BOILING SPRINGS – NC Central erased an early 10-point deficit and pulled within four early in the second half, but Gardner-Webb controlled the rest of the night to earn a 44-20 victory Saturday at Spangler Stadium.
The Eagles trailed 10-0 after the first quarter before battling back to tie the game at 17 late in the second. Gardner-Webb answered with a touchdown just before halftime, then outscored NC Central 20-3 after the break. The loss dropped NCCU to 2-2, while Gardner-Webb improved to 1-3.
Gardner-Webb finished with 445 yards of offense compared with 218 for NC Central and held a 23-10 advantage in first downs. The Runnin' Bulldogs also possessed the ball for more than 35 minutes.
Gardner-Webb opened the scoring with Tyler Simpson's 27-yard field goal before taking advantage of an NCCU turnover. Nelson Layne was sacked and fumbled at his own 17, setting up a short drive that Zalen Watkins finished with a one-yard touchdown for a 10-0 lead.
The Eagles responded in the second quarter.
Layne connected with Tyree Saunders for 41 yards before Zion Dobson scored on an 11-yard run to cut the deficit to 10-7. Gardner-Webb answered with Randy Young's 14-yard touchdown run, but NCCU came right back. Layne hit Chance Peterson for 35 yards and Plez Lawrence followed with runs of 14 and two yards, the latter pulling the Eagles within 17-14.
A 38-yard punt return by Gerald Lawton III, coupled with a Gardner-Webb penalty, then gave NCCU the ball at the Bulldogs' 21. Riley Daniels converted a 32-yard field goal to tie the game at 17 with 1:46 left in the half.
But Gardner-Webb needed only 85 seconds to retake control.
Cole Pennington led the Bulldogs 75 yards, converting a fourth-and-one along the way before finding Sean Brady for a 30-yard touchdown with 21 seconds remaining. Gardner-Webb carried a 24-17 advantage into halftime.
NC Central opened the second half with good field position and pulled within 24-20 on another 32-yard Daniels field goal. That proved to be the Eagles' final points.
Pennington immediately answered with a nine-play, 65-yard drive, connecting with Joey Shearin for a one-yard touchdown to make it 31-20. Simpson added field goals of 21 and 42 yards as Gardner-Webb steadily extended the advantage.
NCCU had an opportunity to cut into the deficit midway through the fourth quarter when Lawrence broke a 51-yard run to the Gardner-Webb 15. The drive stalled after Layne was sacked for a 13-yard loss, however, and Daniels missed a 40-yard field goal.
Gardner-Webb provided the final points when Hunter West intercepted Layne and returned it for a touchdown with 1:32 remaining.
Pennington completed 24 of 38 passes for 309 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Kory Jones caught six passes for 131 yards, while Young rushed for 92 yards and a touchdown and Christian Vann added 77 yards.
Layne finished 10-of-15 for 150 yards with an interception while being sacked four times. Lawrence led NCCU with 59 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Saunders had two catches for 48 yards.
Joshua Truesdale led the Eagles defensively with a game-high 17 tackles, including 12 solo stops.
NC Central had fought all the way back from 10-0 down to tie the game late in the first half and remained within four early in the third. From there, however, Gardner-Webb scored the game's final 20 points and turned a competitive game into a comfortable home victory.
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