GREENVILLE – Maybe the warning came before the football was even kicked.

During pregame ceremonies for East Carolina’s home opener Saturday afternoon, the ECU faithful gasped as the head of PeeDee the Pirate fell off.

For the Pirates, things did not get much easier from there.

Appalachian State erased an early deficit, built a 14-point second-half advantage and survived a furious late ECU comeback to leave a sunny Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium with a 27-24 victory.

ECU scored with just 21 seconds remaining to pull within three, but the Pirates could not recover the ensuing onside kick, allowing the Mountaineers to escape Greenville with the win.

The loss came despite ECU outgaining App State 417-384 and finishing with a 22-21 advantage in first downs. The Pirates rushed for 187 yards and passed for 230, but App State controlled the ball for nearly 36 minutes and turned three trips inside the ECU red zone into three touchdowns. 

ECU initially appeared ready to give the home crowd plenty to celebrate.

The Pirates opened the game with a 12-play, 60-yard drive before a missed 33-yard field goal, but their defense quickly gave the offense another opportunity. After forcing an App State punt, ECU marched 83 yards in eight plays, with Michael Allen scoring on a 2-yard run to give the Pirates a 7-0 lead with 4:11 remaining in the opening quarter.

App State responded with James London’s 41-yard field goal in the final minute of the quarter, and from there the afternoon began turning toward the visitors.

The Mountaineers took their first lead just 43 seconds into the second quarter. Quarterback Malachi Singleton finished an 83-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown run, putting App State ahead 10-7. 

App State struck again midway through the quarter when Jamarian Lewis scored on a 10-yard run. ECU managed only a 33-yard Noah Perez field goal before halftime, leaving the Mountaineers with a 17-10 advantage.

The Mountaineers immediately added to it after the break.

App State took the second-half kickoff and drove 80 yards in seven plays, with Treyaun Webb scoring from 13 yards out. The touchdown pushed the lead to 24-10 with 12:12 remaining in the third quarter.

ECU finally found the explosive play it needed less than two minutes later.

Quarterback Mitch Griffis connected with Jacobe Dickerson for a 61-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 24-17. But App State answered once again, getting a 37-yard London field goal with 3:57 remaining in the third to restore a two-score advantage at 27-17. 

From there, the game became a test of whether ECU could generate enough offense quickly enough.

The Pirates had opportunities. App State failed to score in the fourth quarter, but ECU’s first two possessions of the period ended in punts. A promising 11-play drive then reached the App State 23 before Griffis was intercepted with 2:16 remaining.

It appeared to be the final blow.

Instead, ECU got one more opportunity.

The Pirates forced another App State punt and took possession at their own 40 with 1:56 remaining. Griffis directed a nine-play, 60-yard drive and found Jonathan Hamilton for a 7-yard touchdown with 21 seconds left.

Perez’s extra point made it 27-24.

ECU’s comeback, however, needed one more possession.

It never came.

App State let the ensuing onside kick go out of bounds and ran out the final seconds, turning away the Pirates’ last attempt to steal back a game that had slipped away during the middle two quarters.

Singleton finished 19 of 27 passing for 255 yards for App State while also scoring on the ground. Lewis led the Mountaineers with 73 rushing yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. App State finished with 129 rushing yards and 255 through the air. 

Griffis completed 21 of 37 passes for 230 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for ECU. He also rushed for 52 yards, while Ashton Gray led the Pirates’ ground game with 99 yards on 16 carries. Ja’Melvin was ECU’s leading receiver with seven catches for 94 yards, while Dickerson’s lone reception produced the 61-yard third-quarter touchdown.

ECU’s defense kept the Pirates alive, holding App State scoreless throughout the fourth quarter. But the Mountaineers had already done enough damage, particularly during a stretch in which they turned a 7-3 deficit into a 24-10 advantage.

The Pirates were also unable to consistently extend drives, converting only two of 12 third downs. App State converted five of 14 and held the ball for 35:50 compared with ECU’s 23:54. The Mountaineers also produced seven points off turnovers, while ECU produced none. 

The atmosphere still had one quintessentially Greenville moment left. As the fourth quarter began, Greenville native Petey Pablo raised ECU’s “No Quarter” flag, bringing the home crowd back to life for one final push.

The Pirates nearly gave them the comeback to go with it.

Instead, App State walked away with a three-point victory on an afternoon when PeeDee’s head hitting the ground before kickoff turned out to be an unfortunately appropriate bit of foreshadowing.

BUIES CREEK – Western Carolina had to wait an extra day to take the field against Campbell. Once the game finally began, an early deficit proved too much for the Catamounts to overcome.

Campbell scored touchdowns on each of its first two possessions and built an 18-point halftime advantage before holding off Western Carolina’s second-half comeback for a 28-19 victory Sunday at Barker-Lane Stadium.

The game was originally scheduled for Saturday at 3:30 p.m., but severe weather and a power failure forced the contest to be postponed until Sunday morning. The rescheduled game kicked off at 11:03 a.m. under sunny skies, with a temperature of 80 degrees. 

Campbell (2-0) wasted little time taking control.

The Camels marched 91 yards in 10 plays on their opening possession, with quarterback Kamden Sixkiller finding Brady Ambrose for a 6-yard touchdown. After Western Carolina went three-and-out, Campbell drove another 53 yards, and Sixkiller's 8-yard touchdown run gave the Camels a 14-0 advantage with four minutes remaining in the first quarter. 

Western Carolina (1-1) finally answered early in the second quarter when Bryan McCollum connected on a 23-yard field goal, but Campbell needed just five plays to respond. Ethan Lawrence capped a 64-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to make it 21-3.

The Catamounts found their first touchdown late in the half. Quarterback Lex Thomas connected with Jai Boyd for a 48-yard score with 2:57 remaining, cutting the deficit to 21-10.

Any momentum from that play didn't last through halftime.

Taking over at its own 18 with 48 seconds left, Campbell went 82 yards in only 30 seconds. Sixkiller hit Spencer Jones for a 32-yard touchdown with 18 seconds remaining, sending the Camels to the locker room ahead 28-10. 

Those would be Campbell's final points.

Western Carolina's defense forced three second-half turnovers and gave the Catamounts opportunities to work their way back into the game. Jayden Cornelius intercepted Sixkiller early in the third quarter and returned it 47 yards to the Campbell 8. The Catamounts went backward from there, however, settling for McCollum's 40-yard field goal to trim the margin to 28-13.

Western Carolina made it a one-score game early in the fourth quarter. Thomas directed an 11-play, 65-yard drive and found Boyd for a 1-yard touchdown with 9:24 remaining. The extra point failed, leaving Campbell ahead 28-19. 

The Catamount defense produced another opportunity minutes later. With Campbell threatening at the Western Carolina 4, Fernando Jeanty intercepted Sixkiller, giving the offense the ball at its own 2 with 5:51 remaining.

Thomas responded by moving the Catamounts 73 yards in nine plays, including completions of 20 and 23 yards to AJ Colombo and a 21-yard connection with Marcus Striggles. The drive stalled at the Campbell 25, and McCollum's 43-yard field-goal attempt missed with 3:47 to play. 

Western Carolina never got the ball back. A roughing-the-kicker penalty on fourth down extended Campbell's final possession, and the Camels ran out the clock. 

Thomas finished 25-of-44 for 326 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Colombo led Western Carolina with six catches for 91 yards, while Boyd caught two passes for 49 yards, both touchdowns. 

Sixkiller completed 29 of 44 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted three times. Jones caught seven passes for 126 yards and a touchdown.

Campbell's biggest statistical advantage came on the ground. The Camels rushed for 198 yards while holding Western Carolina to just one net rushing yard on 18 attempts. Campbell finished with 528 total yards to Western Carolina's 327 and possessed the ball for more than 36 minutes. 

The loss dropped Western Carolina to 1-1, while Campbell improved to 2-0. Both teams are on the road at FBS opponents next week, with the Camels traveling to Florida and the Catamounts heading to Cincinnati.

GREENSBORO – For a few minutes Saturday night, the 25th Gate City Soup Bowl looked like it might develop into another fight between Greensboro's two Division III programs.

Then Greensboro College took over.

The Pride scored the final 35 points and rolled past crosstown rival Guilford 48-7 at Pride Field, producing the most points Greensboro has scored against the Quakers and its largest margin of victory in the series. Greensboro opened the season 1-0, while Guilford fell to 0-1.

Greensboro finished with 553 yards of offense, including 277 on the ground, and collected 31 first downs. Guilford managed 230 total yards and 16 first downs.

Quarterback Cameron Turner powered the Pride offense, completing 13 of 21 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns while adding 67 rushing yards and another score. KJ Brown caught four passes for 99 yards and a touchdown, while Sincere McIntyre turned both of his receptions into touchdowns.

The game initially appeared headed toward a much tighter finish.

Greensboro converted an early Guilford interception into a methodical 14-play, 80-yard drive, capped by Camron Torrence-Kelly's 4-yard touchdown run with 4:51 remaining in the first quarter.

The Pride struck much faster on their next possession. Turner found Brown for a 54-yard touchdown to push the lead to 13-0 with 1:53 remaining.

Guilford immediately responded.

After two completions to Shane Shapiro helped move the Quakers to their own 42, Maurice Andrews broke free for a 58-yard touchdown run with 14 seconds left in the quarter. Ryan Black's extra point cut Greensboro's advantage to 13-7.

It would be Guilford's only score.

Greensboro increased the lead to 20-7 early in the second quarter when a punt return gave the Pride possession at the Guilford 27. Turner found McIntyre for a touchdown on the first play.

Guilford later produced a 15-play drive into Greensboro territory but turned the ball over on downs. The Quakers did create three takeaways during the game, but were unable to turn them into points. Greensboro carried the 20-7 advantage into halftime.

The Pride ended any uncertainty quickly in the third quarter.

After Greensboro's defense forced a three-and-out to begin the half, Kyjuan Westmoreland ran 36 yards on the Pride's first play. Turner then hit McIntyre for a 19-yard touchdown, stretching the lead to 27-7 just 2:12 into the half.

Torrence-Kelly added his second touchdown on a 7-yard run later in the quarter, and Turner scored from 15 yards out to give Greensboro a 41-7 advantage.

Austin Seabrook's 10-yard fourth-quarter touchdown completed the scoring.

Greensboro's offensive balance proved difficult for Guilford to contain. Westmoreland led the Pride with 84 rushing yards, Turner added 67 and Torrence-Kelly finished with 60 yards and two scores. Greensboro averaged 7.3 yards per play.

Guilford quarterback Tristan Gabrels finished 15 of 38 for 126 yards with one interception and was sacked three times. Shapiro caught 10 passes for 69 yards, while Andrews' touchdown accounted for more than half of the Quakers' 104 rushing yards.

The loss did include a milestone for Guilford linebacker Nick Iannone. His early tackles pushed him past Robert Smith for the Quakers' career record, giving Iannone 329 total tackles and counting.

Both Greensboro schools now move on from the rivalry game. Guilford makes its home debut Saturday against Methodist, while Greensboro travels to Roanoke College.

For the Pride, they'll do so after turning the 25th Soup Bowl into a record-setting night against their neighbors.

WINSTON-SALEM – For more than two quarters Saturday night, Winston-Salem State's defense kept giving the Rams a chance.

Eventually, Rayvon Durant and Mars Hill broke through.

Durant rushed for a career-high 201 yards and two touchdowns, while the Lions' defense held Winston-Salem State to just 83 yards of offense in a 17-0 victory at Bowman Gray Stadium.

Mars Hill improved to 1-0 with its first shutout since 2012. Winston-Salem State dropped to 0-2 after being blanked in its home opener before a crowd of 8,700.

The final margin did not reflect how long the game remained in doubt.

Neither team scored in the first half, although Mars Hill controlled much of the football and twice moved deep enough into WSSU territory to attempt field goals. Matthias Newsome missed attempts from 21 and 30 yards in the second quarter, leaving the game scoreless at halftime.

Mars Hill's inability to turn drives into points helped keep WSSU within reach despite a sizable difference in offensive production.

The breakthrough finally came with 6:25 remaining in the third quarter.

Facing third-and-1 from the Mars Hill 48, Durant burst through the Rams' defense and went 52 yards for the game's first touchdown. The three-play scoring drive covered 61 yards in only 53 seconds and gave the Lions a 7-0 advantage.

Winston-Salem State responded with one of its best possessions of the night.

The Rams converted a third-and-25 when Deiondre Goldston found Sean Walker Jr. for 26 yards, then moved to the Mars Hill 28 after an 18-yard completion to Jamison Funderburk. But Caden Hilemon intercepted Goldston in the end zone, ending the threat and preserving the Lions' seven-point lead.

It was a fitting result for a Mars Hill defense that controlled the game.

WSSU finished with only 17 rushing yards on 24 attempts and 66 yards through the air. The Rams averaged 1.8 yards per play, converted only two of 11 third downs and never reached the red zone.

Mars Hill recorded three sacks and nine tackles for loss. Jamarion Farrior led the Lions with eight tackles, while Isaac Weaver, Aden Allsbrook and Russell Barnett recorded four apiece. Hilemon supplied the game's only turnover with his third-quarter interception.

Mars Hill's offense wasn't explosive outside of Durant, but the Lions steadily wore down the WSSU defense.

They ran 72 offensive plays and held the ball for more than 35 minutes, finishing with 366 yards. Of those, 289 came on the ground as Mars Hill averaged 5.8 yards on 50 rushing attempts.

Durant accounted for most of that production. The senior carried 28 times for 201 yards, averaging 7.2 yards per attempt. Nate Crosby Jr. added 51 yards on 12 carries, while quarterback Lukas Kachilo completed 12 of 22 passes for 77 yards without an interception.

Still leading only 7-0 midway through the fourth quarter, Mars Hill put together the kind of possession that had defined the night. The Lions marched 55 yards in nine plays while taking 5:29 off the clock before Newsome connected on a 22-yard field goal with 5:02 remaining.

WSSU went backward on its ensuing possession, and Mars Hill took over at the Rams' 35 following a 28-yard punt return.

Durant finished the job.

After runs by Crosby on the first two plays, Durant ripped off 32 yards to the WSSU 1 before scoring on the next snap. His second touchdown made it 17-0 with 2:34 remaining and effectively ended any hope of a Rams comeback.

Winston-Salem State's Jamison Funderburk led the Rams with 36 rushing yards and added 19 receiving yards. Walker caught four passes for 37 yards. Defensively, Camden Martin and Maurice Odom each finished with 11 tackles.

Both teams now turn toward conference play against another North Carolina opponent.

Mars Hill opens its home schedule and South Atlantic Conference slate Saturday against Catawba. Winston-Salem State remains at Bowman Gray Stadium to open CIAA play against Johnson C. Smith.

BOONE – App State wasted little time showing what its revamped roster could be capable of Saturday.

The Mountaineers overwhelmed Maine on both sides of the ball, piling up 647 yards of offense and forcing two turnovers in a 55-3 victory before 33,664 fans at Kidd Brewer Stadium.

Quarterback Malachi Singleton led the way for App State, completing 22 of 24 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns as the Mountaineers built a 31-0 halftime lead and never allowed the Black Bears to make the game competitive. App State finished with 348 passing yards and 299 rushing yards while averaging 9 yards per offensive play.

Maine, meanwhile, managed 250 total yards and 12 first downs. Quarterback Eddie Buehler completed 18 of 32 passes for 198 yards but was intercepted twice, while the Black Bears were held to 52 rushing yards on 28 attempts.

App State's first possession ended with a turnover deep in Maine territory, but that proved to be one of the few opportunities the Mountaineers failed to capitalize on.

Treyaun Webb opened the scoring midway through the first quarter with a 2-yard touchdown run that capped a four-play, 78-yard drive. James London then extended the lead to 10-0 with a 31-yard field goal early in the second quarter.

From there, Singleton took control.

He found tight end Darrin Fugitt for a 5-yard touchdown with 9:32 remaining in the second quarter, pushing the advantage to 17-0. Less than six minutes later, Singleton connected with Samuel Pickett III for a 14-yard touchdown. Pickett struck again just before halftime, hauling in a 7-yard scoring pass with seven seconds left to send App State into the locker room with a 31-point cushion.

That final first-half score was set up by one of the game's biggest defensive plays.

Maine had moved into App State territory late in the second quarter before Buehler was intercepted by Caleb Pitts at the App State 30. Pitts returned the interception 15 yards to the 45, giving the Mountaineers enough time to add another touchdown before the break.

The pressure continued after halftime. Colton Phares intercepted Buehler on Maine's opening possession of the third quarter after pressure from Dre Walker, and App State answered with a seven-play, 69-yard drive. Jaquari Lewis finished it with a 12-yard touchdown run for a 38-0 lead with 9:14 remaining in the period.

Maine finally broke through with 51 seconds left in the third quarter when Samuel Tremblay converted a 40-yard field goal, completing an 18-play, 52-yard possession and cutting the deficit to 38-3. It would be the Black Bears' only scoring drive of the afternoon.

App State's reserves kept the offense moving in the fourth.

Henry Hasselbeck helped direct a 75-yard drive that ended with receiver Nate Branch racing 36 yards for a touchdown, increasing the lead to 45-3. Three minutes later, Jackson Grier broke loose for a 28-yard touchdown run to make it 52-3. London added a 32-yard field goal with 2:12 remaining to complete the scoring.

Pickett finished with five receptions for 76 yards and two touchdowns, while Fugitt caught four passes for 47 yards and a score. Branch contributed 55 receiving yards and 44 rushing yards, including his touchdown.

App State spread its rushing production throughout the lineup. Lewis led the Mountaineers with 69 yards on 11 carries, while Ja'Quez Cross added 66 yards and Hasselbeck rushed for 53. The Mountaineers scored four times on the ground and three times through the air.

For Maine, Rashawn Marshall led the rushing attack with 37 yards on 13 carries. The Black Bears' longest offensive gain came on a 47-yard Buehler completion to Corey Rideout in the fourth quarter, but the possession ended on downs.

The result gave App State a convincing opening victory in its second season under head coach Dowell Loggains, while Maine fell to 1-1.