PEMBROKE – Quarterback Cody Haffly connected with Josh Clausen on a 4-yard touchdown strike on Wingate's first possession in overtime to lead the Bulldogs to an improbable 29-26 victory over UNCP on Saturday afternoon at Grace P. Johnson Stadium.

The score capped off an amazing comeback that saw the Bulldogs (1-2) rally back from a 23-16 hole with just less than 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter. The overtime was preceded by an 11-play, 97-yard scoring drive in the game's final two minutes that helped the visitors knot the score up with 31 seconds left in regulation. UNCP (2-1) fell to 1-4 all-time in the series with its U.S. 74 rivals with the setback.

Travis Daniels carried the ball a career-high 33 times for 127 yards and a touchdown – his third 100-yard rushing output in as many games – to lead the Braves, who also got a 242-yard passing day from quarterback Luke Charles. Charles completed 20 of his 34 passes for two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. Sophomore Te'vell Williams accounted for both touchdown receptions and finished with three catches for 47 yards.

Linebacker Fred Williams finished one off of a school record with a career-best 18 tackles, including 13 solo stops, and a pass break-up. Fellow linebacker Darcus Elliott concluded the outing with six tackles, as well as his second interception in as many games.

Haffly completed 33 of his 52 pass attempts for 338 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead the Bulldogs who came into the game toting a pair of close losses against top-15 ranked opponents. Bryan Caffrey paced the Wingate receiving efforts with nine catches for 101 yards.

"This loss is a bitter one to swallow," said UNCP head coach Pete Shinnick after the game. "I feel bad for our guys. I thought that they really worked hard and did a lot of good things. Our defense just couldn't get off the field in the fourth quarter. That's two weeks in a row that we've had that happen to us. We get people where we need them to be, but we're just not making plays."

UNCP capped a 12-play, 73-yard scoring drive on a 32-yard field goal by Taylor Baskett to grab a 3-0 lead in the early going, and then used a 26-yard scoring scamper by Daniels seconds later to take a 10-0 lead less than eight minutes into the game. Wingate would finally answer late in the opening half when Josh Covington snuck into the end zone from one yard out to finish off a 15-play, 63-yard scoring drive with 78 seconds left before the halftime whistle.

Williams hauled in a 21-yard touchdown pass from Charles midway through the third quarter to give the Braves a 17-7 lead, and then encored that performance by scoring on 20-yard strike from Charles with 11:37 left in the fourth to up the lead for the Braves out to 23-7. Wingate answered with a methodical 70-yard scoring drive on the ensuing possession to pull within 23-13 with 9:54 left, and then cut its deficit to a single possession on a 34-yard field goal by Matthew Sierk with 5:10 left in regulation.

UNCP settled with a 33-yard field goal by Baskett on its first possession in overtime, but Wingate drove the needed 25 yards on its lone possession in extra time on the shoulders of clutch plays, including Haffley's 11-yard pass to Caffrey on a key 3rd-and-8 situation.

UNCP will close out a three-game home stand on Saturday when the Braves suit up to battle Glenville State (1-2) in a 2 p.m. contest at Grace P. Johnson Stadium. The Pioneers picked up their first win of the season on Saturday thanks to a 36-30 victory over Fairmont State in triple overtime.

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