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Saturday, September 1
Davidson, N.C.
7:00 p.m.
Davidson College
31
vs
21
UNC Pembroke
Chad Barnes runs for a TD in the Wildcats' season-opening win (photo by Willis Glasgow).
Davidson Tops UNCP in Season Opener
9/1/2007 8:57:46 PM | Football
Marc Gignac
Box Score
Davidson, N.C. - Junior Chad Barnes rushed for 170 yards and a touchdown, and senior Beaux Jones had six receptions for 89 yards to lead Davidson to a 31-21 victory over UNC Pembroke in the Wildcats' season opener Saturday night at Richardson Stadium. It was the first varsity football game for UNCP since 1950.
Kirk Benedict caught three passes for 42 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score, while Myles Potter caught two passes for 26 yards and a TD. The two teams combined to roll up 851 yards of offense in the contest.
Davidson opened a 24-6 lead early in the second quarter, but the Braves fought back and trimmed the margin to 24-15 in the fourth quarter. After the 'Cats forced a punt and took over on their own four, Barnes rushed seven times for 57 yards to key a nine-play, 96-yard touchdown drive.
“Our offensive line just kept wearing them down,” said Barnes. “My job was easy. I just ran through the big holes our line was providing.”
Senior quarterback Matt McGreevy, who replaced injured starter Ryan Alexander on the Wildcats' second possession of the second quarter, capped the drive with a 10-yard strike to Benedict. McGreevy finished the evening 8-for-17 with 107 yards. Alexander was 12-for-17 with 124 yards and a TD pass.
“Matt did a great job of running the offense,” said Davidson coach Tripp Merritt. “He did what he had to do to help us win, and I thought our offensive line won us the football game tonight.”
Rashan Kennedy led UNC Pembroke with 119 yards on the ground, and quarterback Matt Evans was 21-for-44 with 268 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. The pick was a weird play with 3:45 left in the contest. Evans' pass seemed to hang on the pads of his receiver, when Davidson senior linebacker Bud Crawford picked it off for his first career interception.
The Wildcats opened the contest with a methodical nine-play, 91-yard drive, capped by an Alexander 15-yard touchdown pass to Potter. UNCP came right back and scored its first varsity touchdown since 1950, when Evans rolled to his left off play action and found Darrin Watkins all alone behind the Davidson defense for a 64-yard pass.
Davidson took a 14-6 lead with 1:03 left in the first quarter on a two-yard Benedict run. Senior Cody Elder added a 34-yard field goal midway through the second frame, and Barnes' two-yard TD run with 3:59 left in the half gave the 'Cats a 24-6 cushion.
Davidson travels to Wingate for a 1:30 p.m. contest Sept. 8.
Notes: Barnes is the first Wildcat to run for over 150 yards since John Leverett had 179 at Austin Peay in 2004... Elder attempted and connected on his first field goal since the 2005 season; he was also perfect on all four PATs... The 'Cats blocked two kicks, and UNCP was 0-for-2 on PATs and 1-for-2 on field goals... Davidson improved to 6-2 in home openers since 2000 and 45-36-2 in home openers at Richardson Stadium.
Davidson, N.C. - Junior Chad Barnes rushed for 170 yards and a touchdown, and senior Beaux Jones had six receptions for 89 yards to lead Davidson to a 31-21 victory over UNC Pembroke in the Wildcats' season opener Saturday night at Richardson Stadium. It was the first varsity football game for UNCP since 1950.
Kirk Benedict caught three passes for 42 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score, while Myles Potter caught two passes for 26 yards and a TD. The two teams combined to roll up 851 yards of offense in the contest.
Davidson opened a 24-6 lead early in the second quarter, but the Braves fought back and trimmed the margin to 24-15 in the fourth quarter. After the 'Cats forced a punt and took over on their own four, Barnes rushed seven times for 57 yards to key a nine-play, 96-yard touchdown drive.
“Our offensive line just kept wearing them down,” said Barnes. “My job was easy. I just ran through the big holes our line was providing.”
Senior quarterback Matt McGreevy, who replaced injured starter Ryan Alexander on the Wildcats' second possession of the second quarter, capped the drive with a 10-yard strike to Benedict. McGreevy finished the evening 8-for-17 with 107 yards. Alexander was 12-for-17 with 124 yards and a TD pass.
“Matt did a great job of running the offense,” said Davidson coach Tripp Merritt. “He did what he had to do to help us win, and I thought our offensive line won us the football game tonight.”
Rashan Kennedy led UNC Pembroke with 119 yards on the ground, and quarterback Matt Evans was 21-for-44 with 268 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. The pick was a weird play with 3:45 left in the contest. Evans' pass seemed to hang on the pads of his receiver, when Davidson senior linebacker Bud Crawford picked it off for his first career interception.
The Wildcats opened the contest with a methodical nine-play, 91-yard drive, capped by an Alexander 15-yard touchdown pass to Potter. UNCP came right back and scored its first varsity touchdown since 1950, when Evans rolled to his left off play action and found Darrin Watkins all alone behind the Davidson defense for a 64-yard pass.
Davidson took a 14-6 lead with 1:03 left in the first quarter on a two-yard Benedict run. Senior Cody Elder added a 34-yard field goal midway through the second frame, and Barnes' two-yard TD run with 3:59 left in the half gave the 'Cats a 24-6 cushion.
Davidson travels to Wingate for a 1:30 p.m. contest Sept. 8.
Notes: Barnes is the first Wildcat to run for over 150 yards since John Leverett had 179 at Austin Peay in 2004... Elder attempted and connected on his first field goal since the 2005 season; he was also perfect on all four PATs... The 'Cats blocked two kicks, and UNCP was 0-for-2 on PATs and 1-for-2 on field goals... Davidson improved to 6-2 in home openers since 2000 and 45-36-2 in home openers at Richardson Stadium.
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