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Methodist University Athletics

The Official Athletics Site of The Methodist University monarchs Methodist University monarchs
FBvLaGrange WhiteDev
33
LaGrange LC 3-6 , 1-5
37
Winner Methodist University MUFB 4-4 , 3-3
LaGrange LC
3-6 , 1-5
33
Final
37
Methodist University MUFB
4-4 , 3-3
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
LC LaGrange 21 7 0 5 33
MUFB Methodist University 14 20 3 0 37

Game Recap: Football | | Ja'Shawn Steward-Johnson

Six Lead Changes Later…A Monarchs Victory!

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  Methodist football held on against visiting USA South Athletic Conference foe LaGrange College for a 37-33 win on the Monarchs' Senior Day Saturday afternoon.

Brandon Bullins' 264 passing yards and two touchdowns along with Xzavier McNeil's 10 receptions for 118 yards and a touchdown led the way for the Methodist offense, while Devonte White guided the defense with two interceptions of the Panthers.

Despite LaGrange's Terron Dixon rushing for a conference-record 306 yards, the Monarch defense came up big when it was needed with four third-down stops in the fourth quarter, two turnover-on-downs, stopping a fake punt, and a late 4th-and-4 at the Methodist 13-yard line when the score was 37-31.

THE ESSENTIALS
Final Score: Methodist def. LaGrange, 37-33
Records: Methodist 4-4 (3-3 USA South), LaGrange 3-6 (1-5)
Location: Monarch Stadium; Fayetteville, N.C.
Event: Methodist Senior Day

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • "Bend but don't break" and timely defensive stops characterized the Methodist defense in the second half. Jake Allen came up clutch in the fourth quarter with two huge tackles for losses on third down, forcing a 43-yard Panthers field goal and a failed Panthers' fake punt. The fake featured a direct snap to the upback for a run on 4th-and-5 but Brandon Bagley and Khalil Patterson made the stop with a yard to spare to force the turnover.
  • With 56 seconds remaining in the game and LaGrange on the Monarchs' 13-yard line, Patterson hurried Brevin Linnell out the pocket and Nate Jones earned the breakup to seal the win.
  • The first half, which featured big plays galore and nine touchdowns combined was a game of "anything you can do, I can do better." Methodist answered two quick LaGrange scores with two quick touchdowns of their own, coming less than two minutes apart. First a 43-yard strike from Bullins to Jamaar Moore tied the game at 21, then Nick Baker scored on an eight-yard rush to give the Monarchs a 28-21 lead after Devonte White intercepted Linnell and returned it 40 yards to the Panthers 8-yard line.
  • Holding a slim 28-27 lead with 2:37 remaining before half, Bullins found McNeil for a 66-yard completion before McNeil was tackled inside the five-yard line. Three plays later, McNeil earned his touchdown with a one-yard reception to give the Monarchs the lead, 34-27.
  • On two consecutive touches early in the first quarter, Kobe Praylow immediately answered a LaGrange touchdown with a big play of his own --an 88-yard kick return for a touchdown and a 54-yard run for a touchdown later in the quarter to give Methodist a 14-7 lead.
  • Dixon had runs of 80 yards (touchdown), 55 yards (touchdown), and 58 yards in the first half, gifting the Panthers with three touchdowns in the process. His first play from scrimmage was a sign of things to come as he took a handoff on play #1 and went 80 yards to give LaGrange a 7-0 lead. His second touchdown that went for 55 yards, gave the Panthers their final lead of the game at 28-27. Sandwiched between two first half Dixon scores were two 20-yard completions to Jeremiah Engram from Linnell that went for touchdowns. Those two Engram touchdowns happened in the span of 40 seconds after the Monarchs failed to field a short kickoff.
  • After the firework display in the first half, both defenses settled in for the second half with a pair of field goals (one from each team) being the only score besides a late-game tactical safety.
  • Trevor Hargett's 30-yard field goal late in the third quarter gave the Monarchs just enough cushion to escape with the victory.

SENIOR DAY
Before the game, Methodist honored 14 seniors from the football team— Devonte White, Steve Keoni, Nick Baker, Vic Woods, Vontre Howard, Aquillis Rogers, Kelvin Waites, Gregory Sampson, Luis Rolon, Brandon Bagley, and Brian Mason plus student-coaches Austin Cronan, Jesse Winters, and Bryant Goodwin.
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STAT FACTS
  • In addition to his 264 yards and two touchdowns, Bullins went 24-of-38 while playing interception-free football (his second such game this season).
  • Moore had 103 receiving yards plus a touchdown on six catches.
  • Roderic Christian Jr. and Bagley set new season-highs with 13 tackles and 12 tackles, respectively. Bagley also earned a sack on a key third down in the third quarter.
  • Nate Jones had 11 total (six solo) tackles, two pass breakups, and a forced fumble that was recovered by Methodist.
  • TJ Wright had seven total tackles, including four solo. His sack of Caleb Speir cemented the win as Spier was loading up for a hail mary as time expired.
  • The goal is to win in all three phases and Bobby Haggerty helped the Monarchs do just that on special teams. He booted a field-flipping punt 74 yards, forcing a LaGrange offense to take the field from their own three-yard line. That was his third punt of 65-plus yards and eighth punt of over 50 yards for the year. Of his eight punts in this game, two were returned for a total of two yards. Plus, following the team's tactical safety late in the game, Haggerty sent a rocket on the kickoff 65 yards with a Panthers' return of minus-three yards.
  • Behind Dixon's 306 yards on 34 attempts, James Monroe rushed for 102 yards on 19 carries.

UP NEXT
  • The Monarchs travel to Danville, Virginia, to play conference rival Averett University November 16. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
  • LaGrange is home for its season finale, the Panthers welcome Huntingdon College November 16 at 1 p.m.
    
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