Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

UNCP Athletics

scoreboard

D'Marcus Harrington
31
UNC Pembroke PEM 0-2 , 0-0
35
Winner Fayetteville St. FSU 1-0 , 0-0
UNC Pembroke PEM
0-2 , 0-0
31
Final
35
Fayetteville St. FSU
1-0 , 0-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
PEM UNC Pembroke 7 14 3 7 31
FSU Fayetteville St. 3 10 8 14 35

Game Recap: Football | | Alex Pearce, Assistant Athletic Communications Director

Braves Drop Back-And-Forth Two Rivers Classic To Fayetteville State

FAYETTEVILLE – UNC Pembroke used an 11 play, 84 yard touchdown drive to regain the lead with just over a minute to play, but Fayetteville State went 60 yards in five plays to score the game-winning touchdown with 17 seconds left in regulation, securing a 35-31 win over the Braves on Saturday night to reclaim the Two Rivers Classic Cup.
 
The Braves (0-2) were held to 287 yards of total offense by the Broncos (1-0), marking the first time since October 7, 2023 that the Black & Gold didn't eclipse the 300 yard mark.
 
 
THE BASICS
SCORE: Fayetteville State 35, UNC Pembroke 31
RECORDS: UNC Pembroke 0-2; Fayetteville State 1-0
LOCATION: Fayetteville, N.C. (Luther "Nick" Jeralds Stadium)
HOW IT HAPPENED
1ST QUARTER
Jaquan Albright and Sincere Baines each picked up 16-yard receptions from freshman QB Tre Robinson, before Jo Hayes got the Braves in the redzone with a 30-yard catch. Hayes would put the Braves on the board first with a 5-yard touchdown grab. The Braves converted three third down on the drive, the last of which went for the Hayes TD.  UNCP 7, FSU 0
 
A roughing the kicker penalty on an FSU punt extended the drive, and John Hernandez-Vargas connected for a 40-yard field goal to put the Broncos on the board. UNCP 7, FSU 3
2ND QUARTER
FSU recovered a Braves fumble and on the first play Joe Owens, Jr. found David Baros for a 37-yard completion to put the Broncos inside the 10 yard line. The UNCP defense would stand tall, holding the Broncos to another Hernandez-Vargas field goal, this one from 25 yards, to cut into the UNCP lead. UNCP 7, FSU 6
 
FSU's Theniias Moss blocked a Seth Bowen punt, and would scoop and score from 23 yards out to give the Broncos its first lead. FSU 13, UNCP 7

UNCP's D'Marcus Harrington picked off Joe Owens, Jr. and took it 40 yards to the house to put the Braves back out front. UNCP 14, FSU 13

A Jo Hayes 26-yard punt return would set the Braves up in plus territory, before JaQuan Kelly went 17 yards on three carries to put UNCP in the redzone. Tre Robinson added his second passing TD of the night, this one a 17-yard strike to Josh Jenkins. UNCP 21, FSU 13
3RD QUARTER
The UNCP drive stalled in FSU territory, but Ty Woods made good on a 41-yard attempt. UNCP 24, FSU 13

Braylon Vinson took a carry up the gut for 44 yards, while Demari Daniels would follow with a 15-yard TD pass to Emanuel Ortega-Garcia, before Daniels would run in the 2 point conversion. UNCP 24, FSU 21
4TH QUARTER
Demari Daniels converted a 3rd down with a 20-yard run, before a UNCP pass interference put the Broncos on the UNCP 10-yard line. Daniels would put FSU back on top with a 10-yard TD keeper. FSU 28, UNCP 24

An FSU personal foul on 4th down extended the UNCP drive, and Colin Johnson came off the bench and immediately found Jo Hayes for a 17-yard completion. Johnson then found JaQuan Kelly for 11 yards, before Jayden Smith found paydirt on a 4-yard reception from Johnson to put the Braves back in front. UNCP 31, FSU 28

FSU took over from their 40-yard line with 1:06 left in regulation and Demari Daniels picked up 16 yards on a quarterback scramble, before finding Emanuel Ortega-Garcia for 14 yards to put the Broncos at the UNCP 30-yard line. Daniels found Kameron King for a 19-yard completion, and then added his second rushing touchdown of the night from 11 yards out to put the Broncos ahead for good. FSU 35, UNCP 31
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
+ Freshman quarterback Tre Robinson was 13-24 with 134 yards and two TDs in his collegiate debut.
+ Jo Hayes paced the Braves in the receiving department, hauling in four catches for 57 yards and a touchdown.
+ Mike Matthews and Evan Powell each had a team-high six tackles. Nathan Fowler and Jamae Blank recorded a sack apiece.
NOTABLES
+ The Braves fell to 9-2 in the all-time series with the Broncos, but have now lost two of the last three matchups.
+ Saturday's game was the seventh time in the 11-game series that the margin was decided by one score.
UP NEXT
The Braves now head into their bye week and will be back in action on September 21 when they make the trip to West Virginia to take on Charleston. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at the University of Charleston Stadium.
STAY CONNECTED
Follow UNCP Football on X and Instagram and "Like" UNCP Football on Facebook.
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.
Print Friendly Version