WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – After trailing early in the second quarter, the 16th ranked Rams of Winston-Salem State University ran off 50 unanswered points and rolled to a 56-21 victory over the Bulldogs of Bowie State University on Saturday afternoon.
Bowie State (2-3, 0-2 CIAA) totaled only 252 yards of total offense which included 123 yards through the air while Winston-Salem State (4-1, 2-0 CIAA) accumulated a season-high 690 total yards.
“We had a rhythm in the first half, didn’t finish some drives, made some mistakes and got behind and you can’t do that against a good football team”, said Bulldogs head coach Damon Wilson.
WSSU’s Rudy Johnson faked everyone out and threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Eric Wolfe at the 3:02 mark of the opening quarter. Alejandro Suarez missed the extra point, but the Rams led 6-0.
Bowie State responded with a two-yard touchdown run by senior Keith Brown (Temple Hills, Md.) to go in the second quarter. Junior Mario Diaz-Aviles converted the extra point for a 7-6 Bulldogs lead.
The Rams countered Bowie State’s score at the 7:39 mark of the second quarter, when Johnson rushed five yards around the right side for six to shift the advantage back over to the Rams. This time, Suarez made the extra point to set the score at 13-7.
Johnson threw his second touchdown of the game, this time connecting with Chase Powell for a 28-yard score. Suarez added the extra point to give the Rams a little room at 20-7 with 2:15 remaining in the first half.
Johnson increased his rushing stats with four seconds left in the first half, rumbling in from 22-yards out to increase the Rams lead. The Rams converted the two-point conversion to make the score 28-7 at halftime.
Winston-Salem State capitalized on a Bowie State personal foul as Johnson connected with Tehvyn Brantley for a 63 yard pass and catch to extend the Rams lead to 35-7 at the 11:01 mark of the third quarter.
Shane Blue was the recipient of a 49-yard pass from Johnson for another Rams score with 5:52 left in the third quarter. With the Suarez extra point, WSSU’s Rams extended their lead to 42-7.
Following a Bulldogs turnover, Winston-Salem State’s William Johnson attempted a 22-yard field goal, but Bowie State was penalized for its second personal foul of the game, giving the Rams a first down at the BSU three yard line. From there, Maurice Lewis punched it in and Suarez’s extra point pushed the Rams lead to 49-7.
Lewis basically walked in from one-yard out and the Suarez extra point made the score 56-7 with 12:11 remaining in the game.
With 8:07 remaining in the contest, junior redshirt quarterback Trevon Bennett (Ft. Washington, Md.), starting his first career game, threw a three-yard touchdown to sophomore Garry Cropper (Odenton, Md.).
The Bulldogs scored one more time with just a minute to play on a Bennett to 7-yard pass and catch to freshman Ricardo Smith (Oxon Hill, Md.)
Offensively, BSU was led by Brown with 73 rushing yards on 16 carries and one touchdown, while redshirt junior Kendall Jefferson (Temple Hills, Md.) rushed eight times for 30 yards.
Bennett finished the afternoon going 14-of-28 for 123 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
Cropper led the Bulldog receivers with three catches for 35 yards, while redshirt junior Khari Lee (Baltimore, Md.) finished with three catches for six yards.
Defensively, Bowie State redshirt sophomore Antoine Young (Washington, D.C.) led the both teams with a game-high nine tackles and one tackle for a loss. Senior Delante White (Temple Hills, Md.), redshirt sophomore Curtis Pumphrey (Laurel, Md.) and redshirt sophomore Nkonyeasua Uwandi (Berwyn Heights, Md.) finished with five tackles. Pumphry also had two interceptions (third of the season and ninth of his career) and one pass deflection.
WSSU’ Johnson completed 20-of-36 passes for 390 yards and four touchdowns also led the Rams in rushing with 73 yards. Wolfe was Johnson’s primary target, catching six passes for 116 yards and one touchdown.
The Bulldogs return home for Homecoming 2013 next Saturday (October 12th) hosting the surging Hawks of Chowan University. Game time is 1 pm in Bulldogs Stadium.
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