Buena Vista, Va. – The Southern Virginia University football team put up a valiant effort in a thrilling homecoming game but fell just short to N.C. Wesleyan University, losing 34-31 in a tightly contested matchup.
The game began with a setback for the Knights as the Bishops returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, quickly followed by a field goal, putting Southern Virginia down 10-0 early. Quarterback Devin Watson then began moving the ball downfield with key completions to Chase Pope and Jeran Paleka. Running back Tyreeck Hall led a powerful rushing drive, capped off by Watson finding Cintez Gibson to keep the drive alive before Hall rushed in for the Knights' first touchdown, cutting the lead to 10-7 early in the second quarter.
N.C. Wesleyan responded with another touchdown on a big run, but the Knights answered back with a 21-yard field goal from Gage Butler, set up by Hall's steady rushing and Watson's passes, bringing the score to 17-10.
The Bishops continued to push offensively, but a key defensive play by Isaiah Thomas, who sacked Bishops quarterback Javier Rice and forced a fumble, allowed Kymani VaiVai to recover the ball. The Knights capitalized with a 21-yard pass to Alex Silvester, followed by another rushing touchdown from Hall to even the score at 17-17.
Approaching halftime, the Knights attempted three straight passes, but the Bishops regained possession with enough time to strike. A 55-yard pass gave N.C. Wesleyan a 24-17 lead heading into the half.
Southern Virginia came out strong in the third quarter with a 13-play drive highlighted by a 40-yard rush from Hall, allowing Watson to dive in from the 1-yard line to tie the game at 24-24. However, the Bishops' ground game kept rolling, helping them regain the lead at 31-24.
The Knights' passing game kept them in contention, with a 63-yard completion to Javen Ball that brought the ball to the 2-yard line. Antione Mills punched it in to level the score at 31-31.
On the next drive, the Bishops leaned on their running game with nine consecutive runs, but a crucial sack by Lucas Martin forced them into a passing play, leading to a critical interception by Damarion Bonds. Unfortunately, three consecutive penalties backed up the Knights, and Southern Virginia couldn't capitalize, allowing the Bishops to edge closer to the goal and hit a field goal, taking a final 34-31 lead.
Southern Virginia's offense fought hard in the closing minutes but was unable to break through, ending the game at 34-31.
Despite the outcome, the Knights showcased offensive strength, with Watson totaling 252 passing yards compared to the Bishops' 134. Hall led the rushing effort with 127 yards, though N.C. Wesleyan's 253 rushing yards ultimately proved decisive. Defensively, Spike Adams led the team with 14 tackles, while Kutlur Matheson added 7 tackles and the team recorded five pass breakups.
The Knights will enter a bye week before hosting their final home game of the season against Huntingdon College on November 9th 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.
