FINDLAY, Ohio – The 27th-ranked Wayne State University football team (5-1 overall, 5-1 GLIAC) never trailed in claiming its second road win of the season with a 37-21 triumph at the University of Findlay (2-4 overall, 2-4 GLIAC) Saturday afternoon.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Holding a slim 27-21 advantage early in the fourth quarter, the Warriors took possession at their own 11 yard line following a UF punt. On the 16th play, of the ensuing drive freshman place-kicker Luke Bevilacqua (Lake Orion, Mich.) made a 33-yard field goal to give WSU a two-score lead (30-21).
Wayne State added a touchdown less than two minutes later as an Anthony Pittman (Beverly Hills, Mich. / Birmingham Groves) interception led to a 25-yard touchdown run by senior wide receiver Jamel Hicks (East Cleveland, Ohio / Shaw) to complete the scoring.
After a three-and-out on the opening drive of the game, Findlay drove inside the Warrior 10-yard line but senior linebacker Valorian Cunningham (Kalamazoo, Mich. / Loy Norrix) blocked a 23-yard field goal attempt by Tyler Bugeja.
Following a punt by each squad, WSU went 64 yards in nine plays using the final 4:32 of the opening stanza. Junior running back Romello Brown (Westland, Mich. / Livonia Churchill) converted one third down and sophomore quarterback Donovan Zezula (Clarkston, Mich.) had a 29-yard completion to Hicks on a fourth-and-four leading to Brown's two-yard rumble on the ensuing play.
The Oilers gained two yards on their next possession and the Warrior offense responded with a 69-yard touchdown drive to take a 14-10 lead. A big play was a Zezula 46-yard hook-up with sophomore running back Deiontae Nicholas (Chesterfield, Mich. / L'Anse Creuse North) on a third-and-10. Junior running back Demetrius Stinson (Detroit, Mich. / Douglass) scored on a six-yard jaunt.
UF cut the Wayne State advantage in half with a 43-yard touchdown pass from Rhys Gervais to Jason Moore.
Both teams failed to convert fourth down opportunities and the first half ended with WSU holding a 14-7 lead.
The Oilers tied the game at 14-14 by taking the second half kickoff and going 79 yards in 14 plays. A 10-yard Gervais to Moore completion on third-and-goal was the tying score.
A WSU punt followed by a fourth down incompletion by the Oilers preceded a four-play, 69-yard scoring drive by the Warriors. Stinson raced down the sideline for 54 yards on the second play, then Zezula found senior tight end Aaron Weston (Comstock Park, Mich. / Rockford) in the end zone for a 10-yard TD play. It was Weston's second career touchdown grab.
Wayne State defense forced a three-and-out and it took the Warrior offense just 62 seconds to go 88 yards with Nicholas covering the final 86 on play No. 2 of the drive. Bevilacqua made the extra point after missing his attempt earlier in the quarter to give WSU a 27-14 lead.
Findlay used just five plays to cover 72 yards on the drive following the kickoff to pull within six points. The TD pass from Gervais to Moore went for 61 yards setting up the 16-play drive for WSU following a punt by each team.
TEAM STATS
WSU had a 314-70 edge in rushing yards and also led in total offense 496-400.
Including the 12:23 to 2:37 edge in time of possession in the fourth stanza, Wayne State held the ball for 34:44 compared to 25:16 for the Oilers.
WSU INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Both Stinson and Nicholas had over 100 yards rushing with Stinson carrying the ball 16 times for 125 yards and Nicholas adding 106 yards on six attempts. Brown contributed 50 yards on 12 rushes with all three scoring a rushing touchdown.
Zezula completed 16-of-24 passes for 182 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions.
Hicks had team-high totals of eight catches for 74 yards, plus a 25-yard touchdown run giving him 99 all-purpose yards. His touchdown run was the second of his career. The first was a 20-yard scamper in the 2014 season finale against Hillsdale.
Cunningham led the WSU defense with a team-best (and career-high) 12 tackles (6 solo, 6 assisted) including a half-tackle for loss, a forced fumble and a blocked kick.
LEADING THE OPPOSITION
Chauncey Bridges rushed for a team-best 81 yards on 18 carries, which included a 25-yard run.
Gervais passed for 330 yards and three touchdowns on 26-of-44 with one interception. He was also sacked twice, along with seven pass break-ups by the Warriors.
Moore had four receptions for 130 yards and three scores, while Dylan Blunk totaled 15 catches for 118 yards with a long of 18.
Myles Alexander recorded a game-high 13 tackles (3 solo, 10 assisted).
WORTH NOTING
Wayne State had five rushing plays of at least 86 yards in the first 98 years of football, but the Warriors have two (both 86-yard touchdown runs) in the last four games. Brown scampered 86 yards against Lake Erie, and Nicholas' TD run today put WSU ahead 27-14 late in the third period.
The Wayne State defense held Findlay to 0-for-2 on fourth down and has not allowed a fourth-down conversion in 11 attempts this season.
The Warriors entered the Oiler contest sixth nationally in rushing yards per game at 292.8, and rattled off 314 yards vs. UF.
Weston's touchdown grab was his first since Oct. 25, 2014, against Walsh. He almost equaled his career receiving yards total with 38 yards on two catches after entering the contest with four receptions for 40 yards.
Hicks moved into eighth place on the WSU all-time receptions list with 92 catches passing Dean Morrison (1974-77), Nate Bush (1993-95) and current Notre Dame strength coach Paul Longo (1978-81). Hicks trails Dominique Maybanks (2010-13) by one reception for seventh place.
Brown tied Troy Burrell (2008-11) for 10th place on the WSU all-time scoring chart with 168 points.
Cunningham notched his second career blocked kick, and first since blocking a Grand Valley State punt on Oct. 11, 2014.
Freshman linebacker Leon Eggleston (Sylvania, Ohio / Southview) tallied a career-best six tackles (4-2) along with a pass break-up.
Sophomore cornerback Jared Singletary (Farmington Hills, Mich. / Southfield-Lathrup) equaled his career total of two pass break-ups on back-to-back plays in the third quarter on third and fourth downs with the score tied at 14-14 and UF at the WSU 31-yard line.
Stinson had his third career 100-yard rushing effort, and all three have come against Ohio schools (Malone, Walsh and Findlay).
WSU had two running backs gain over 100 yards for the first time this season. Brown (161) and Stinson (108) accomplished this feat in a 31-16 victory at Walsh on Oct. 24, 2015.
UP NEXT
Wayne State returns to Adams Field on Oct. 15 for a noon kickoff against Walsh.
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