Saturday, September 27
Davidson, N.C.
1:00 p.m.
Davidson College
38
vs
35
Jacksonville
Photo by: Sideline Sports
‘Cats Overcome 21-Point Deficit and Earn 38-35 Football Victory
9/27/2008 3:51:37 PM | Football
DAVIDSON, N.C. – Sophomore Ben Behrendt kicked a 23-yard field goal with 42.5 seconds left to complete a 21-point Davidson comeback and lift the Wildcats to a 38-35 Pioneer Football League victory over Jacksonville Saturday afternoon on Homecoming in Richardson Stadium.
The Dolphins tried a heave into the end zone on the last play of the game, but Davidson's Brandon Giles was one of a host of 'Cats to break up the pass and seal the win.
With the game tied a 35-35, Tyler Lemons forced a Jacksonville fumble, and Brandon Sykes recovered the ball at the Dolphins' 30-yard line. A 14-yard pass from Ryan Alexander to Kirk Konert got the 'Cats to the Dolphins' 9-yard line. Davidson ran on three straight plays to milk to clock and set up the field goal.
The Wildcats, who trailed 35-14 with 4:29 left in the third quarter, scored 24 straight points to earn the victory.
“You keep battling and go to work, and that's what we did,” said Davidson coach Tripp Merritt. “We were not going to give up today. I tell our guys not to look at the scoreboard; just play the way you are capable of playing every down.”
Alexander passed for 230 yards, with 204 coming in the second half, and three touchdowns, and Chad Barnes rushed 18 times for 97 yards. Myles Potter caught three passes for 93 yards and a TD, and Lemons finished the game with 11 tackles and a sack.
Rudell Small led Jacksonville with 33 carries for 217 yards and three touchdowns, while Josh McGregor threw for 147 yards and two scores.
The Dolphins looked like they had delivered the knockout blow late in the third quarter after a 7-play, 51-yard scoring drive, capped by Small's 7-yard run that left the margin at 35-14
The 'Cats punched right back on their first play from scrimmage. Alexander avoided the rush, stepped up in the pocket and fired a strike to Potter in the middle of the field for an 80-yard touchdown pass that made the lead 35-21.
The Wildcat defense came up big on the next series as Giles picked off a McGregor pass and scampered 44 yards to the Jacksonville 16-yard line. Kenny Mantuo ran in from a yard out five plays later to make the score 35-28.
“When we were down 21 points, we knew we couldn't dig much deeper of a hole,” said Alexander. “Myles' touchdown reception and Brandon's interception were a few of the big plays that sparked us.”
Davidson got the ball back, and Alexander hit Andrew Aldrich for a 55-yard pass down the middle of the field. On 3rd-and-goal from the 3-yard line, Alexander connected with Konert to tie the game at 35-35 with 12:03 left to go.
On their next possession, the Dolphins went 47 yards in nine plays, but their drive stalled on 3rd-and-5 from the Davidson 15-yard line when John Behm broke up a McGregor pass to bring up fourth down. Josh Hostetler's 34-yard field goal try went wide, keeping the score at 35-35.
The Wildcats jumped out to an early 7-0 lead with the aid of a Jacksonville fumble off the opening kick off. Elliott Campbell recovered the fumble, and Mantuo rushed in from 1-yard out six plays later to put the Wildcats ahead.
Jacksonville took over from there, scoring 21 unanswered points to take a 21-7 cushion into halftime. After a poor punt gave Jacksonville field position at the Davidson 28, Small went the distance on the ground on the next play to tie the game.
With Jacksonville leading 14-7, McGregor found Joshua Philpart for a 3-yard touchdown pass with 10 seconds left in the half. That play capped a 15-play, 80-yard drive for the Dolphins. The drive was aided by an automatic first down on a roughing the kicker call during a Jacksonville punt. The Dolphins also converted a 4th-and-2 from the Davidson 31-yard line.
The Wildcats took the opening kick of the second half and went 70 yards in four plays to pull within seven points. Alexander hit Justin Williams on a screen pass, and the sophomore went 38 yards to the end zone.
The Davidson defense forced a punt on the next series, but on 2nd-and-7, Robson Noel intercepted Alexander and returned it to the 8-yard line. Small took it in two plays later to make the cushion 28-14.
The 'Cats go back on the road with a PFL contest at Morehead State next Saturday.
Game Notes: The 'Cats improved to 7-2 in their last nine home openers… Small became the first back to go over 200 yards against Davidson since Georgetown's John Sims ran for 268 yards in 2003… The most points Davidson has overcome to win a game is 27 in a 42-27 victory over East Carolina in 1969… Davidson improved to 6-3 in games decided by five points or less under Merritt.
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