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.

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.

WINSTON-SALEM – Gio Lopez waited nine months to get hit again.

Once he did, Wake Forest's new quarterback could get back to doing what he came to Winston-Salem to do.

The North Carolina transfer threw for 350 yards and three touchdowns as Wake Forest raced to a 28-3 halftime lead and opened its season with a 38-16 victory over Akron on Thursday night at Allegacy Financial Stadium.

Lopez completed 21 of 32 passes without an interception and helped the Demon Deacons pile up 559 yards of offense. Wake Forest averaged 8.2 yards per play and scored touchdowns through the air from 27, 72 and 78 yards. 

For Lopez, it was his first game action since suffering a broken fibula the last time he was tackled.

“I was like, ‘I haven't been tackled in like nine months,’” Lopez said. “You get that first hit, you're like, ‘All right, we're good.’”

Wake Forest didn't need long to settle in.

Lopez capped an eight-play, 82-yard opening possession with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Ke'Shawn Shanks. Connor Calvert added a 25-yard field goal later in the first quarter to make it 10-0.

Then the Demon Deacons started producing the explosive plays that broke the game open.

Lopez connected with Antonio Meeks for a 72-yard touchdown less than four minutes into the second quarter. After another Calvert field goal, Lopez found Carlos Hernandez for a 78-yard score, giving Wake Forest a 28-0 advantage with 4:57 remaining before halftime. Akron's only first-half points came on a 28-yard field goal. 

“I felt very in control,” Lopez said. “I trust Coach Ezell when he's telling me what the play is or whatever the check is. So it's full belief in Coach Ezell just to get us in the right situation, and I just go and execute the play that he called.”

Hernandez became Lopez's biggest target, catching five passes for 165 yards. Kam Shanks finished with five receptions for 55 yards, while Antonio Meeks had three catches for 93.

Lopez credited his receivers for turning throws into big gains, something Wake Forest couldn't fully simulate during practices designed to limit contact.

“They did a really good job with the ball in their hands,” Lopez said. “To see those guys make plays with the ball in their hand after the catch was super exciting for me just to be a fan and watch those guys play.”

His connection with Hernandez goes beyond football.

“That's my best friend,” Lopez said. “We're super close off the field and super close on the field.”

Wake Forest also found explosiveness on the ground. Running back Ty Clark rushed seven times for 105 yards, including a 57-yard run, while Deuce Lawrence added 52 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown. 

Yet coach Jake Dickert wasn't interested in allowing a comfortable season-opening victory to obscure Wake Forest's mistakes.

“Success can be an illusion,” Dickert said. “I thought we were sloppy in a lot of phases of this game.”

Wake Forest managed only three points in the third quarter and was outscored 13-7 in the fourth as Akron scored twice against the Demon Deacons' reserves. Dickert also wanted more physicality from the running game and was disappointed with how his defense finished.

“There's so much to clean up from this tape,” Dickert said. “We'll show them the good, we'll be excited about where we go from here, but we've got to be a better football team in nine days.”

Lopez offered a similar assessment.

“I think we did a really good job executing the playbook,” he said. “I think we've got to be better in the second half, just overall keeping the energy going.”

The degree of difficulty now increases.

Wake Forest travels to West Lafayette, Indiana, in nine days to face Purdue at Ross-Ade Stadium.

“I think we're super excited to go to Purdue,” Lopez said, “go to their stadium and play in a stadium that isn't ours, but try to win a game.

Gardner-Webb fires football coach Kris McCullough after one game; Pete Bennett takes over as interim coach

BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner Webb University has dismissed head football coach Kris McCullough, ending a tenure that lasted one game and placing the Runnin’ Bulldogs under interim leadership early in the 2026 season.

McCullough, hired in December 2025, arrived in Boiling Springs as a rising offensive mind after successful head coaching stops at East Central and UT Permian Basin. His hiring followed the departure of former coach Cris Reisert, who led Gardner Webb for two seasons, including a 7 5 campaign in 2025, before leaving to become Toledo’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. McCullough inherited a program that had experienced recent postseason success under Tre Lamb and remained competitive in conference play, but his Gardner Webb tenure ended before it could develop beyond the opening week.

University officials announced that McCullough’s contract had been terminated, effective immediately, and said the school would have no additional comment. The dismissal came two days after Gardner Webb suspended him pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation; the university has not publicly disclosed the cause of the investigation or the reason for the firing. McCullough coached one game for the Bulldogs, a 35 17 season opening loss at Austin Peay.

Special teams coordinator and tight ends coach Pete Bennett will continue as interim head coach for the remainder of the 2026 season. The move continues a period of transition for Gardner Webb football, which has now gone from Tre Lamb to Reisert to McCullough to Bennett in a short span. The program’s recent history has included conference titles, FCS playoff appearances and a rebuilt identity, but frequent leadership changes have made sustained momentum difficult.

Gardner Webb now turns its focus to stabilizing the season while determining its next long term direction. Bennett inherits a team still near the beginning of its schedule, with the Bulldogs trying to regroup quickly after an abrupt coaching change and a season opening loss. Gardner Webb is scheduled to continue its road swing next week at Wofford, with kickoff set for 1:30 p.m. Saturday in Spartanburg.

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.