FAYETTEVILLE, NC - Fayetteville State held Virginia Union to just two touchdowns Saturday afternoon, but the Broncos were unable to break through offensively in a 14-0 CIAA loss at Luther "Nick" Jeralds Stadium. The loss moved the Broncos to 2-3 overall and 1-2 in conference play, while Virginia Union improved to 4-1 overall and 3-0 in the CIAA.
Defense kept Fayetteville State within striking distance for much of the afternoon. Virginia Union finished with 321 yards of total offense, but the Broncos limited the Panthers to 14 points, forced a turnover and recorded a sack while holding Virginia Union scoreless in the second and fourth quarters.
Braylon Vinson led Fayetteville State's rushing attack with 38 yards on 11 carries, while
Jamir Dismukes added 31 yards on the ground. Dismukes completed 6 of 14 passes for 25 yards and did not throw an interception.
Lorenzo Southern caught two passes for a team-high nine receiving yards.
Defensively,
Terrell Ford paced Fayetteville State with 11 total tackles, including four solo stops.
Jatavien Taylor followed with nine tackles and a tackle for loss, while freshman
Korbyn Mitchell added six tackles.
Amari Best recorded five tackles, a 15-yard sack and a pass breakup, while Bentley totaled five tackles to go along with his forced fumble and recovery.
Virginia Union opened the scoring with 4:23 remaining in the first quarter after an 85-yard, 13-play drive that consumed 7:26. Quarterback RJ Rosales finished the possession with a 1-yard touchdown run, and Gage Miller's extra point gave the Panthers a 7-0 advantage.
The Broncos' best sustained opportunity of the first half came late in the second quarter. Starting at their own 6-yard line, Fayetteville State put together a 13-play, 52-yard drive that reached the Virginia Union 33. Vinson helped move the chains on the ground, while quarterback Dismukes broke free for a 20-yard run to move the Broncos into Panthers territory. The drive eventually stalled, sending Fayetteville State into halftime trailing 7-0.
Fayetteville State's defense created a potential momentum swing on Virginia Union's opening possession of the second half. After Ben Haulmark hauled in a 44-yard reception, freshman defensive back
Christopher Bentley forced a fumble and recovered it at the FSU 32. The Broncos moved to midfield on the ensuing possession but were unable to turn the takeaway into points.
Virginia Union extended its lead late in the third quarter. The Panthers drove 53 yards in eight plays before Travon Tensley scored on a 3-yard run with 2:49 remaining. Miller converted the extra point to make it 14-0. Tensley finished with 70 rushing yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, while Ramon Brown led Virginia Union on the ground with 74 yards on 12 attempts. Rosales completed 11 of 18 passes for 166 yards.
The Broncos continued to fight for opportunities in the fourth. Linebacker
Kadynce Watson blocked a Virginia Union punt with 6:19 remaining and helped give Fayetteville State possession at the Panthers' 41-yard line. The Virginia Union defense responded, however, pushing the Broncos backward and forcing another punt.
Virginia Union's defense limited Fayetteville State to 93 total yards and eight first downs while recording six sacks and 15 tackles for loss. Christian Aiken led the Panthers' defensive effort with eight tackles, 2.5 sacks and two tackles for loss.
The Broncos now turn their attention back to the road. Fayetteville State will travel to Salisbury, North Carolina, on Saturday, Oct. 3, to face Livingstone. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
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