BSC football has 2 road wins, a first since 1977

Sep. 21—CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bluefield State's football team relied on lightening offense and timely defense to collect a 20-12 road win against Johnson C. Smith University on Saturday night in Charlotte, N.C.

Following the opening kickoff and a three-and-out by the Golden Bulls, the Big Blue scored on their first possession of the game.

Following a four-yard run by Markaden Bryant, quarterback J'Rell Joseph came back with a short pass to Berkarion Black for a first down. Then Joseph hit Perry Wilder on a deep post route and he cruised into the end zone for the touchdown.

The series lasted less than a minute: three snaps for 80 yards. The point-after-touchdown kick attempt failed.

The teams traded possessions with no scoring for the rest of the quarter. A J.C. Smith punt was downed at the Bluefield State three-yard line.

That's where the Big Blue started the second quarter.

Two rushes netted just two yards to the five. On a third-and-eight, Joseph completed a pass to Kentavious Jefferson who outraced the Golden Bulls 95 yards for the score.

Three plays, 97 yards, in less than a minute and half.

This time kicker Carson Crossman converted the PAT for the 13-0, Bluefield State advantage.

After the kickoff, J.C. Smith started at their 35. Then put together an impressive drive of their own.

Davion Nelson rushed seven times for 50 yards, including the last three for the touchdown. Wader Hemmingway added a 25-yard run in between Nelson's.

The PAT failed, but the Golden Bulls were right back in it at 13-6.

Following a Bluefield State possession that netted only 13 yards, J.C. Smith took over on its 10 and proceeded to put together another long drive that continued to lean heavily on its running game.

Four minutes later they were at the Bluefield State 40 with a first-and-ten. Following a J.C. Smith timeout, the Big Blue defense came up big when quarterback Antonio Wallace was sacked for a ten-yard loss by Evan Robinson.

Two more plays set up a fourth-and-eight at the 38. A pass for intended receiver Desmond Dozier was incomplete and the Big Blue took over on downs with :55 remaining in the half.

The Big Blue moved quickly to the Golden Bulls 27 with passes to Bryant and Perry Wilder. The half ended with Joseph running for a first down at the 20.

Bluefield State started the second half right where they left off. After the kickoff, they started at their 28 and used a skillful mix of running and passing for their third quick drive score of the game.

The highlights were a 55-yard pass from Joseph to Wilder that ended at the Golden Bulls 11. Then the Big Blue shocked the home team with an end-around by Jefferson for the touchdown. Carson's kick was good and Bluefield State was up 20-6.

5 plays, 72 yards, in little more than a minute.

The teams traded possessions until J.C. Smith took over with 4:44 left in the quarter.

Starting from their 15, the Golden Bulls put together another impressive, run-dominated drive. Wader Hemingway rushed seven times for 36 yards, including the final 13 for the touchdown.

The PAT failed again, leaving the Big Blue with an eight-point lead, 20-12.

Coming into the fourth quarter, things got a little dicey for the visitors.

Their possession after the kickoff resulted in three consecutive rushes for losses, leaving them with 4th-and-32 from their own 15.

However, a roughing-the-kicker penalty resulted in a first down at the Golden Bulls 30. Following a Kishion Grandberry run and loss of eight yards, the Golden Bears were penalized again for 30 yards and another first down at the eight.

This time, the Big Blue's lightening stayed in the bottle. A fumble was recovered by the Golden Bulls' Travis Wiley at the nine.

The Big Blue defense stiffened and forced a three-and-out. A short punt gave the offense another golden opportunity at the JC Smith 35 with 10:24 remaining.

But the Golden Bulls stiffened, too, and forced a turnover on downs.

The teams traded possessions until J.C. Smith got the ball at the Bluefield State 46 with 4:13 remaining. Again, their rushing game dominated and they pushed the ball to the 13 with less than two minutes left in the game.

Then the defense caught Nelson in the backfield and forced a critical fumble, recovered by Xavier Curry with 1:42 remaining.

Bluefield State tried to run out the clock, but were forced to punt. It only went five yards and gave JS Smith one last gasp at the Big Blue 30 with :18 left in the game.

A complete pass got them to the 20.

But with two more big stops by the secondary, time ran out on the Golden Bulls.

And the Big Blue did something a Bluefield State team hadn't done since 1977: Win at least two games on the road.

Coach Tony Coaxum summed up the effort from both sides of the ball, "This team loves each other and will lay it all on the line for each other."

Big Blue QB J'rell Joseph completed 15 of 23 pass attempts for 273 yards and two touchdowns, also rushing for 48 yards in eight carries. Markaden Bryant led the rushing committee, churning out 50 yards on 11 attempts.

Bryant finished with three catches for 76 yards to lead BSC receiving yardage on the day. Perry Wilder took the lead on catches, gaining 64 yards on five receptions.

Jhordan Inniss and Xavier Curry led the Big Blue defense with six solo tackles and four assists and seven solo tackles with two assists, respectively. Kiron Delts had an interception for BSC.

BSC takes a breather week in advance of an Oct. 2 home game with UNC-Greensboro.