Showing posts with label Elon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elon. Show all posts

Saturday, November 18, 2023

Dominant Display by Elon in Decisive Victory Over Hampton

7:02 PM

ELON – In a commanding performance, the Elon football team showcased their offensive prowess and defensive prowess, securing a decisive victory over Hampton in a game marked by explosive plays and defensive turnovers.

The first quarter set the tone for Elon's dominance as quarterback Matthew Downing orchestrated two impressive touchdown passes. The first, a 33-yard connection to Jamarien Dalton, occurred just 19 seconds into the game, with Jack Berkowitz converting the extra point. Elon quickly followed up with another Downing pass, this time a 60-yard bomb to Chandler Brayboy, extending their lead to 14-0.

Hampton responded with a scoring drive of their own, as Chris Zellous connected with Paul Woods for a 43-yard touchdown pass, narrowing the gap to 14-7 by the end of the opening quarter.

The second quarter witnessed Elon's continued offensive onslaught. Downing, displaying precision in his passes, linked up with Christian Da-Silva for a 33-yard touchdown, further extending the lead to 21-7. The Elon defense then made a significant impact, with Bo Sanders intercepting a pass and returning it 34 yards for a touchdown. Marco Patierno added to the defensive heroics with a 23-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown, pushing Elon's lead to a commanding 34-7.

As the second quarter unfolded, Elon continued to capitalize on Hampton's defensive lapses, with Jack Berkowitz adding three more points to the board through a 39-yard field goal. The offensive onslaught continued just before halftime, as Downing connected with Johncarlos Miller II for a 53-yard touchdown, concluding the first half with Elon leading 44-7.

Despite Hampton's efforts to mount a comeback in the third quarter, Chris Zellous's 2-yard rushing touchdown brought the score to 44-14. However, Elon remained in control, ensuring a substantial lead heading into the final quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Elon sealed their dominant performance with Wayne Dixie III's 27-yard touchdown run, capping a 51-14 victory. The play was part of a seven-play, 89-yard drive that showcased Elon's offensive versatility.

Elon finishes the season with a 6-5 overall record and 6-2 in the CAA.

Saturday, September 30, 2023

Elon Pulls Off a Stunner, Keeping William & Mary at Bay

4:30 PM

ELON – On Saturday afternoon in Rhodes Stadium, the Elon University Football team put on a defensive masterclass, leaving the previously undefeated William & Mary Tribe scratching their heads as they failed to find the end zone. The Phoenix pulled off an astonishing victory, beating The Tribe 14-6 in a nail-biting game that had fans on the edge of their seats. With this win, Elon now stands alone at the top of the CAA Football standings, boasting a perfect 3-0 record within the conference (3-2 overall), while William & Mary drops to 4-1 on the season with a 2-1 conference record.

The game was an absolute thriller, played in front of a raucous crowd of 12,705 fans, making it the third-highest attendance in the history of Rhodes Stadium. Elon's home game-winning streak now stands at an impressive eight, going back to the 2021 season. It's worth noting that the Elon community has shown immense support, contributing to two of the biggest attendances in stadium history during the first two home games of 2023, with 11,275 fans turning up for the North Carolina A&T game just two weeks ago.

This victory is a milestone for Elon, marking their second win against a top-5 ranked program in school history. The last time they achieved this feat was in 2018 when they triumphed over No. 2 James Madison on the road.

How It All Went Down

The game got underway with William & Mary punting on their first possession, but a surprise turnover by Elon gave The Tribe a golden opportunity to take the lead early. William & Mary pushed hard and managed to get to the Elon 1-yard line, but Caleb Curtain's fantastic tackle kept running back Malachi Imoh just inches away from the goal line, keeping the game scoreless.

The second quarter saw William & Mary take a 6-0 lead with a couple of well-executed field goals. Elon did have a chance in the third quarter, but a missed field goal was the closest they came to scoring in the second half.

Then came the turning point. Jaidyn Denis intercepted a pass from Darius Wilson with just 1:49 left in the third quarter and ran it back 21 yards, putting Elon in a prime position at the William & Mary 30-yard line. As the fourth quarter began, Elon's offense started to click. On a crucial third-and-9 play from the 16-yard line, Matthew Downing found Chandler Brayboy for a touchdown, putting the Phoenix ahead 7-6 with 13:33 left in the game.

William & Mary tried to mount a comeback but ended up punting on their next drive, pinning Elon at the 6-yard line. Facing a challenging third-and-two from the 14-yard line, Downing connected with Brayboy again, this time for an incredible 76-yard gain. Elon sealed the deal three plays later as Downing hooked up with Jamarien Dalton for an 8-yard touchdown pass. William & Mary had one last shot, driving into the Elon red zone, but they fell short on fourth-and-three from the 12-yard line, with Cazeem Moore and Denis making a crucial tackle. Elon ran out the clock with two kneel-downs to secure the win.

Impressive Performances and Stats

Matthew Downing had a stellar day, completing 14 of 20 passes for 187 yards and tossing two crucial fourth-quarter touchdowns. Jalen Hampton led Elon's rushing attack with 13 carries for 74 yards, averaging an impressive 5.7 yards per carry. Chandler Brayboy was the standout receiver, becoming the first Elon player this season to break the 100-yard mark with four catches for 109 yards.

On the defensive side, Caleb Curtain and Marco Patierno had standout performances, each racking up a career-high 11 tackles. Curtain also added a sack, while Patierno had 1.5 tackles for loss. Marvin Pearson was a force to be reckoned with, tallying six tackles, a sack, and putting constant pressure on the quarterback with three hurries. Arthur Nwandu contributed 1.5 tackles for loss, and Brandon Tyson forced a critical fumble.

In the punting game, Kyle Romenick averaged a whopping 47.0 yards on four punts, including one inside the 20-yard line. William & Mary dominated on the ground, amassing 307 rushing yards but struggled through the air, managing just 36 passing yards. Elon, on the other hand, balanced their attack, accumulating 115 rushing yards and 187 passing yards. William & Mary's 36 passing yards marked the lowest yardage by an Elon opponent since November 24, 2018.

Elon's head coach, Tony Trisciani, celebrated a significant milestone, improving his record to 23-22 as a head coach. The win marks Elon's seventh consecutive CAA victory, dating back to 2022. Furthermore, Elon boasts an impressive record of 14-5 in their last 19 CAA games and has the most conference wins in the CAA since the start of the 2021 season.

What's Next?

Elon is now gearing up for another exciting matchup as they return home to face another formidable opponent. Next Saturday, the Phoenix will welcome No. 15/13 NC Central to Rhodes Stadium for a 2 p.m. kick-off. It promises to be another thrilling showdown as Elon continues its impressive journey through the 2023 season.


Saturday, September 23, 2023

Elon Holds Off Campbell Comeback And Goes to 2-0 in CAA Action With 28-24 Win

6:33 PM


BUIES CREEK – Elon and Campbell both came into Saturday evening’s game looking for momentum before tackling a tough stretch of schedule during the middle third of the football season. Although rain from Tropical Storm Ophelia kept some fans away, Barker-Lane Stadium was still rocking as these two new in-state rivals met for the first time as conference foes. By the time the clock read all zeroes, Elon was able to hold off a valiant comeback attempt by Campbell and defeat the Camels 28-24 to go to 2-0 in CAA play.

Both teams’ offenses came out with to good plays to get to midfield but had miscues that ended their opening drives. Campbell got a brief jolt of energy when VJ Wilkins’s great catch and run to get the Camels into Elon territory, but the drive fizzled out and the Camels were forced to settle for a 32-yard Caleb Dowden field goal to get on the scoreboard for the first time for the evening and the lone score of the first quarter. The bright spot was quickly overshadowed when Campbell linebacker Antoine Sampah was carted off the field with an apparent leg injury. The Camels' defense certainly missed his presence as the Phoenix were able to drive deep into Campbell territory and take the lead on a ten-yard rushing touchdown by Jalen Hampton.

Campbell had stopped Elon and was about to force a long FG try, but a personal foul penalty extended the drive and gave the Phoenix a fresh set of downs. Two plays later, Jalen Hampton dragged several Campbell defenders into the end zone for his second touchdown of the night. The next Elon drive was a repeat as another unnecessary roughness penalty gave Elon a first down in Campbell territory and Elon was able to score two plays after the penalty. Christian Da Silva took a ball around the left side of the line and was brought down at the one-yard-line and Jalen Hampton punched it in on the next play for his third score of the quarter.

Elon came out of the half determined to extend their lead and even gambled on a fourth down at the Campbell thirty-yard line to keep the momentum going, but a pass missed its mark and was picked off by Campbell’s Monchovia Gaffney. The Camels took over and went to work and a catch and run by Chaney Fitzgerald got the Camels into the red zone. After an intentional grounding call and sack pushed the Camels back, Hajj-Malik Williams looked to make up for his miscues on the previous two plays and scooted twenty-two yards for Campbell’s first touchdown of the evening. The celebration was short-lived, however, as the Camels found themselves in the same position as earlier drives with a personal foul penalty extending an Elon drive that was capped off with a Jalen Hampton rushing touchdown two plays later. Hampton’s fourth touchdown of the game gave the Phoenix a 28-10 lead heading into the final quarter.

The Camels refused to give up in the final quarter and CJ Tillman’s forced fumble was recovered by Cam Booker, giving the home team a sign of life. When Hajj-Malik Williams hit VJ Wilkins in the endzone, the Camels faithful erupted. The ensuing two-point conversion was good and the Camels, desperate for the comeback, found themselves down ten with eight minutes left. The Campbell defense stepped up on the next drive, forcing an Elon punt. The Camels offense was quick on the draw on the ensuing possession, moving eighty-seven yards in six plays. Brandon Fitez’s spectacular grab gave the ball to the Camels deep in Elon territory and a pass interference call in the end zone set the Camels up at the two-yard line with six-and-a-half minutes left in the game. NaQuari Rogers’s two-yard touchdown on the next play made it a one-score game, but a missed PAT attempt kept it a four-point affair. Although the Campbell defense was able to give the ball back to the offense for one last chance at victory, the clock was not on the Camels’ side as time ran out before the Camels could find the end zone one last time.

Standout Players

Jalen Hampton led all rushers with 169 yards while rushing for four touchdowns. Hajj-Malik Williams was 33 of 44 for 367 yards and a touchdown. VJ Wilkins led all receivers with ten receptions and 114 receiving yards. Defensively, Bo Sanders and Monchovia Gaffney each had an interception for their respective squads while leading their squads with ten tackles apiece.

What They Said

Elon Coach Tony Trisciani on how his team played offensively: “I was real happy with how came we out of the gate and played. We knew we had to assert ourselves upfront. We knew that that's where we needed to win, especially with weather like this, it would be important wanted to run the football.” On defense, “I thought we did a good job getting to the quarterback position to force him to make some decisions and the get ball the perimeter.”

Campbell Coach Mike Minter on his team’s penalties: “You basically have all your penalties are personal fouls. And all of their points come off of those penalties. And so that's the one thing that sticks out to me in that ball game, you know, third and long and we’ll get a personal foul, third and long, we get a personal foul, third down, we get a personal foul. That's just sickening when you look at it. So we gotta learn from that and understand you know who refereeing the game and understand what type of game is gonna be.” On his team’s finish to the game: “We look at, you know you got a chance for the five-minute drill and we had the five-minute drill going on again. They were able to convert a couple of first downs and kind of ran the clock down a little bit and we just didn't have enough time on the clock. But you just can't start the way we started. We spot them twenty-one points and it's 21-3 and then now you decide to play football, you can't do that.”

Up Next

Both teams face tough matchups next week with ranked teams as Elon (2-2, 2-0) hosts #5 William and Mary while Campbell (2-2, 1-1) heads to Durham to face 18th-ranked North Carolina Central for another in-state contest. 


Friday, September 22, 2023

Showdown in Buies Creek Highlights Saturday's Gridiron Action

8:34 AM

The Elon Phoenix and the Campbell Fighting Camels are set to face off in an exciting CAA matchup today at Barker-Lane Stadium in Buies Creek. This match-up promises to be a thrilling encounter as both teams have shown great potential in their previous games and are looking to move up the CAA standings. Kickoff is set for 6 pm and will be broadcast on FloSport.

Elon has had a mixed start to their season, falling in close matchups to FBS Wake Forest and a strong NC FCS Gardner-Webb squad before winning their CAA opener against North Carolina A&T last Saturday. Defensively, the Phoenix are coming off of a strong effort where they held the Aggies to an impressive 140 yards of total offense. The Phoenix defense, led by defensive back, and former Grimsley High standout, Caleb Curtain along with Asheville’s Marvin Pearson is going to need another strong effort to take down a Campbell team that is averaging over forty points a game.

Campbell’s Hajj-Malik Williams is averaging over 250 yards passing per game over the first three weeks of the season and has thrown for five touchdowns without any interceptions. The senior signal-caller has also rushed for three touchdowns as part of a three-headed running game alongside running backs NaQuari Rogers and former Charlotte Catholic star Lamagea McDowell who have each also rushed for three touchdowns.

This game is crucial for both teams. For the Phoenix, a win could help turn their season around and boost their morale as they head into a stretch of games against ranked FCS teams. For the Camels, another win would solidify their strong start to the season and keep their momentum going in their first season in the CAA.

Mars Hill Hosts Barton in Battle of Unbeatens

Barton travels to take on Mars Hill in a South Atlantic battle of unbeatens with important divisional implications this early in the season. Kickoff is set for 1 pm and will be broadcast on FloSports. Former Eastern Randolph star Jordan Terrell, who was named the national offensive player of the week and leads all rushers in the country with 194 yards per game, leads a Barton offense that has averaged over thirty points a game and knocked off Division 1 Davidson two weeks ago. Mars Hill is coming off a resounding 35-20 victory over Catawba, powered by standout performances from North Carolina products Jon Gullette (Reagan) and Simeon Thompson (Erwin).

ECU Looks For First Win of Season Against Gardner-Webb

Gardner-Webb travels to Greenville to take on their second FBS foe in a month in an East Carolina squad looking to avoid an 0-4 start to the season. The Runnin’ Bulldogs lost a close two-point matchup on the road at Tennessee State last week after knocking off in-state FCS rival Elon the previous week. The Pirates had a lead on the road at Appalachian State last week before faltering in the second half. Both teams are featuring strong running games with Narii Gaither leading a ground-focused Gardner-Webb offense and Rahjai Harris pacing a balanced Pirates offense. Kickoff is set for 6 pm and will be broadcast on ESPN+.

Saturday, September 16, 2023

Elon Dominates in Home Opener, Downs North Carolina A&T 27-3

8:30 PM

ELON — Under the bright lights of Rhodes Stadium and in front of a roaring crowd of 11,257, the fifth-largest ever at the venue, the Elon University football team showcased an awe-inspiring ground game to secure a commanding 27-3 victory over in-state rival North Carolina A&T during its home opener on Saturday.

Elon's Ground Game Reigns Supreme

Elon (1-2, 1-0 CAA) unleashed an offensive onslaught on the ground, accumulating a staggering 260 rushing yards—a feat not matched since 2017 when they ran for 368 yards against Richmond. This impressive triumph marked the Phoenix's first win of the season and inaugurated their CAA campaign with a bang. On the flip side, North Carolina A&T (0-3 overall, 0-1 CAA) was left grappling with their third straight loss, unable to withstand Elon's ground assault.

Photo Credit: Peyton Williams/Tim Cowie Photography

Game Highlights

The Phoenix set the tone early, engineering a 10-play, 73-yard drive, culminating in a 26-yard touchdown connection from Matthew Downing to Jordan Bonner. It marked Bonner's second touchdown in as many games, showcasing his early-season prowess.

Elon's dominance continued late in the second quarter, with a lightning-fast three-play sequence. Jalen Hampton's remarkable 45-yard run set the stage for Wayne Dixie III to score his first career touchdown, putting the Phoenix ahead 17-0. Jack Berkowitz added a career-best 43-yard field goal just before halftime, pushing the lead to 17.

Elon's defense played a pivotal role in the opening half, forcing North Carolina A&T to punt on all six of its possessions, five of which were three-and-outs.

Berkowitz's reliable leg added another field goal in the third quarter, extending Elon's lead to 20-0. However, North Carolina A&T responded with a field goal of its own from Owen Daffer to break Elon's shutout bid.

A game-changing moment arrived courtesy of Elon's special teams late in the third quarter, as Kyle Romenick connected with true freshman DJ Hamilton on a fake punt, resulting in a spectacular 35-yard touchdown and a 27-3 advantage for the Phoenix.

Elon's defense maintained its dominance in the fourth quarter, shutting down North Carolina A&T's attempts to mount a comeback with a pair of turnover-on-downs situations.

BJ Turner led the Aggies with eleven tackles, giving the graduate transfer thirty-five so far through three weeks. Avarion Cole had an interception for the visiting team, but it was not enough to slow down an Elon offense that was 3-3 on fourth downs on the evening.

What's Next

Elon will embark on a short trip to Buies Creek for a Saturday night showdown with Campbell. Campbell, currently 2-1 on the season and 1-1 in CAA play, will host Elon in what promises to be an exciting matchup. North Carolina A&T is off next week before traveling to historic William "Dick" Price Stadium in Norfolk to take on Norfolk State on September 30.

Sunday, November 20, 2022

Three NCCFB Teams Qualify for NCAA FCS Playoffs

12:03 PM

Three North Carolina teams have qualified for the 2022 NCAA
FCS Championship Playoffs.



Eleven teams automatically qualify for this year's playoffs
via conference affiliation. An additional thirteen teams earned at-large bids
selected by the FCS Playoff Committee. The complete 24-team bracket was
announced at 12:30 on Sunday, November 20, on ESPNU. The FCS Playoffs will
conclude with the national championship in Frisco, Texas on Sunday, Jan. 8,
2023.



Gardner-Webb (6-5) secured their first-ever berth in the playoffs
with a win over North Carolina A&T on Saturday afternoon, finishing a perfect
5-0 in conference play and securing their first Big South Conference title since
2003. The Runnin’ Bulldogs and head coach Tre Lamb will travel to take on
Eastern Kentucky (7-4), representing the ASUN-WAC partnership.



Davidson (8-3) represents the Pioneer League after St.
Thomas was declared ineligible for the playoffs. The Wildcats are making their
third straight appearance in the FCS playoffs under coach Scott Abell. The
Wildcats and Abell are looking for their first postseason tournament victory
and will travel to take on Richmond (8-3) from the Colonial Athletic
Association.



Elon (8-3), also from the Colonial Athletic Association,
earned an at-large bid in this year’s playoff. The Phoenix, led by Tony Trisciani, are making their
fourth overall appearance in the FCS playoffs and first since 2018. Coach
Trisciani and the Elon squad will look to secure their first-ever FCS playoff
win on the road at Furman from the Southern Conference.



 



Schedule – All games will take place on Saturday, November
26, and are televised on ESPN+.



Elon at Furman – 12pm



Davidson at Richmond – 2pm



Gardner-Webb at Eastern Kentucky – 5pm



 



A full bracket can be found here: https://www.ncaa.com/brackets/football/fcs/2022.

Saturday, September 18, 2021

App State Tops Elon in Front of Sold-Out Crowd

3:00 PM

BOONE — A rainbow descended toward Kidd Brewer Stadium's new north end zone facility Saturday evening.

With an above-capacity crowd of 30,224 gathered for App State's first Boone-based home game with no crowd-size restrictions in 651 days, a 44-10 victory against Elon included a rich mix of gold and black at the end of The Rock's rainbow — along with a throwback white logo.

T.D. Roof's 90-yard interception return set up a third-quarter touchdown that gave the Mountaineers (2-1) a 27-3 lead on a day they honored Hall of Fame coach Jerry Moore by unveiling a statue and dedicating a plaza bearing his name. Black helmets with colorful stripes and white 'A' logos even paid tribute to Moore's first team in 1989.

Thirty-two years later, Moore was on hand as one of his mid-90s standouts, Shawn Clark, coached App State in a full Kidd Brewer Stadium for the first time.

"We have the best fans in college football who are very passionate," Clark said. "It was exciting to come back to The Rock in our new $50 million complex with a sold-out crowd. Our fans were here, they were behind us, and we appreciate that, and now we need our fans on Thursday night."

D'Marco Jackson delivered a career-high three sacks among his 4.5 tackles for loss and 13 stops to lead a stout defense that limited Elon (1-2) to 291 yards of offense. On special teams, Chandler Staton converted all three of his field-goal tries, including a 45-yarder late in the first half.

Offensively, quarterback Chase Brice had a rushing touchdown to go along with a 19-of-25 passing effort for 293 yards and one more touchdown. Malik Williams produced the first score with a 47-yard touchdown on his way to a career-high 123 receiving yards on four catches, and Corey Sutton caught seven passes for 128 yards as the Mountaineers had two receivers eclipse the century mark.

Roof's end-zone interception return off a tipped pass set up the first of two touchdown runs from Camerun Peoples, who finished with 80 yards on 11 rushes, and Nate Noel contributed 73 yards on 17 carries. Local product Anderson Castle's first career touchdown came on an 8-yard run in the final minute.

"We've been waiting a long time for this, and we wanted to put a good show on just for them," Williams said of the fans. "Having them out there felt amazing. A couple of the receivers, we were nervous starting out seeing all the fans, but it felt good."

Jackson's career day included sacks in the first, second and fourth quarters. He joined Jordan Fehr (2018 vs. Coastal Carolina) and Eric Boggs (2015 vs. Louisiana) as the only App State players in the FBS era with three sacks in a single game.

Perhaps his biggest hit came right before a sack, as he leveled a pass-catching running back for a 5-yard loss in a one-on-one showdown out in space. His 4.5 tackles for loss are the most by an App State player in the FBS era.

"On defense, we were having trouble trying to communicate because it was so loud, but on defense we fed off that energy by our supporters," Jackson said. "It was awesome."

App State nearly scored on its opening possession but lost a fumble into the end zone. The next series began with a 26-yard completion to Sutton and ended with a 47-yard strike to a streaking Williams.

Only a few plays into the second quarter, Brice had thrown for 179 yards with an 8-for-8 start.

"When you're seeing the defense and seeing rotation, you can kind of anticipate where your guys are going to be," Brice said. "It also helps when they're wide open, and it's about giving my guys a chance. I think I did a better job of that today — putting the ball out there and letting them go make a play. Letting them catch and run, and kudos to 'The Bulls' up front. They did a great job of protecting me today. I only got hit one time, and that's on me for holding the ball too much."

The game remained relatively close into the third quarter, as Staton made a 44-yard field goal early in the second quarter and drilled a 45-yarder right before halftime to help the Mountaineers take a 13-3 lead into their new locker room.

A 27-yard pass to Jalen Virgil kickstarted App State's second possession of the third quarter, and Noel's 5-yard run on a fourth-and-4 play from the Elon 8 extended the series. Three plays later, Brice scored from the 1.

The Phoenix reached App State's 9 on the next possession, and Roof was trailing a receiver when the ball bounced off the Elon's players hands in the end zone. The ball went right to Roof, who sprinted down the left sideline and was finally brought down at the Phoenix 10.

"Every blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while," Roof said. "Just kind of right spot, right time. I obviously got hawked (down) and was pretty gassed, but we can work on that."

The Mountaineers closed the game by forcing another turnover, thanks to a Logan Doublin hit that led to a recovery by safety Ronald Clarke, and there's a quick turnaround as App State prepares for its next game.

On Thursday, Marshall comes to Boone to face the Mountaineers in a nationally televised game at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.

"I'm very proud of our football team," Clark said. "Winning in college football is hard, and it doesn't matter if it's 1-0 or 100-0, a win is a win. There's an old saying in football that there's no such thing as a bad win. We have a lot of things to get cleaned up and a lot of things to learn from coming back on a short week."







Story courtesy of App State Strategic Communications

Saturday, February 27, 2021

Gardner-Webb Takes Down #24 Elon in Tre Lamb's Coaching Debut

6:00 PM

BOILING SPRINGS – The Runnin’ Bulldogs were victorious in their first game under new head coach Tre Lamb on Saturday afternoon. Gardner-Webb outscored #24 Elon 35-0 in the second half on their way to a 42-20 win over the visiting Phoenix.


Gardner-Webb running back Narii Gaither led the Runnin’ Bulldogs with 119 yards on 19 carries, hitting paydirt twice on the afternoon. Quarterback Carlton Aiken added another two scores on the ground for the home team. Devron Harper also returned a punt to the house for Gardner-Webb to take the lead for good on the afternoon. Elon was paced by quarterback Joey Baughman who scored on a quarterback sneak early in the first quarter. Skyler Davis was 2 of 2 on the afternoon on field goals.

Both teams are in action next Saturday as Gardner-Webb (1-0) hosts Presbyterian for their second straight game at Spangler Stadium while Elon (1-1) returns to the friendly confines of Rhodes Stadium, hosting CAA rival James Madison. 

Saturday, January 2, 2021

2021 Fall Non-Conference Games Announced

8:13 PM

Teams from across the state are finalizing their 2021
football schedules. Twelve of the state’s fourteen Division I schools are
scheduling at least one in-state team as a non-conference matchup. The fall 2021 season will kick off on a Thursday night in Charlotte as Appalachian State and East Carolina meet at Bank of America Stadium.







Appalachian State



9/2 - vs ECU (Charlotte)



9/11 – at Miami



9/18 – Elon



9/25 – Marshall






Charlotte



9/4 – Duke



9/11 – Gardner-Webb



9/18 – at Georgia State



10/2 – at Illinois






Duke



9/4 – at Charlotte



9/18 – Northwestern



9/25 – Kansas




East Carolina



9/2 – vs App State (Charlotte)



9/11 – South Carolina



9/18 – at Marshall



9/25 – Charleston Southern






NC State



9/4 – South Florida



9/11 – at Mississippi State



9/18 – Furman



10/2 – Louisiana Tech






North Carolina



9/11 – Georgia State



9/25 – Wake Forest*



10/30 – at Notre Dame



11/20 – Wofford






Wake Forest



9/4 – Old Dominion



9/11 – Norfolk State



9/25 – UNC*



10/23 – at Army






Campbell



9/4 – at Liberty



9/11 – Elon



9/18 – Presbyterian



11/6 – at James Madison






Davidson



9/4 – at VMI






Elon



9/11 – at Campbell



9/18 – at Appalachian State






Gardner-Webb



9/4 – at Georgia Southern



9/11 – at Charlotte



9/25 – Western Carolina






NC A&T



9/4 – at Furman



9/11 – Charleston Southern



9/25 – NC Central






NCCU



9/11 – at Marshall



9/25 – at NC A&T




WCU



9/4 – Eastern Kentucky



9/11 – at Oklahoma



9/25 – at Gardner-Webb



 



Friday, December 20, 2019

STATS FCS All-American Team Named: Three NCCFB Schools Recognized

8:03 AM
(STATS) - The best in FCS college football have risen up all season.



National powers North Dakota State and James Madison led the way Thursday on a particularly widespread STATS FCS All-America Team.



The team boasted 100 players from 66 schools, with North Dakota State boasting a team-high six selections followed by James Madison with five. The two programs have been ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively, since the preseason, and will host national semifinals on Saturday.



Included were 19 players from the 2018 All-American team, led by three returnees to the first team: linebackers Zach Hall of Southeast Missouri and Dante Olson of Montana and punter Alex Pechin of Bucknell.



The Big Sky and Missouri Valley conferences gained the most All-America selections with 16 each and CAA was third with 12.






Elon DB Greg Liggs was named first-team All-American
Photo Credit: Elon University Athletics



2019 STATS FCS ALL-AMERICA TEAM



*-Order of quarterbacks to be determined by the STATS FCS Walter Payton Award on Jan. 10

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE

*QB - Case Cookus, senior, 6-4, 205, Northern Arizona; Trey Lance, freshman, 6-3, 221, North Dakota State; or Kevin Thomson, junior, 6-2, 200, Sacramento State

RB - Pete Guerriero, junior, 5-10, 190, Monmouth

RB - James Robinson, senior, 5-10, 220, Illinois State

WR - Juwan Green, senior, 6-0, 187, UAlbany

WR - Aaron Parker, senior, 6-3, 208, Rhode Island

WR - Samori Toure, junior, 6-3, 190, Montana

TE - Adam Trautman, senior, 6-6, 253, Dayton

OL - P.J. Burkhalter, junior, 6-3, 330, Nicholls

OL - Liam Fornadel, junior, 6-4, 308, James Madison

OL - Drew Himmelman, junior, 6-10, 315, Illinois State

OL - Kyle Murphy, senior, 6-4, 302, Rhode Island

OL - Dillon Radunz, junior, 6-6, 298, North Dakota State

DEFENSE

DL - Ron'Dell Carter, senior, 6-3, 269, James Madison

DL - John Daka, senior, 6-2, 227, James Madison

DL - Sully Laiche, senior, 6-2, 270, Nicholls

DL - Derrek Tuszka, senior, 6-5, 246, North Dakota State

LB - Cam Gill, senior, 6-3, 240, Wagner

LB - Zach Hall, senior, 6-0, 238, Southeast Missouri

LB - Dante Olson, senior, 6-3, 240, Montana

LB - Christian Rozeboom, senior, 6-2, 230, South Dakota State

DB - Anthony Adams, sophomore, 6-0, 180, Portland State

DB - Jeremy Chinn, senior, 6-3, 211, Southern Illinois

DB - Kordell Jackson, junior, 5-11, 163, Austin Peay

DB - Greg Liggs Jr., senior, 5-11, 198, Elon

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK - Luis Aguilar, junior, 6-1, 190, Northern Arizona

P - Alex Pechin, 5th, 6-0, 210, Bucknell

LS - Matthew O'Donoghue, junior, 6-1, 250, Montana

KR - Earnest Edwards, senior, 5-10, 175, Maine

PR - Montrell Washington, junior, 5-10, 170, Samford

AP - Chris Rowland, senior, 5-8, 180, Tennessee State



SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE

*QB - Case Cookus, senior, 6-4, 205, Northern Arizona; Trey Lance, freshman, 6-3, 221, North Dakota State; or Kevin Thomson, junior, 6-2, 200, Sacramento State

RB - Jah-Maine Martin, junior, 5-10, 214, North Carolina A&T

RB - Alex Ramsey, junior, 6-0, 225, VMI

WR - Cade Johnson, junior, 5-10, 180, South Dakota State

WR - Kristian Wilkerson, senior, 6-1, 214, Southeast Missouri

WR - DeAngelo Wilson, junior, 5-8, 165, Austin Peay

TE - Charlie Taumoepeau, senior, 6-3, 245, Portland State

OL - Kyle Anderton, senior, 6-4, 302, Austin Peay

OL - Mitch Brott, senior, 6-6, 300, Montana State

OL - Dieter Eiselen, senior, 6-4, 300, Yale

OL - Blake Jeresaty, junior, 6-2, 290, Wofford

OL - Marcus Pettiford, senior, 6-4, 286, North Carolina A&T

OL - Alex Taylor, senior, 6-9, 310, South Carolina State

DEFENSE

DL - Eli Mencer, senior, 6-1, 229, UAlbany

DL - Aaron Patrick, senior, 6-4, 245, Eastern Kentucky

DL - Nasir Player, senior, 6-5, 271, ETSU

DL - Bryce Sterk, senior, 6-5, 261, Montana State

DL - Jonah Williams, senior 6-5, 275, Weber State

LB - Jeremiah Chambers, senior, 6-2, 224, Abilene Christian

LB - Jabril Cox, junior, 6-3, 233, North Dakota State

LB - Willie Eubanks, junior, 6-2, 215, The Citadel

LB - Jonas Griffith, senior, 6-4, 250, Indiana State

LB - Donnell Rodgers, senior, 6-1, 238, North Dakota

DB - Brandon Easterling, junior, 6-0, 203, Dayton

DB - Luther Kirk, senior, 6-2, 195, Illinois State

DB - Artevius Smith, senior, 5-10, 179, ETSU

DB - Isiah Swann, senior, 6-0, 195, Dartmouth

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK - Grayson Atkins, junior, 5-10, 188, Furman

P - Matt McRobert, junior, 6-2, 195, Sam Houston State

LS - Chandler Collins, senior, 6-4, 235, Missouri State

KR - Gamar Girdy Brito, senior, 5-9, 190, Houston Baptist

PR - Terry Williams, senior, 5-10, 165, UT Martin

AP - Javon Williams Jr., freshman, 6-1, 239, Southern Illinois



THIRD TEAM

OFFENSE

*QB - Case Cookus, senior, 6-4, 205, Northern Arizona; Trey Lance, freshman, 6-3, 221, North Dakota State; or Kevin Thomson, junior, 6-2, 200, Sacramento State

RB - Jordan Bentley, senior, 6-1, 195, Alabama A&M

RB - Julius Chestnut, sophomore, 6-1, 215, Sacred Heart

RB - Ulonzo Gilliam, sophomore, 5-9, 185, UC Davis

WR - Michael Bandy, senior, 5-10, 190, San Diego

WR - J.P. Shohfi, senior, 6-1, 209, Yale

WR - Quan Shorts, senior, 6-2, 195, Northwestern State

TE - Matthew Gonzalez, senior, 6-3, 230, Robert Morris

TE - Ben Ellefson, senior, 6-3, 250, North Dakota State

OL - Spencer Blackburn, senior, 6-2, 290, Eastern Washington

OL - Liam Dobson, junior, 6-3, 340, Maine

OL - A.J. Farris, senior, 6-2, 285, Monmouth

OL - Zack Johnson, senior, 6-6, 315, North Dakota State

OL - Zach Larsen, senior, 6-1, 305, Southern Utah

OL - Connor Mignone, junior, 6-4, 290, Central Connecticut State

DEFENSE

DL - Chris Livings, senior, 6-2, 234, McNeese

DL - George Obinna, senior, 6-3, 240, Sacramento State

DL - Darius Royster, senior, 6-2, 215, North Carolina Central

DL - Elerson Smith, junior, 6-7, 245, Northern Iowa

DL - Nick Wheeler, senior, 6-2, 255, Colgate

LB - Bryson Armstrong, junior, 5-11, 212, Kennesaw State

LB - Dimitri Holloway, senior, 6-2, 217, James Madison

LB - Rico Kennedy, senior, 6-3, 235, Morgan State

LB - Da'Jon Lee, senior, 6-2, 245, Saint Francis

LB - Solomon Muhammad, senior, 6-1, 235, Alcorn State

LB - Keith Woetzel, senior, 6-0, 225, Lehigh

DB - Abu Daramy-Swaray, senior, 5-10, 190, Colgate

DB - Ferlando Jordan, sophomore, 6-0, 180, Southeastern Louisiana

DB - Robert Rochell, junior, 6-2, 176, Central Arkansas

DB - Adam Smith, senior, 6-0, 190, James Madison

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK - Storm Ruiz, senior, 5-10, 170, Stephen F. Austin

P - D.J. Arnson, junior, 6-0, 185, Northern Arizona

P - Chris Faddoul, junior, 5-11, 210, Florida A&M

LS - Ethan Ray, junior, 6-0, 185, Charleston Southern

KR - Jimmie Robinson, senior, 5-8, 175, Bethune-Cookman

PR - Mike Roussos, sophomore, 6-0, 195, Columbia

AP - JaVaughn Craig, senior, 6-2, 210, Austin Peay




Monday, August 5, 2019

2019 Preseason All-NCCFB Team Named

2:58 PM
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.








































PosPlayerSchool
QBZac ThomasAppalachian State
RBStevie GreenFayetteville State
RBBenny LeMayCharlotte
TEMatt FosterElon
WRCorey SuttonAppalachian State
WRCaleb SneadCampbell
OLCharlie HeckUNC
OLDontae KeysNorth Carolina A&T
OLKeanu GonzalesShaw
OLRakavius ChambersDuke
OLDonald BooneChowan
DLJames Smith-WilliamsNC State
DLKawuan CoxNC Central
DLRafiq Abdul WahidChowan
DLLarrell MurchisonNC State
LBAkeem Davis-GaitherAppalachian State
LBSherrod WilliamsLenoir-Rhyne
LBJustin StrnadWake Forest
DBMac McLain IIINorth Carolina A&T
DBKasseem BagleyGreensboro
DBDevon HuntShaw
DBBen DeLucaCharlotte
KJake Verity East Carolina
PIsaac ParksUNC-Pembroke
RSTyeous SharpeFayetteville State
ATHDeon JacksonDuke










































PosPlayerSchool
QBTyrie AdamsWestern Carolina
RBWesley DuggarDavidson
RBDarrynton EvansAppalachian State
TEMichael WootenCampbell
WRScotty WashingtonWake Forest
WRElijah BellNorth Carolina A&T
OLJustin HerronWake Forest
OLBrandon LeaheyGardner-Webb
OLVictor JohnsonAppalachian State
OLJason PoeLenoir-Rhyne
OLNoah HannonAppalachian State
DLJustin CatesNorth Carolina A&T
DLDarius RoysterNC Central
DLCarlos BashamWake Forest
DLAlex HighsmithCharlotte
LBJordan FehrAppalachian State
LBVincent ThomasElizabeth City State
LBIsaiah MooreNC State
DBDesmond FranklinAppalachian State
DBBryce SmithGuilford
DBDaryus SkinnerWinston-Salem State
DBCameron MattisonWingate
KJonathan CruzCharlotte
PDom MaggioWake Forest
RSBJ MuckelveneWingate
ATHCraig RuckerMars 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.

Saturday, November 18, 2017

James Madison Takes Down Elon to Win CAA Title

11:59 AM
ELON – Senior Day at Rhodes Stadium was a sunny, yet chilly one that celebrated ten departing Elon football players. The Phoenix, thriving this season under new coach Curt Cignetti, were taking on the defending conference and national champions in the James Madison Dukes. Elon was looking for its first win against James Madison in a game where the winner would hoist the Colonial Athletic Association football championship trophy. Elon (8-3, 6-2) did not emerge victorious, however, as the Dukes (11-0, 8-0) won 31-3 to clinch at least a share of the CAA title for the third year in a row.







The first quarter was filled with mistimed passes and muffled runs for both teams. James Madison had a good drive, but it ended when Connor Christiansen stepped in front of a pass at the 4-yard line. As was the case for most of the day, Elon couldn't move the ball against a stout JMU defense. It took an Ethan Ratke 19-yard field goal to break the tie late in the first quarter.



The second and third quarters were the Bryan Schor show for James Madison. The senior quarterback was able to move the chains with his arms and legs, throwing for over 120 yards and rushing for two scores. The Dukes' defense wanted in on the scoring action, and when D'Angelo Amos blocked an Elon punt and returned it to the house, James Madison had a commanding 24-0 lead.



Elon finally got on the board early in the fourth quarter with a 30-yard Owen Johnson field goal, but it was too little, too late as Schor added another touchdown, his third of the day, to close out the scoring and the visiting Dukes left Elon with a twenty-eight point victory.




Notable North Carolinians


Trai Sharp (Jr., Carrboro) ran for 68 yards for the Dukes and caught three passes for 15 yards

Chris Blair (Sr., East Forsyth) led Elon with nine tackles and was a presence in the defensive backfield

McAllister Ingram (Fr., Ledford) had eight tackles and had a big hit on a punt return




Next Week


Both schools are waiting to see for the FCS playoff brackets to be released. James Madison has the auto-bid from the CAA while Elon is hoping for an at-large bid.

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Elon Defeats Gardner-Webb, 21-13, in Three Overtimes Saturday Night

2:12 PM



BOILING SPRINGS – Elon’s Connor Christiansen hit Corey
Joyner on the first play of the third overtime Saturday and the Phoenix picked
off a fourth-down pass to take a 21-13 win at Gardner-Webb.







A sluggish game in regulation heated up late, with
Gardner-Webb’s Tyrell Maxwell hitting Mike Estes with no time left in
regulation from one yard out – cutting Elon’s lead to 7-6. Paul Schumacher’s
extra point sent the game to overtime.





GWU held the Phoenix (1-1) in the first overtime, forcing a
45-yard field goal from John Gallagher that gave Elon a 10-7 lead. The Runnin’
Bulldogs drove inside the 10-yard line, but Estes was tackled just a yard short
on third down at the six and Schumacher tied the score with a 22-yard chip
shot.





Elon stopped Gardner-Webb (0-2) short in the second overtime
and Schumacher came through with a 41-yarder to give GWU a 13-10 lead.
Gallagher answered with a 25-yarder for Elon to send the game to a third
overtime.





Christiansen stepped up and hit Joyner on a 25-yard score to
tilt the game in Elon’s favor, and followed with a two-point conversion throw
to Doug Warrick for a 21-13 lead.





After a two-yard gain on first down by Gardner-Webb’s Khalil
Lewis, Maxwell missed Estes in the end zone on second down and left the game
after being forced out of bounds on the throw. Chase Arrington came on and was
sacked – and then was picked off at the two by Julius Moore to seal the game.





“We fought back at the end but it was a game that came down
to missed opportunities and mixed execution,” said Gardner-Webb head coach
Carroll McCray. “We had the ball on the right side of the 50 [yard line] quite
a bit and we either shot ourselves in the foot or didn’t make plays when we had
a chance to make plays. They flipped the field on us a few times. We got the
game into overtime and had a chance to win the game – we just didn’t get it
done.”





The two teams both struggled to get going in the first half,
each punting five times and going a combined 3-for-18 on third down. Elon
gained only 92 yards of total offense (32 rushing) and GWU just 113 (97
rushing) in the opening 30 minutes.





The Runnin’ Bulldogs out-gained Elon 305-209 on the night,
but were hurt on third down – missing on their first 12 conversion chances and
going just 3-of-21 in the game.





Maxwell again paced the ground game, gaining 71 yards on 26
carries – despite being sacked four



times. The Runnin’ Bulldogs got a
career-high 70 yards on 19 carries from Lewis and saw Bobby Clark gain 42 yards
on 11 carries. GWU posted 193 rushing yards on 63 carries as a team.





Maxwell completed 17-of-30 passes for 112 yards and a score
through the air. Estes caught five of those balls for 33 yards and a score and
Kyle Horton hauled in three passes for 31 yards.





Tanner Burch had 12 tackles (six solo) to lead the defensive
effort – which limited Elon to just 93 yards rushing on 43 carries (2.2 per
attempt). Aaron Cook added 10 tackles, a sack and three quarterback pressures
from his linebacker spot – and Chad Geter finished with nine tackles (seven
solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, two quarterback pressures and a fumble recovery.
OJ Mau finished with six hits and 2.5 tackles for loss.





Ivan Toomer recovered a fumble, forced a fumble and broke up
three passes to go with four tackles and a tackle for loss.





Elon was led by Christiansen, who rushed for a team-high 52
yards on 14 carries and overcame two sacks to completed 15-of-30 passes for 116
yards and a pair of scores. Joyner caught both of the scores, catching four
balls for 47 yards to pace the receiving corps.





Christiansen hit Joyner from eight yards out with 6:59 left
in the third quarter to break a 0-0 tie – a lead that held until Maxwell’s
last-second toss to Estes.





Elon sacked two GWU quarterbacks a total of five times in
the game, with Rob Sullivan collecting 2.0 sacks for the second game in a row.
Corey Mitchell finished with 18 total tackles and John Silas had 17. Moore –
who ended the game with his pick – added 10 hits (seven solo) and two pass
break ups.





Phoenix punter David Petroni had another standout game –
booming 10 attempts for a 49.4 average with four inside the 20-yard line. His
long kick was 63 yards, and another sailed 61 yards.





Gardner-Webb will host Virginia Union next Saturday at 6:00
pm in Ernest W. Spangler Stadium. The Panthers (2-0) whipped St. Augustine’s,
42-7, Saturday night for their second win of the season.







The game will air live on The Big South Network
(bigsouthsports.com) and wgwg.org.

Championship Central Popup Begin Championship Central Popup End