Fayetteville State football rallies past Shaw 33-20 in 2026 season opener

FAYETTEVILLE, NC — Fayetteville State spent the opening half chasing Shaw. By the end of the night, the Broncos had turned special teams and defense into the difference in a 33-20 season-opening win Saturday at Luther “Nick” Jeralds Stadium.

Shaw built a 12-0 lead and appeared to have Fayetteville State on its heels, but the Broncos flipped the game before halftime with two unusual scoring plays. Fayetteville State’s first points came after a blocked extra-point attempt, which Terrell Ford ran back 100 yards for a defensive two-point conversion. Late in the second quarter, the Broncos added another two points when Shaw’s punt attempt went out of the back of the end zone for a safety, cutting the Bears’ lead to 12-11 at the break.

Those plays changed the feel of the opener. Shaw controlled much of the early action, but Fayetteville State stayed within reach without needing its offense to carry the full comeback. Once the Broncos found rhythm after halftime, they scored 16 points in the third quarter and took control.

Shaw struck first when Trey Thorpe scored on a 10-yard run, giving the Bears a 6-0 lead after the missed extra point. The Bears extended the margin in the second quarter on Alexander Marsh’s eight-yard touchdown pass to Keyshaun Powell. But the conversion attempt turned into Fayetteville State’s first momentum swing, with Ford’s return making it 12-2 instead of 13-0.

Fayetteville State’s offense then produced its first touchdown late in the half. Jamir Dismukes led an 11-play, 60-yard drive and finished it with an eight-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Parker with one minute left in the second quarter. John Hernandez-Vargas added the extra point, and the Broncos trailed only 12-9.

Shaw’s next possession moved backward, and the Broncos cashed in again without the offense touching the ball. The Bears were backed up near their goal line when the punt attempt resulted in a safety with 25 seconds left, sending Fayetteville State into halftime down by a single point.

Fayetteville State took the lead for good on the opening possession of the third quarter. Braylon Vinson, who led the Broncos with 88 rushing yards on 21 carries, capped an eight-play, 73-yard drive with a six-yard touchdown run. Hernandez-Vargas’ extra point made it 18-12, giving the Broncos their first lead.

The Broncos kept building from there. Dismukes broke loose for a 29-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter, stretching the lead to 24-12. Hernandez-Vargas later added a 34-yard field goal, pushing the margin to 27-12 after Fayetteville State’s third scoring drive of the quarter.

Dismukes finished 14 of 20 for 144 yards and a touchdown without an interception. He also rushed for 56 yards and a score on 10 carries, helping Fayetteville State finish with 292 total yards. Marcus Fleming led the Broncos’ receivers with three catches for 43 yards, while Unique Kelly added four receptions for 41 yards.

Shaw made one last push in the fourth quarter with a long, methodical drive. Landon Melton finished a 19-play, 75-yard march with a three-yard touchdown run, and Marsh completed the two-point try to Antrel Gibson to cut Fayetteville State’s lead to 27-20 with 7:26 remaining.

But Fayetteville State’s defense had the final answer. With Shaw trying to drive late, Zyking Patillo intercepted Marsh and returned it for a touchdown with 1:38 left. Hernandez-Vargas’ extra point attempt was missed, but the defensive score gave the Broncos a 33-20 lead and effectively sealed the opener.

Shaw finished with 216 total yards and was held to 7-of-22 passing. Marsh completed seven of 20 passes for 81 yards with one touchdown and one interception, while Thorpe led the Bears with 53 rushing yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. Fabian Diggs added 41 yards on eight attempts.

Fayetteville State’s defense repeatedly put Shaw behind schedule, recording seven sacks and holding the Bears to 5 of 16 on third down. Osirus Rhodes and Joseph Woodard each finished with six tackles, while Christopher Gordon had five tackles and one sack.

The Broncos also overcame 13 penalties for 123 yards, relying on special teams, a sharp third quarter and Patillo’s late defensive touchdown to start the season with a CIAA win. For a program picked third in the conference preseason poll, it was not a clean opener, but it was the kind that showed how many ways Fayetteville State can change a game.

CULLOWHEE – Mercer needed a 37-yard field goal from Reice Griffith with 90 seconds remaining to survive a record-breaking performance from Western Carolina quarterback Taron Dickens and claim at least a share of the Southern Conference championship with a 49-47 victory Saturday at E.J. Whitmire Stadium.

Dickens threw for a SoCon single-game record seven touchdown passes to five different receivers, finishing 33-of-49 for 551 yards in a back-and-forth shootout that saw the lead change hands multiple times in the fourth quarter. But Griffith's late field goal and a missed 33-yard attempt by Western Carolina's Marcus Trout as time expired allowed the Bears (8-1, 7-0 SoCon) to escape with the victory and secure the league's automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.

The Bears trailed 47-46 with 3:13 remaining after Western Carolina's James Tyre caught a 42-yard touchdown pass from Dickens. Mercer responded with a six-play, 45-yard drive that consumed 1:43 before Griffith connected on his second field goal of the game to put the Bears ahead for good.

Western Carolina (6-4, 5-1 SoCon) had one more chance. Dickens completed passes of 14 yards to Patrick Boyd Jr., 19 yards to Tyre and 20 yards to Malik Knight to move the Catamounts to the Mercer 15-yard line. After three running plays netted just four yards, Western Carolina elected to attempt the field goal rather than try for the first down. Following a Mercer timeout, Trout's kick missed wide right as time expired.

The two teams combined for 1,167 yards of total offense, including 994 through the air, with 10 combined passing touchdowns. Dickens connected with 11 different receivers, while freshman Mercer quarterback Braden Atkinson completed 23 of 39 passes for 443 yards and three touchdowns.

Mercer scored on its opening possession of the second half to take a 25-21 lead on a five-yard touchdown run by CJ Miller, who finished with 91 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries. The Bears extended their advantage to 32-21 with 5:12 left in the third quarter when Atkinson found Kendall Harris for a 24-yard touchdown pass, Harris' second scoring catch of the game.

Western Carolina answered immediately. Knight caught a 23-yard pass to start the ensuing drive, and three plays later hauled in a 32-yard touchdown reception to cut the deficit to 32-27. But Miller responded with his third rushing touchdown, a 26-yard run with 24 seconds left in the third quarter, to push Mercer's lead back to 39-27.

The fourth quarter belonged to the Catamounts' passing attack. Knight opened the scoring with a 54-yard touchdown reception just 49 seconds into the period, pulling Western Carolina within 39-34. Mercer answered on its next possession when Atkinson connected with Adjatay Dabbs for an 81-yard touchdown that extended the lead to 46-34 with 13:25 remaining.

Western Carolina needed just three plays to respond. After an incompletion and a two-yard loss, Dickens found Jai Boyd for a 10-yard touchdown pass with 6:13 left, cutting Mercer's advantage to 46-41. The Catamounts forced a three-and-out, then needed just three plays to take the lead. Boyd Jr. gained one yard on first down before Dickens hit Tyre for the go-ahead 42-yard touchdown with 3:13 remaining.

Mercer faced second-and-22 from the Western Carolina 28 after a pass interference penalty wiped out what would have been a go-ahead touchdown pass to Harris. Atkinson completed passes of 10 and negative-two yards to Miller before Griffith's field goal attempt.

The game began as a defensive struggle by comparison to its eventual outcome. Western Carolina took the opening kickoff and needed nine plays to cover 65 yards, with Dickens finding Michael Rossin for a 27-yard touchdown pass with 11:40 left in the first quarter. Mercer answered with a five-play, 68-yard drive capped by Miller's seven-yard touchdown run.

Western Carolina regained the lead early in the second quarter when Dickens threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Boyd Jr., making it 14-7. But Mercer scored the next nine points, including a safety when Jordan Swain sacked Dickens in the end zone, followed by a six-yard touchdown pass from Atkinson to Harris that gave the Bears a 15-14 lead.

Dickens responded with his third touchdown pass of the half, a 25-yard strike to Rossin that capped an 11-play, 79-yard drive and gave Western Carolina a 21-15 lead with 5:25 left in the second quarter. Mercer drove to the Western Carolina seven but settled for Griffith's 24-yard field goal with 1:43 remaining in the half, leaving the Catamounts ahead 21-18 at halftime.

The teams traded punts to open the second half before Mercer took over at its own 25 following a touchback. The Bears needed just five plays to score, with Miller capping the 75-yard drive with his second touchdown run. After Western Carolina punted, Mercer recovered a fumble at the Catamounts' 35-yard line. Four plays later, Atkinson hit Harris for the 24-yard touchdown that extended the lead to 32-21.

Knight finished with five receptions for a career-high 141 yards and two touchdowns for Western Carolina. Boyd Jr. caught seven passes for a career-best 93 yards and a score, while Rossin had three catches for 65 yards and two touchdowns. Tyre finished with three receptions for 78 yards and his 11th touchdown catch of the season, the most in the SoCon.

For Mercer, Dabbs led all receivers with four catches for 147 yards and a touchdown. Harris caught six passes for 73 yards and two scores, while Miller added three receptions for 57 yards to go with his rushing total, giving him 148 yards of total offense.

Samaurie Dukes led Western Carolina with a career-high 13 tackles, while Hasaan Sykes added 10 stops. Micah Nelson, Ken Moore Jr. and Caleb Fisher each recorded a tackle for loss. The Catamounts registered eight quarterback hurries, including two each by Jordan Thompson and Justin Wallace.

Julian Fox paced Mercer's defense with 13 tackles, and Drew Clare added 10 stops plus a fumble recovery. The Bears recorded four sacks from four different players, with Swain's safety coming on his sack in the second quarter. Kaleb Hutchinson recorded Mercer's only interception, picking off Dickens at the goal line as time expired in the first half.

The victory gives Mercer at least a share of the 2025 SoCon regular-season championship with one game remaining. The Bears clinched the league's automatic qualifier to the NCAA FCS playoffs by securing the tiebreaker over Western Carolina, the only team that can match their conference record. Mercer hosts Chattanooga next Saturday.

Western Carolina hosts East Tennessee State next Saturday in its regular-season finale on Senior Day.

Top Performers

• Taron Dickens, WCU: 33-of-49 passing, 551 yards, 7 TDs, 1 INT (SoCon single-game record for TD passes)
• Braden Atkinson, Mercer: 23-of-39 passing, 443 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT
• Malik Knight, WCU: 5 receptions, 141 yards, 2 TDs
• CJ Miller, Mercer: 21 rushes for 91 yards and 3 TDs; 3 receptions for 57 yards
• Adjatay Dabbs, Mercer: 4 receptions, 147 yards, 1 TD
• Kendall Harris, Mercer: 6 receptions, 73 yards, 2 TDs
• Patrick Boyd Jr., WCU: 7 receptions, 93 yards, 1 TD
• Samaurie Dukes, WCU: 13 tackles
• Julian Fox, Mercer: 13 tackles

WINGATE – Wingate defensive end Elijah Barnes crashed through the line on a two-point conversion attempt in overtime, sacking Khamoni Robinson and forcing a fumble that Tyson Brown recovered to preserve a 38-37 victory over Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday at Irwin Belk Stadium.

The Bulldogs improved to 7-2 overall and 5-2 in the South Atlantic Conference, extending their winning streak to four games. Lenoir-Rhyne fell to 5-5 and 4-3 in league play. The victory marked Wingate's fourth consecutive win over the Bears.

After both teams scored touchdowns in overtime, Lenoir-Rhyne coach Doug Socha elected to attempt a two-point conversion rather than kick the extra point for a second overtime period. Robinson dropped back to pass, but Barnes broke through for the game-ending sack.

"It was a hard fought emotional game today," Socha said. "We had some missed opportunities and needed one more play."

The game reached overtime after Wingate quarterback Elijah Holmes engineered a nine-play, 74-yard drive in the final 1:53 of regulation. Holmes completed a nine-yard touchdown pass to Carlos Estronza with 19 seconds remaining to tie the score at 31-31.

Wingate needed just three plays to score in overtime. Xavier Pugh carried for five yards, then Holmes found Jaylen Himes for 10 yards to set up Pugh's 10-yard touchdown run. Caleb Bonesteel converted the extra point for a 38-31 lead.

Robinson answered with a six-yard touchdown run on Lenoir-Rhyne's possession, setting up the decisive two-point attempt.

Holmes completed 23 of 36 passes for 350 yards and four touchdowns while adding 50 yards on the ground. Himes caught eight passes for 134 yards and two scores, while Xavier Jackson hauled in five receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown. Pugh contributed 71 rushing yards and a score along with three catches for 42 yards.

Robinson finished 21 of 30 for 283 yards and two touchdowns through the air while rushing for two more scores. Alex Boyd recorded his first 100-yard rushing game of the season with 103 yards on 22 carries and a touchdown.

Songa Yates tied a career high with nine receptions for 119 yards and a touchdown, moving into a tie for seventh place on Lenoir-Rhyne's all-time list with 17 career touchdown receptions. Zion Agnew added five catches for 86 yards and a score.

Lenoir-Rhyne jumped ahead early when Robinson connected with Agnew for a 47-yard touchdown on the game's opening drive, capping an eight-play, 75-yard march. The Bears extended their lead to 14-3 when Robinson found Yates for a 52-yard scoring strike on their second possession.

Wingate responded with a 12-play, 65-yard drive that ended with Bonesteel's 24-yard field goal. Holmes completed passes of 23 yards to Himes, 12 yards to Pugh and 10 yards to Estronza during the drive.

The Bears appeared poised to build a commanding lead in the second quarter when they drove inside the Wingate five-yard line. But the Bulldogs' defense held on fourth-and-goal from the two, forcing a turnover on downs.

Lenoir-Rhyne defensive back Desmond Greene intercepted Holmes on Wingate's ensuing possession, his fourth interception of the season. The turnover set up Robinson's seven-yard touchdown run that gave the Bears a 21-3 advantage with 1:45 left in the half.

The Bulldogs cut into the deficit before halftime when Holmes hit Himes for 53 yards on the first play of a drive, then connected with him again for a nine-yard touchdown. That made it 21-10 with 1:19 remaining in the second quarter.

Brayden Cresimore's 44-yard field goal as time expired in the half, Lenoir-Rhyne's longest of the season, extended the Bears' lead to 24-10.

Wingate seized momentum in the third quarter with two touchdown drives. After forcing a three-and-out, the Bulldogs took over at their own 40 and drove 60 yards in six plays. Holmes connected with Jackson for a 35-yard touchdown on third-and-three to make it 24-17.

Following another Lenoir-Rhyne punt, Holmes led a six-play, 64-yard scoring drive. He completed a 19-yard pass to Jackson, then gained 11 yards on a scramble to reach the red zone. Holmes found Himes for an 18-yard touchdown that tied the game at 24-24 with 4:05 left in the third quarter.

Chris Harris gave Wingate prime field position late in the third when he sacked Robinson, forced a fumble and recovered the ball at the Lenoir-Rhyne 33. But the Bulldogs couldn't capitalize.

Lenoir-Rhyne defensive back John Royal intercepted Holmes on third-and-six from the 15-yard line early in the fourth quarter and returned it 52 yards to the Wingate 28. Boyd's five-yard touchdown run six plays later put the Bears ahead 31-24 with 10:58 remaining.

James Ussery intercepted Holmes later in the fourth quarter to give Lenoir-Rhyne possession at its own 41, but the Bears couldn't convert the turnover into points. Ussery finished with a career-high 13 tackles and an interception.

Wingate forced consecutive three-and-outs in the final minutes to set up the game-tying drive. Holmes completed passes of 26 yards to Pugh and 26 yards to Jackson during the march, getting the Bulldogs inside the 10 with 30 seconds left before finding Estronza for the tying score.

Wingate held a 507-453 advantage in total offense. The Bulldogs converted seven of 13 third-down attempts, while Lenoir-Rhyne succeeded on nine of 14. Wingate scored on four of five red zone trips compared to two of four for the Bears.

Jaquan Edwards led Wingate's defense with 10 tackles, while Anthony Dangerfield and Tory Kelly added nine and eight tackles respectively. Harris finished with five tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, the forced fumble and fumble recovery. Jonathen Cross contributed six tackles with a tackle for loss, half a sack and a pass breakup.

Tate O'Bryan set a career high with 76 receiving yards for Lenoir-Rhyne. Greene finished with seven tackles and an interception.

The game marked Lenoir-Rhyne's highest-scoring output of the season.

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

RALEIGH – Shaw University has appointed Lamar Manigo as its new head football coach, marking a homecoming for the former Bears offensive coordinator. The announcement comes just days after previous head coach selection Greg Ruffin stepped aside due to health concerns.

Manigo, who served as Shaw's offensive coordinator from 2016 to 2021, returns to the Bears after a successful stint at Virginia State University, where he demonstrated his offensive prowess as Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator. Under his guidance, the Trojans emerged as an offensive powerhouse in the CIAA, averaging 30.4 points per game this past season en route to a conference championship appearance.

"We are happy to welcome Coach Lamar Manigo back to Shaw University," said George Knox, Director of Athletics. "His passion for the game, dedication to mentoring student-athletes, and commitment to excellence align perfectly with our vision for the football program."

Manigo's football roots in the CIAA run deep. As a quarterback at Bowie State from 2003-06, he led the Bulldogs to the 2005 conference title game and departed as the school's all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns. His coaching career includes successful stops at Prairie View A&M, North Carolina Central, and Norfolk State.

During his previous tenure at Shaw, Manigo's offenses set numerous program records. The 2019 Bears averaged over 360 yards per game, and in 2021, his unit led the CIAA in rushing with 184.6 yards per game.

"This is a homecoming for me," said Manigo. "I look forward to working with our talented student-athletes to build a program that makes our university and alumni proud.