Fayetteville, NC – The Southern Virginia University football team secured an exciting 21-17 victory over conference foe Methodist University in a thrilling contest, powered by a strong passing game and timely defensive plays.

The Knights wasted no time, scoring on the very first play of the game. Quarterback Devin Watson launched a deep pass to Cintez Gibson, who caught it at the Methodist 45-yard line and cruised to the end zone for a touchdown. Gage Butler added the extra point, giving Southern Virginia a 7-0 lead just 20 seconds into the game.

Methodist responded with a lengthy drive, but their 36-yard field goal attempt missed. The Knights' offense was halted by a three-and-out, allowing Methodist another chance. This time, the Monarchs capitalized with a 22-yard field goal, making it 7-3 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Methodist gained momentum after a fumble by the Knights, turning the good field position into a touchdown and a 10-7 lead. Both teams battled, but the score remained unchanged until late in the half, when Methodist added another touchdown to extend their lead to 17-7 going into halftime.

Southern Virginia's defense held firm in the second half. After a 13-play drive ended in an interception, the Knights got the ball back when Kutlur Matheson made a crucial fumble recovery. The offense responded, with Tyreeck Hall leading the ground game and converting a key fourth down at the 11-yard line. Hall capped off the drive with a rushing touchdown, narrowing the gap to 17-14 entering the fourth quarter.

The Knights' offense caught fire in the final period. After a missed field goal by Methodist, Southern Virginia pushed down the field, highlighted by a 37-yard completion to Alex Silvester. This setup Antione Mills for a rushing touchdown, giving the Knights a 21-17 lead.

Southern Virginia's passing game was a key factor in the win, with the Knights accumulating 360 passing yards compared to Methodist's 290. The Knights averaged 9.7 yards per attempt, with Watson leading the way and throwing one touchdown with 26 completions. On the defensive side, Spike Adams led with 10 total tackles, 2 pass breakups, and Matheson contributed 9 tackles, 1 pass breakup, and the critical fumble recovery.

In a tense finish, Methodist made one last push, but CJ Williams came up with a crucial interception to seal the win for Southern Virginia.

The Knights improved their conference record with the 21-17 victory and will look to build on this momentum in their next matchup at home against NC Wesleyan, Saturday, October 26th at 1:00 PM

For the most up-to-date information and details on the team, visit knightathletics.com and follow @knight_ftbl on Instagram.