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UWF Dominates Wingate, 31-0, In NCAA First Round Victory
November 19, 2017
WINGATE, N.C. – Coming into Saturday’s NCAA Division II Football First Round game at No. 3 seed Wingate, No. 6 seed UWF became the fastest startup program to reach the postseason. After the 31-0 dismantling of the Bulldogs, they can now lay claim to being the fastest program to win a playoff game.
From the third play of the game when Jalen Spencer intercepted Wingate quarterback Dylan Williams and returned it 23 yards for a touchdown, the UWF defense announced it was going to be the focal point of the day. Spencer got his second interception on the Bulldogs’ next drive returning it 15 yards to the UWF 30, eventually leading to an Austin Williams 51-yard field goal – tying his own career-long.
By the end of the 60-minutes at Irwin Belk Stadium, the Argonauts held 16th-ranked Wingate to a season-low 205 yards of total offense, sacked Williams a school-record nine times, picked him off three times and did its part to put all four Gulf South Conference teams into the Super Region 2 semifinals.
Marvin Conley, Reggie Barnes and Johnathan Coleman each posted double-digit tackles. The Argos have combined for 21 sacks and 38 tackles for loss over the last three contests.
UWF (8-3) ended with 289 yards of total offense –129 on the ground and 160 through the air. Mike Beaudry was 18-for-31 with three passing touchdowns and an interception.
Beaudry’s first scoring play came at the end of the half on a drive setup by a 35-yard Antoine Griffin punt return to just about midfield. With the Argos leading 10-0, he capped a 12-play, 53-yard drive with a 10-yard pass to Tate Lehtio, where the sophomore lept over a Wingate defender from the 2-yard line to reach the end zone.
UWF left no doubt about the outcome at the start of the second half, taking the opening possession 82 yards over 13 plays that saw Griffin haul in a 17-yard pass for the score. The drive took 6:43 off the clock and was the longest scoring drive of the season while putting UWF up 24-0.
They added a final score following a fumble forced by Trent Archie that Daryl Wilson recovered at the Wingate 31. Beaudry and company needed just three plays before he tossed a ball to tight end Austin Blake-Smith for a 13-yard touchdown. It was Blake-Smith’s fourth TD in the last four games.
The UWF kicking game was also strong on Saturday as punter Colton Norris and placekicker Austin Williams battled strong winds all game. Norris punted seven times and placed five inside the 20-yard line, while Williams made all three point after touchdown attempts, drew to within one made field goal of the GSC single-season record of 23 and put four of his six kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks.
UWF advances to the NCAA Second Round where it will travel to West Georgia (9-3) and face the Wolves for the second time in three weeks. UWG defeated Virginia State, 35-9, in its first round game. Kickoff time and ticket prices for the game at University Stadium in Carrollton, Ga. will be announced in the coming days.
Photo by Jim Wright for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
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