FAIRMONT, W.Va. — West Virginia State University (4-1, 3-0 MEC) rallied in the fourth quarter to secure a thrilling 45-34 victory over Fairmont State (2-3, 1-2 MEC) on Saturday. After falling behind early, the Yellow Jackets stormed back with five touchdowns, including a key defensive score, to claim their fourth win of the season. WVSU's explosive offense and clutch defensive plays highlighted a game that kept the crowd on edge until the final moments.
West Virginia State's offense shined with a total of 587 yards, showcasing a balanced attack. The team rushed for 191 yards on 37 carries, averaging 5.2 yards per attempt, and passed for 396 yards on 26 completions out of 38 attempts. The Yellow Jackets dominated time of possession at 33:19, converting 4 of 12 third-down opportunities and both of their fourth-down attempts. The team found success in the red zone, scoring 28 points on five trips, including three rushing touchdowns.
On offense, Isaiah Bess led the way, completing 26 of 38 passes for 396 yards and two touchdowns, despite one interception. Justin Pessoa broke the century mark with 15 rushes for 101 yards. Joel Felder also contributed significantly on the ground, rushing 18 times for 98 yards and three touchdowns, while also catching 8 passes for 73 yards. Marqus Ray had a standout game as well, with two receptions for 81 yards, including a 70-yard catch. Adrien Mosley added 5 receptions for 107 yards, with a touchdown.
Defensively, the Yellow Jackets were led by linebacker Tim Sanford II, who totaled 10 tackles, including one tackle for loss. Nick Blake had a game-changing 38-yard interception return for a touchdown, while Jaylen Geter recorded 7 total tackles and one tackle for loss. Kwesi Tillman contributed with 5 tackles, including a sack for 7 yards, and added two quarterback hurries. Brennen Schmitt was perfect on special teams, converting all 6 of his extra-point attempts and adding a 50-yard field goal.
Fairmont State got off to a fast start in the first quarter, taking the opening kickoff to their own 44-yard line. On their first drive, Fairmont State capitalized on a 15-yard personal foul penalty against West Virginia State's Sanford, setting them up at the WVSU 38-yard line. The Falcons moved the ball quickly downfield, with Nino Marzullo connecting with Jermaine Bradford on a 23-yard pass to bring them to the WVSU 11. Shortly after, Marzullo hit Carter Giacomo for an 11-yard touchdown, putting Fairmont State up 7-0 early.
West Virginia State responded with an efficient drive of their own, moving from their 22-yard line with quick passes from Bess to Felder and Nolan Johnson. Bess capped the drive with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Pessoa, evening the score at 7-7 after Brennen Schmitt's extra point. Both teams showed strong offensive execution, with Fairmont State managing 66 yards on their second possession of the quarter, resulting in a 19-yard touchdown pass to Dereik Crosby II. The Falcons ended the first quarter leading 14-7.
In the second quarter, Fairmont State extended their lead to 17-7 with a 27-yard field goal by Emmanuel Richardson following a 63-yard drive. The Falcons opened the quarter with a deep 47-yard pass from Marzullo to Jolann Alston, setting them up at the WVSU 12-yard line. Despite moving into the red zone, West Virginia State's defense held strong, forcing the field goal after key tackles by LucRichard Rameau and Sanford.
West Virginia State's next possession showed promise as Felder rushed for 13 yards to kick-start the drive. However, a 7-yard sack of quarterback Bess by Izuchukwu Igwe and Donovan O'Malley stalled the momentum, forcing a punt. Fairmont State responded with a brief possession, punting after gaining just 7 yards.
The Yellow Jackets regained control and engineered a 69-yard drive, highlighted by a 32-yard rush from Pessoa. However, Bess' attempt to finish the drive was thwarted when Howard Williams intercepted a pass in the end zone.
After forcing a Fairmont State punt, West Virginia State had one last drive before halftime. A clutch 23-yard pass from Bess to Felder set up a 50-yard field goal by Schmitt as time expired, cutting the deficit to 17-10 going into halftime.
In the third quarter, Fairmont State pushed their lead to 31-10 after two touchdown drives. Fairmont's defense came up big after Schmitt missed a 41-yard field goal on West Virginia State's opening drive of the half, keeping the Yellow Jackets off the board.
On their next possession, Marzullo connected with Crosby on a 44-yard touchdown pass to cap a 77-yard drive, extending Fairmont's lead. Crosby also played a key role in Fairmont's next scoring drive, catching an 88-yard touchdown pass from Marzullo, leaving the Yellow Jackets with a 21-point deficit late in the quarter.
West Virginia State's offense showed flashes of promise as Bess found Juwan Bunch for a 9-yard gain, and Felder added a 13-yard rush. However, momentum was halted when Felder fumbled after a 13-yard catch, recovered by Nick Longo of Fairmont. After a stalled Fairmont drive, WVSU failed to capitalize and punted the ball back.
Despite an offensive rhythm and a 15-yard pass to Bunch, the Yellow Jackets couldn't reach the end zone before the third quarter ended. They headed into the fourth down 31-10.
In the final quarter, West Virginia State mounted a furious comeback, erasing a 31-10 deficit to secure a 45-34 victory over Fairmont State. Felder kickstarted the rally, scoring a 9-yard rushing touchdown on the opening play of the quarter, narrowing the score to 31-17. After a missed onside kick attempt, WVSU's defense forced Fairmont to punt after just four plays.
The Yellow Jackets capitalized quickly, with Bess leading a 96-yard drive that ended in another rushing touchdown from Felder, making it 31-24. Fairmont State responded with a 28-yard field goal by Richardson to extend their lead to 34-24, but WVSU kept the pressure on.
Bess connected with Mosley on a critical 48-yard touchdown pass with under a minute left, bringing the score to 38-34 in favor of WVSU. On the first play of Fairmont's next possession, Nick Blake sealed the win with a game-clinching 38-yard interception return for a touchdown with just 30 seconds remaining. Schmitt's extra point capped off a 45-34 triumph for the Yellow Jackets, securing their victory after a remarkable 35-point fourth quarter.
West Virginia State's next game will be at home against the Concord Mountain Lions on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 1 p.m. at Lakin-Ray Field at Dickerson Stadium.
