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Rodney Smith TD Pass 102321
14
Charleston (W.Va.) UC 5-2 , 5-2
21
Winner UNC Pembroke UNCP 5-3 , 5-2
Charleston (W.Va.) UC
5-2 , 5-2
14
Final
21
UNC Pembroke UNCP
5-3 , 5-2
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
UC Charleston (W.Va.) 5 3 6 0 14
UNCP UNC Pembroke 14 0 7 0 21

Game Recap: Football | | Todd Anderson, Associate AD/Communications & Strategic Initiatives

Football Upends MEC-Leading Charleston On Homecoming

PEMBROKE – Rodney Smith connected with fellow wide receiver Trey Dixon on a 45-yard go-ahead trick play late in the third quarter, and Taye Vereen put the kibosh on a potential game-tying drive with an interception at the 1-yard line with 13 seconds left in the final period, as the UNC Pembroke football team polished off Homecoming Week with a 21-14 win over Mountain East Conference co-leader Charleston on Saturday.
 
The Braves (5-3, 5-2 MEC) improved to 12-2 all-time on Homecoming, while also pushing their win streak out to three games – the longest for the program since the 2016 squad strung together six-straight wins late in its campaign. The setback snapped a four-game win streak for the Falcons (5-2, 5-2) – a run of success that includes an upset win over then-No. 6 Notre Dame (Ohio) just three weeks ago.
 
THE BASICS
SCORE: UNC Pembroke 21, Charleston (W.Va.) 14
RECORDS: UNC Pembroke 5-3, 5-2 MEC; Charleston (W.Va.) 5-2, 5-2 MEC
LOCATION: Pembroke, N.C. (Grace P. Johnson Stadium)
HOW IT HAPPENED
1ST QUARTER
Senior Devin Jones forced and recovered a fumble deep in Charleston territory to set the hosts up with good field position midway through the first period. UNCP put the first points on the board on the ensuing play when Josh Jones connected with Faheem Diaab on a 26-yard touchdown strike. UNCP 6, UC 0
 
Ryle Aguila stepped in front of the point-after attempt on the UNCP touchdown, and Kei Beckham scooped up the loose ball and raced untouched the other end of the field to cash in on points for the visitors. UNCP 6, UC 2
 
Charleston scratched the scoreboard again with the ensuing possession, driving 62 yards in five plays before settling for a 30-yard field goal from Tim McCutchen. Quarterback Guy Myers hit Barry Elliott on a 42-yard pass-and-catch on the third play of the possession to fuel the outcome. UNCP 6, UC 5
 
The Braves answered the score by the visitors with one of their own as Josh Jones engineered a 6-play, 62-yard drive that was capped on Joseph Early's shifty 9-yard run. Jones completed all three of his pass attempts for 39 yards, including a 38-yarder to Trey Dixon on the possession's opening play, and then found C.J. Davis on a 2-point conversion pass that made it a two-score affair. UNCP 14, UC 5
2ND QUARTER
Charleston put the final points on the board before intermission when it capped a 13-play, 93-yard drive with a 22-yard field goal from Tim McCutchen. Philip Fleshman's 4-yard gallop set the Golden Eagles up with a 1st-and-Goal situation at the 6-yard line, but the Black & Gold forced a pair of incomplete passes, and held 6-3 running back Josh Brown to just two yards on a 2nd-down carry. UNCP 14, UC 8
3RD QUARTER
Charleston evened the game back up with its first play from scrimmage in the second half. Damon Mouzon returned the opening kickoff of the stanza to the 37-yard line, and Guy Myers followed with a 63-yard touchdown pass to Colby Cooper. Tim McCutchen's extra-point attempt sailed wide left to keep the game deadlocked. UNCP 14, UC 14
 
Trickery proved to be the momentum-swinging strategy for the Braves late in the third quarter. A 33-yard pass from Josh Jones to Trey Dixon on 2nd-and-8 from the UNCP 22-yard line moved the hosts into Golden Eagles territory, and Dixon got his hands on a 45-yard touchdown pass from fellow wide receiver Rodney Smith on the following play from scrimmage. UNCP 21, UC 14
4TH QUARTER
No scoring.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
+ Junior quarterback Josh Jones threw for 290 yards and one touchdown on 19-of-31 passing with one interception. He also logged a quartet of rushing attempts.
+ Redshirt sophomore Trey Dixon hauled in six catches for a career-best 166 receiving yards, including the 45-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter.
+ Redshirt sophomore Rodney Smith had a career day, logging a 45-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, while also making five catches for a career-best 97 yards.
+ Redshirt senior Devin Jones (9 solo) and newcomer Virgil Lemons (4 solo) posted a team-best 10 tackles on the day, while both players forced a fumble as well. Senior Taye Vereen tallied a trio of tackles, while also recording his first career interception.
NOTABLES
+ The Braves registered a season-best 404 yards of offense – their best offensive day since totaling 441 yards in a 40-28 loss to Frostburg State in the Spring 2021 season finale.
+ UNCP has forced at least one turnover in all eight games this season. Saturday's outing (fumble, interception) marked the fifth time this season that the Braves have forced two or more turnovers.
+ The Black & Gold improved to 12-2 all-time on Homecoming with Saturday's victory. UNCP has captured five-straight Homecoming contests dating back to the 2015 campaign.
UP NEXT
The Braves will hit the road again on October 30 when they make the 547-mile trek to northwest West Virginia to take on Mountain East Conference foe West Liberty (4-4, 4-3 MEC). Kickoff is scheduled for noon inside WLU's West Family Stadium.
STAY CONNECTED
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BACK THE BRAVES
Fans can help support the UNC Pembroke Football program by joining the Braves Club. To find out more information about the Braves Club, visit UNCPBraves.com/BravesClub or email braves.club@uncp.edu.
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