INSTITUTE, W.Va. – The West Virginia State University football team (4-2, 3-2 MEC) will make the long journey to UNC Pembroke (3-3, 3-2 MEC) on Thursday, Oct. 13 for a 6 p.m. kickoff.

PREVIOUS CONTESTS

• WVSU defeated West Virginia Wesleyan (0-6, 0-5 MEC), 46-21.
• UNCP defeated Wheeling (4-2, 3-2 MEC), 17-16.

 LAST MEETING

The Yellow Jackets hosted the Braves in week seven of the 2021 season and were narrowly defeated, 14-13. UNCP got on the scoreboard first with a touchdown late in the first quarter, 7-0. Pembroke tacked on another touchdown midway through the second quarter before State made a field goal from 25 yards out, 14-3, in the closing seconds of the first half.

The third quarter was scoreless. In the fourth quarter, WVSU finally made it into the end zone with a 25-yard pass, 14-10. The Yellow Jackets then opted to go for a field goal with under four minutes remaining in the game and made it, 14-13. UNCP was picked off on the next drive before State coughed up the football to allow the Braves to run out the clock.

THE BUZZ AT STATE

The Yellow Jackets are coming off back-to-back wins against Alderson Broaddus and West Virginia Wesleyan. They ran for over 300 yards in both contests. WVSU also held both teams to under 100 rushing yards. State is now ranked second in the Mountain East Conference in both rushing offense (195.2 yards per game) and rushing defense (108.7 yards allowed per game) after the pair of dominant performances.

Running backs Joel Felder and Tavis McAdoo are both averaging over six yards per carry with seven touchdowns between the two playmakers. McAdoo has rushed for 428 yards in six games played while Felder has rushed for 399 yards in five games played this season. 

Linebacker AJ Joyce is becoming a force to be reckoned with on defense. He currently leads the Yellow Jackets in sacks with four while the team is ranked second in the MEC with 20 sacks so far. Last week, Joyce returned an interception 44 yards for a touchdown to end Wesleyan's chances at a late comeback.

SCOUTING THE BRAVES

UNC Pembroke is coming off back-to-back, one-point wins against Frostburg State, 10-9, and Wheeling, 17-16. In both games, the Braves held their opponents to under 100 rushing yards and 200 passing yards. Their offense was lackluster in both contests, but did just enough to pull off a pair of victories.

UNCP specializes in getting to the quarterback. Defensive linemen Branden Spencer and Tyreke King have each been in on 10 sacks to top the MEC in that category. The Braves are also the MEC leaders in sacks with 23 as a team.