Saturday, November 3, 2018

Wingate Rolls to Fifth Straight Win Behind Record-Setting Day From Peoples

GAFFNEY, SC - Wingate University freshman running back Nijere Peoples scored a school-record tying five rushing touchdowns Saturday afternoon, while posting the second-most rushing yards in program history to lead the Bulldogs to a 49-26 victory at Limestone College in South Atlantic Conference football action. Wingate wins its fifth straight, improving to 7-3 overall and 4-2 in the SAC. The Saints fall to 0-10 overall and 0-7 in league play.







NOTES



- Wingate is now 5-0 all-time against the Saints and 3-0 at Limestone

- WU has outscored opponents 224-96 during winning streak

- Fifth time the 'Dogs have scored at least 35 points this year

- 18th straight win for the 'Dogs when scoring over 30 points

- Only Tracy Brown has had more rushing yards in a game than Peoples (282 in 1998)

- Lawrence Pittman is the only other Bulldog with five rushing scores (2016 vs. Shaw)

- Season high in rushing yards, yards per rush and rushing touchdowns

- The Bulldogs are ranked ninth in the most recent NCAA Super Region 2 poll



KEY TEAM STATS



- Wingate had 399 yards of offense compared to Limestone's 349

- WU had 344 rushing yards on 8.0 yards per carry

- 14 of Wingate's 17 first downs were via rushes

- Limestone threw for 189 yards compared to Wingate's 55

- The Bulldogs averaged 7.5 yards per play

- The Saints won the time of possession battle by four minutes

- WU scored on four of five red zone trips, all touchdowns



KEY BULLDOGS



- Peoples ran for 239 yards and five touchdowns on 25 carries

- Averaged 9.6 yards per rush with a long of 60

- Fifth time Peoples has gone for over 130 yards

- The freshman has a SAC-best 13 rushing scores; nine last three weeks

- Shaw Crocker completed five-of-10 passes for 55 yards; added 21 rushing yards

- Noah Arnett had seven carries for 64 yards

- Darquez Lee added a rushing touchdown

- Bryan Mitchell had two catches for 32 yards

- JT Stokes had five receiving yards and 23 rushing yards

- Cal Hanford had four tackles, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble

- Davion Washington had five tackles and two pass break-ups

- Robbie Wallace led the 'Dogs with seven tackles

- Kam Johnson had an interception and three tackles

- Elijah Gilmore had a fumble recovery and a touchdown

- Chris Birozes averaged 46 yards on five punts with three inside the 20

- McLean Robertson hit all seven PATs

- Ra'Quan Simmons had three punt returns for 62 yards

- Simmons had 107 yards on four kick-off returns



FIRST QUARTER



- Limestone struck first when DJ Phillips capped a 75-yard drive with a one-yard rushing TD

- Griffin Martin's 51-yard field goal put the Saints on top 10-0



SECOND QUARTER



- Wingate went 64 yards on eight plays to get on the board

- A Crocker 18-yard run and Stokes 23-yard run got it to the Limestone four

- Peoples scored on the next play to make it 10-7

- WU added a five-play, 58-yard drive to take the lead

- Crocker hit Mitchell for 25 yards to get it in the red zone

- Peoples scored from eight yards out to make it 14-10



THIRD QUARTER



- The Wingate defense put the 'Dogs on top by double figures in the third quarter

- Hanford stripped the ball from the LC quarterback at the five, with Gilmore's scoop and score making it 21-10

- A Simmons 33-yard punt return gave WU the ball at the Limestone 29 later in the frame

- Peoples scored from 25 yards out on the second play to put the Bulldogs on top by 18

- Martins' 41-yard field goal made it 28-13



FOURTH QUARTER



- A 33-yard kick return from Simmons set the 'Dogs up at the 40 on the ensuing possession

- Peoples scored from 45 yards out to give Wingate a 35-13 advantage

- Johnson's interception came on the next possession, which he returned to the Limestone one

- Peoples scored on the first play of the drive to make it 42-13

- Phillips hit Cody Rau on fourth-and-goal from the five to make it 42-20

- A 60-yard run from Peoples on the next trip got the 'Dogs to the Limestone two

- Lee scored two plays later to put Wingate on top by 29

- Phillips connected with Rau for a 27-yard score to make the final margin 42-26



UP NEXT



- Wingate wraps up the regular season at home next weekend

- The Bulldogs host Tusculum at 3 p.m. on Senior Day




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