.
Top Performers:
- Bobby Smith, Johnson C. Smith: 31 rushes, 113 yards, 1 TD
- Kelvin Durham, Johnson C. Smith: 20-of-27 passing, 182 yards; 9 rushes, 33 yards, 1 TD
- Bryce Council, Fayetteville State: 13 rushes, 78 yards, 1 TD
- Demari Daniels, Fayetteville State: 16-of-25 passing, 149 yards, 1 TD
- Deandre Proctor, Johnson C. Smith: 6 receptions, 57 yards
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