CONWAY, S.C. — Coastal Carolina leaned on a powerful ground game to overpower ULM, 23–8, in blustery, rain-soaked conditions Saturday night at Brooks Stadium. The Chanticleers (3–3, 2–1 Sun Belt) rushed for a season-high 277 yards on 51 carries, controlling the line of scrimmage and the tempo throughout the contest.
 
QB Samari Collier led the charge with 86 rushing yards and a 39-yard touchdown run, while Ja'Vin Simpkins added 63 yards and Jevon Edwards chipped in 48 as the Chants featured a balanced, multi-headed attack that wore down the Warhawks (3–3, 1–1 Sun Belt).
 
Coastal's offense set the tone early behind the steady foot of Kian Afrookhteh, who connected on field goals of 38, 26, and 39 yards to give the Chanticleers a 9–0 lead. Just before halftime, Collier capped a 73-yard drive by hitting Brooks Johnson for an 8-yard touchdown pass with 12 seconds left in the second quarter to extend the margin to 16–0.
 
ULM briefly clawed back in the third quarter as Aidan Armenta found Jonathan Bibbs for a 27-yard score, followed by a successful two-point conversion to make it 16–8. But Collier responded on the next series, racing 39 yards up the middle for the decisive touchdown that pushed the lead back to 23–8.
 
The Chanticleer defense did its part, holding the Warhawks to just one red-zone trip and forcing two interceptions — one each by Avyonne Jones and Xamarion Gordon. Tray Brown paced the unit with six tackles and two tackles for loss as Coastal limited ULM to 315 total yards and only one third-down conversion (1-for-13).
 
Afrookhteh remained perfect on the season and handled the swirling winds with confidence, converting all three field goals and both PATs.
 
Coastal Carolina improved to 2–1 in Sun Belt play heading into next weekend's road matchup at Appalachian State. The Chants and Mountaineers will kick things off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 18 inside Kidd-Brewer Stadium. The game will air on ESPN+, the Chanticleer Sports Network and the Chanticleer Mobile App.
 
NOTEBOOK
LIGHT UP THE SKY: Coastal Carolina showed off some new features Saturday as LED lights were installed inside Brooks Stadium over the past few weeks. Another improvement to the gameday experience, the light show was evident after scores, between quarters and during the pregame show. The color-changing fixtures can be synchronized, helping to create a dynamic and immersive fan experiences through video, ribbon boards, lights and music.
 
HUDSON MISSES TIME: QB Tad Hudson started the game, going 2-of-3 for 18 yards along with five carries for 36 yards, including a 16-yard scamper. He did not return after Coastal's second drive of the night, and a postgame update was not available at press time.
 
WEATHER BATTLE: Persistent rain and gusting winds made for a sloppy contest in Conway. The teams combined for five fumbles, 10 punts, and a host of short passing attempts as the weather limited vertical opportunities.
 
GROUND GAME CARRIES THE LOAD: Coastal rushed for 277 yards on 51 attempts, a season high. Collier led the way with 86 yards and the decisive 39-yard touchdown, while Ja'Vin Simpkins (63 yards) and Jevon Edwards (48 yards) provided consistent support. Six different Chanticleers logged at least one rushing attempt.
 
DEFENSIVE HIGHLIGHTS: In the absence of injured captain Shane Bruce, LB Tray Brown anchored the defense with six tackles and two tackles for loss, while safeties Avyonne Jones and Xamarion Gordon each snagged an interception. Coastal limited ULM to 1-for-13 on third downs and just one red-zone trip all night.
 
AFROOKHTEH AUTOMATIC: Despite a windy night near the beach, Afrookhteh stayed perfect, hitting from 38, 26, and 39 yards. The junior kicker has now converted his last six attempts.