UNC Pembroke football rallies from 13-point halftime deficit to upset No. 19 Wingate, 21-13

PEMBROKE – UNC Pembroke delivered a season-opening statement Thursday night, rallying from a 13-point halftime deficit to knock off No. 19 Wingate 21-13 at Grace P. Johnson Stadium. After a slow start and a weather-delayed opening half, the Braves controlled the final two quarters, leaned on long possessions, and finished the comeback with a defensive touchdown in the closing minutes.

Wingate took command before halftime behind a second-quarter surge. The Bulldogs broke through with 6:32 left in the period, putting together a 10-play, 83-yard drive that ended when Brooks Brien found Aaron Griffin for a 15-yard touchdown. Although the extra point was missed, Wingate had the first momentum swing of the night. The Bulldogs added to it after a short field, moving 36 yards in six plays before Ethan Wallace scored from a yard out with 1:12 remaining. Mason Suber’s kick pushed the lead to 13-0, and Pembroke’s final chance before the break ended with a missed 49-yard field goal as time expired.

The game turned after halftime. Wingate opened the third quarter with a promising march to the Pembroke 12, but Suber missed a 29-yard field goal, leaving the Bulldogs empty on a chance to make it a three-score game. UNC Pembroke answered with the kind of drive that changed the tone of the night: 15 plays, 80 yards and more than nine minutes off the clock. Quarterback Josh Ehrlich carried the series both through the air and on the ground, eventually forcing his way into the end zone from one yard out on fourth down. Jared Navidad’s extra point trimmed the deficit to 13-7 and gave the Braves life heading into the final stretch.

Pembroke’s defense then tightened the game completely. Wingate managed just 63 yards on 23 second-half offensive plays, and the Braves repeatedly forced the Bulldogs into uncomfortable passing situations. Meanwhile, the Pembroke offense stayed patient. A drive that began late in the third quarter continued deep into the fourth, eventually covering 71 yards in 16 plays and consuming 8:50. Ehrlich kept the chains moving, including a key fourth-down sequence aided by a Wingate roughing-the-passer penalty, before finding Jake Davids for a six-yard touchdown. Navidad’s kick gave UNC Pembroke its first lead, 14-13, with 7:31 to play.

From there, the Braves protected the margin with defense and field position. Wingate reached midfield on its next possession but turned the ball over on downs at the Pembroke 48. The Braves were forced to punt, giving the Bulldogs one more opportunity with 1:50 left at their own 20. Ten seconds later, Myles Hudson delivered the decisive play, intercepting Brien and returning it 22 yards for a touchdown. The pick-six stretched the lead to 21-13 and capped Pembroke’s 21 unanswered points.

Wingate still had one final possession and moved to its own 43 after a pass interference penalty, but Pembroke’s secondary finished the job. Four straight incompletions, including a fourth-down breakup, sealed the win and ended the Bulldogs’ comeback bid.

Statistically, the game was tight, but Pembroke controlled the details that mattered most. The Braves outgained Wingate 216-204, held a 16-14 edge in first downs and dominated time of possession, 37:59 to 22:01. Ehrlich completed 20 of 31 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown while adding 69 net rushing yards and another score. Avery Curtis was his most frequent target, catching 11 passes for 49 yards, while Davids supplied the go-ahead touchdown reception.

For Wingate, Wallace led the offense with 86 rushing yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, while Brien threw for 68 yards with one touchdown and one interception. The Bulldogs’ defense had strong individual efforts, including nine tackles from Tyson Brown and 3.5 tackles for loss with 1.5 sacks from David Squires, but three turnovers and a scoreless second half proved costly. UNC Pembroke, meanwhile, opened the season 1-0 by ending a six-game skid against Wingate and earning a ranked win built on resilience, ball control and a closing defensive flourish.

PEMBROKE – UNC Pembroke earned their first victory of the season with a 31-24 win over Fayetteville State at Grace P. Johnson Stadium in Pembroke, North Carolina on Saturday night. The Braves improved to 1-1 while the Broncos dropped to 0-2 in a game that featured 55 combined points and 682 total yards of offense.

The game began with promise for Fayetteville State, as they recovered a fumble deep in UNC Pembroke territory and converted it into the opening score. After forcing a three-and-out, the Broncos capitalized on excellent field position when Marcus Thompson recovered a Tre Robinson fumble at the Pembroke 17-yard line. Three plays later, Caden Davis punched it in from one yard out to give FSU a 7-0 lead with 9:52 remaining in the first quarter.

UNC Pembroke answered immediately with a methodical 44-yard touchdown drive. Robinson found his rhythm, connecting with Que Kennedy for a 4-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7-7. The Braves' passing attack, which would prove to be the difference, was just getting started. Robinson completed 13 of 20 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns on the night.

The first quarter belonged to Kennedy and Robinson's connection. After FSU went three-and-out following back-to-back false start penalties, Pembroke took over at their own 50-yard line. Robinson methodically moved the Braves downfield, finding Kennedy again for a 7-yard touchdown pass with 1:32 left in the opening quarter. The 14-7 lead would hold through the end of the first quarter, with UNC Pembroke controlling 9:50 of the 15-minute period.

Fayetteville State managed to cut into the deficit in the second quarter when John Hernandez-Vargas connected on a 36-yard field goal, capping a 12-play, 65-yard drive that consumed nearly six minutes of clock time. The drive showcased the Broncos' balanced attack, with quarterback Demari Daniels contributing both through the air and on the ground, including a 35-yard scramble that set up the scoring opportunity.

Any momentum FSU built was quickly erased when Robinson found Malik Brown for a 47-yard touchdown strike just five plays later. The scoring pass highlighted UNC Pembroke's explosive passing capabilities, as Brown finished the night with three catches for 111 yards and the touchdown. The score extended Pembroke's lead to 21-10 with 4:39 remaining in the first half.

The second half opened with UNC Pembroke extending their advantage. After a 51-yard kickoff return by Jordan Marcucci set up excellent field position, the Braves added a 25-yard field goal by Taylor Harris. The three points came after Robinson completed a 36-yard pass to Jaquan Albright that moved the ball to the FSU 5-yard line, but the Braves had to settle for three points when the drive stalled.

Trailing 24-10, Fayetteville State found their offensive rhythm with a seven-play, 50-yard touchdown drive. Daniels completed passes of 15 and 15 yards to Unique Kelly, then scrambled 14 yards to set up Davis for his second one-yard touchdown run of the game. The score cut the deficit to 24-17 and gave the Broncos life entering the fourth quarter.

However, UNC Pembroke had an immediate answer. Marcus Martin, who entered the game as Pembroke's second quarterback, engineered a spectacular 93-yard touchdown drive that showcased the Braves' offensive depth. The drive featured a 20-yard completion from Martin to Albright, followed by a remarkable 58-yard run by Albright that brought the ball to the FSU 6-yard line. Martin capped the drive with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Albright, restoring the two-touchdown cushion at 31-17.

Fayetteville State refused to surrender, mounting one final scoring drive with 3:38 remaining in the third quarter. Daniels found Kelly for a 34-yard completion, then watched as Bryce Council broke free for a 22-yard run to the UNC Pembroke 1-yard line. Davis scored his third touchdown of the game on the following play, bringing the Broncos within seven points at 31-24.

The fourth quarter became a defensive struggle as both teams tightened up considerably. UNC Pembroke managed just 28 yards of total offense in the final period, while Fayetteville State generated 61 yards but could not find the end zone. The Braves controlled the clock effectively, holding possession for 8:27 of the 15-minute quarter and limiting FSU's opportunities.

Fayetteville State's final opportunity came with 2:48 remaining when they took over at their own 37-yard line trailing by seven. However, the drive stalled at the same spot, and the Broncos turned the ball over on downs with 2:05 left on the clock. UNC Pembroke ran out the remaining time to secure the victory.

Statistically, UNC Pembroke dominated through the air while Fayetteville State controlled the ground game. The Braves outgained FSU 424-258 in total offense, with 280 passing yards compared to just 119 for the Broncos. Robinson's 234 passing yards were complemented by Martin's 46 yards, giving Pembroke a clear advantage in the passing game. Albright emerged as the standout receiver with seven catches for 105 yards and a touchdown, while also contributing 68 rushing yards on just four carries.

For Fayetteville State, the rushing attack provided consistency throughout the game. Daniels led the way with 80 yards on 13 carries, while Council added 48 yards on 13 attempts. Davis, despite his three touchdowns, managed just six yards on four carries but proved invaluable in short-yardage situations. Kelly paced the receiving corps with five catches for 85 yards.

The defensive statistics revealed a relatively even battle, with UNC Pembroke recording 62 total tackles compared to FSU's 71. Jaidin Baptist led Pembroke with 10 tackles, while Matthew Leach topped Fayetteville State with 11 stops. Both teams struggled with penalties, as FSU was flagged 11 times for 92 yards while UNC Pembroke committed eight penalties for 53 yards.

Key Performers

UNC Pembroke:

- Tre Robinson: 13/20, 234 yards, 3 passing TDs; 8 carries, 20 rushing yards

- Jaquan Albright: 7 catches, 105 yards, 1 TD; 4 carries, 68 yards

- Malik Brown: 3 catches, 111 yards, 1 TD

- Marcus Martin: 6/9, 46 yards, 1 passing TD

Fayetteville State:

- Demari Daniels: 11/27, 119 yards; 13 carries, 80 yards

- Caden Davis: 3 TDs rushing (3 carries, 6 yards)

- Unique Kelly: 5 catches, 85 yards

- Bryce Council: 13 carries, 48 yards

Recognizing the quality of college football in the state of North Carolina, CarolinaGridiron.com has announced its preseason All-North Carolina College Football (NCCFB) team for the 2019 football season. Twenty-five of the state’s thirty-three football playing institutions are represented on this year’s list with FBS Appalachian State leading with eight selections.

The 2019 North Carolina College Football season kicks off on Thursday night, August 29th when the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs face the Charlotte 49ers.

Pos	Player	School
QB	Zac Thomas	Appalachian State
RB	Stevie Green	Fayetteville State
RB	Benny LeMay	Charlotte
TE	Matt Foster	Elon
WR	Corey Sutton	Appalachian State
WR	Caleb Snead	Campbell
OL	Charlie Heck	UNC
OL	Dontae Keys	North Carolina A&T
OL	Keanu Gonzales	Shaw
OL	Rakavius Chambers	Duke
OL	Donald Boone	Chowan
DL	James Smith-Williams	NC State
DL	Kawuan Cox	NC Central
DL	Rafiq Abdul Wahid	Chowan
DL	Larrell Murchison	NC State
LB	Akeem Davis-Gaither	Appalachian State
LB	Sherrod Williams	Lenoir-Rhyne
LB	Justin Strnad	Wake Forest
DB	Mac McLain III	North Carolina A&T
DB	Kasseem Bagley	Greensboro
DB	Devon Hunt	Shaw
DB	Ben DeLuca	Charlotte
K	Jake Verity	East Carolina
P	Isaac Parks	UNC-Pembroke
RS	Tyeous Sharpe	Fayetteville State
ATH	Deon Jackson	Duke

Pos	Player	School
QB	Tyrie Adams	Western Carolina
RB	Wesley Duggar	Davidson
RB	Darrynton Evans	Appalachian State
TE	Michael Wooten	Campbell
WR	Scotty Washington	Wake Forest
WR	Elijah Bell	North Carolina A&T
OL	Justin Herron	Wake Forest
OL	Brandon Leahey	Gardner-Webb
OL	Victor Johnson	Appalachian State
OL	Jason Poe	Lenoir-Rhyne
OL	Noah Hannon	Appalachian State
DL	Justin Cates	North Carolina A&T
DL	Darius Royster	NC Central
DL	Carlos Basham	Wake Forest
DL	Alex Highsmith	Charlotte
LB	Jordan Fehr	Appalachian State
LB	Vincent Thomas	Elizabeth City State
LB	Isaiah Moore	NC State
DB	Desmond Franklin	Appalachian State
DB	Bryce Smith	Guilford
DB	Daryus Skinner	Winston-Salem State
DB	Cameron Mattison	Wingate
K	Jonathan Cruz	Charlotte
P	Dom Maggio	Wake Forest
RS	BJ Muckelvene	Wingate
ATH	Craig Rucker	Mars Hill

Carolina Gridiron has provided coverage of college football in North Carolina since 2013, focusing on players who also played their high school football in the state. To distinguish North Carolina college football on social media, fans of all North Carolina college football teams are encouraged to use the hashtag #NCCFB throughout the season as a way to showcase North Carolina college football pride.