WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Coastal Carolina football team gave up an early score, but rebounded with 31 unanswered points en route to a 31-12 win at Winston-Salem State, Sept. 30. With the win, the Chanticleers move their record to 3-2 on the year, while the Rams fall to 1-4.
The Rams took the opening drive the length of the field, going 80 yards in six plays over 2:22. Brandon McRae took it down the left side from 46 yards out. The extra point attempt hit the right upright and banged out, leaving WSSU with a 6-0 lead.
CCU answered immediately in two plays and 22 seconds. CCU started the drive with an 11-yard completion from quarterback
Tyler Thigpen to wide receiver
Jerome Simpson and a 15-yard personal foul against WSSU on the play. Thigpen then hit wide receiver
Chris Noble for a 45-yard touchdown strike on the second play from scrimmage. Kicker
Josh Hoke's extra-point put the Chanticleers up 7-6 with 12:03 to go in the first quarter.
Next possession, CCU went down the field again in nine plays over 56 yards. This time, the final play was an 11-yard strike from Thigpen to Simpson for CCU's second score of the game and a 14-6 lead.
Late in the half, Coastal got the ball off a
Dewitt Myers' interception at WSSU's 41-yard line. After 11 plays and 34 yards over 3:49, Hoke's 24-yard field goal made it 17-6 Coastal at the halftime break.
The Chants got the ball to open the second half and took it 79 yards on eight plays over 3:23 for another score. The drive was capped off on a 36-yard screen play touchdown from Thigpen to fullback
Mike Tolbert. The point after attempt was good and Coastal stretched its lead to 24-6 with 11:25 to go in the third quarter.
The next Coastal drive was started after the defense shut down Winston-Salem State on a 4th-and-8 at Coastal's 17. CCU marched it 83 yards, this time on five plays over 2:40. Again, Thigpen connected with Simpson for the score, this time from 12 yards out and CCU was up 31-6 late in the third quarter. A big play on the drive was Thigpen's run around the right end for 50 yards to set up the Chants at the WSSU 16-yard line.
Winston-Salem State cut into the lead, going down the field 80 yards on 14 plays, capped off by Roderi Fluelllen's 13-yd run, The two-point conversion pass failed, and CCU had a 31-12 lead with 11:08 to go in the contest. The teams exchanged possessions for the remainder of the game, as the Chants headed home with the win.
Coastal outgained the host Rams 443-311 and was solid on third-down conversions throughout the night, going 8-for-12. CCU posted 279 yards of passing offense and could have possibly had more points, but committed two turnovers that halted drives. CCU did limit WSSU to just 4-of-18 for 78 yards and two interceptions through the air.
Thigpen was 19-for-26 for 279 yards and a school-record four touchdowns, while also adding a team-high 57 yards on the ground. With those yards, Thigpen passed Nick Roberts of Gardner-Webb as the all-time leading quarterback rusher in Big South history, finishing the game with 1,233 career yards. Noble picked up five receptions for a game-high 92 yards and one score, while Simpson had seven catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns. With his first touchdown catch of the night, Simpson became the Big South's all-time touchdown reception leader. Tolbert had 38 yards on the ground and 36 receiving as well. McRae led all rushers with 10 carries for 90 yards and one touchdown, while quarterback Monte Purvis had 13 carries for 74 yards.
The Chants return home to host #3 Furman at Brooks Stadium next Saturday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. The game will be the first meeting between the two schools, and it will be televised on Comcast Sports Southeast.
