DURHAM, NC --Behind a dominant defensive performance that forced five turnovers, Fayetteville State defeated Shaw 31–13 on Saturday afternoon at Durham County Stadium in Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) play.
The Broncos improved to 5–3 overall and remained undefeated in conference action at 5–0. Shaw dropped to 2–6 on the season and 2–4 in the CIAA.
Fayetteville State's defense set the tone early and never relented, holding the Bears to 325 total yards and intercepting two passes while recovering three fumbles. The Broncos also broke up five passes and recorded 10 tackles for loss, including two sacks.
Senior linebacker Joseph Woodard led the defensive charge with six tackles, two tackles for loss, two sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Keyshawn Monk added six tackles, an interception, and a fumble recovery, while Marcus Thompson contributed five tackles and a fumble recovery.
Offensively, Demari Daniels paced the Broncos with 80 rushing yards on 10 carries, averaging 8.0 yards per attempt. Caden Davis added 59 rushing yards and a touchdown on just five carries, and also caught two passes for 33 yards. Unique Kelly led the receiving corps with four catches for 73 yards and a touchdown.
Fayetteville State struck first midway through the second quarter and built a 14–0 lead by halftime. The Broncos added two more touchdowns in the third quarter to extend the margin to 28–0 before Shaw responded with a score. FSU added a final touchdown in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
The Broncos outgained the Bears 371–325, including a 192–104 advantage on the ground. Fayetteville State converted 5 of 11 third-down attempts and held Shaw to just six points on three red zone trips.
Matthew Leach led all tacklers with 10 stops for the Broncos.
Shaw quarterback Alexander Marsh completed 19 of 35 passes for 221 yards and two interceptions. Christian Rutledge led the Bears' rushing attack with 61 yards and a touchdown.
Fayetteville State returns to action Saturday, Nov. 1 at 1 p.m. when it hosts Johnson C. Smith at Luther "Nick" Jeralds Stadium. The game will be televised on HBCUGo TV.
