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WINSTON-SALEM – William Johnson's 46-yard field goal attempt with 9:07 left in the second quarter gave Winston-Salem State a comfortable 17-0 lead, but the UNC Pembroke football team rallied for 20 unanswered points to shock the Rams, 20-17, on Saturday evening at Bowman-Gray Stadium.
 
The victory marked the second-straight series victory for the Braves (1-0) who captured its first road win against the Rams (0-1) as well.
 
All-American B.J. Bunn hauled in seven passes for 73 yards and a third quarter touchdown to lead the way for the Black & Gold offense, while roommate Patrick O'Brien threw for 192 yards on 19-of-29 passing with one interception. Rontonio Stanley led the UNCP ground attack with 57 yards on 18 carries.
 
Garrett Barnett registered a game-best seven tackles, including one of four tackles for loss on the night, to pace Code Black which also got a key interception from Josh Manns. Khalil Vance turned in two tackles and forced a fumble as well.
 
Winston-Salem State was methodical on the opening drive of the contest, covering 49 yards on 11 plays before quarterback Rod Tinsley finished it off with a 17-yard scoring scamper. Cameron Sullivan picked off an O'Brien pass on the ensuing possession and returned it 28 yards for a score, and Johnson added a field goal with just more than nine minutes left in the opening stanza to pad the lead out to 17-0.
 
Matt Davis tacked up a 19-yard field goal right before the break to get UNCP on the board, but the Rams trotted into the locker room with a 17-3 advantage.
 
The Black & Gold cashed in on a crucial WSSU turnover late in the third quarter with Bunn's short scoring reception, and UNCP knotted the score back up with 7:25 to play when Cliff Jones capped an 11-play, 71-yard scoring drive on a 5-yard touchdown jaunt.
 
UNCP used a pair of clutch plays on its final possession – a 30-yard reception by Jonathan Allen and a 17-yard run by Stanley on a crucial 3^rd-and-2 situation – to set itself up on a 1^st-and-goal at the WSSU 9-yard line, but opted to milk the clock before settling for a go-ahead 29-yard field goal by Davis that inevitably provided the winning margin.
 
The Braves will be back in action again on Saturday when they suit up to host Fayetteville State (0-0) in the eighth annual Two Rivers Classic at Grace P. Johnson Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.