INSTITUTE, W.Va. — West Virginia State University showed flashes of brilliance but ultimately fell to Carson-Newman, 56-25, in a hard-fought and emotional non-conference game on Friday at Lakin-Ray Field. Despite a slow start, the Yellow Jackets clawed their way back into contention before key plays by Carson-Newman sealed the outcome.

WVSU (1-1) battled through a tough first half, finding their rhythm in the second quarter behind quarterback Isaiah Bess. Bess connected with wide receiver Joel Felder on a 65-yard touchdown pass, and the team showed resilience with a blocked field goal returned 93 yards by Quientin Williams. However, untimely turnovers and explosive plays by Carson-Newman (2-0) proved too much to overcome.

Bess threw for 221 yards and a touchdown, also adding a rushing score. Felder led the receiving corps with 65 yards, while running back Amare Ary found the end zone on a 4-yard rush. The Yellow Jackets' defense had moments of standout play, highlighted by Williams' long special teams return and Nicholas Martin's eight tackles.

WVSU struggled to contain Carson-Newman's offensive surge in the first quarter, falling behind 21-0 by the end of the first quarter. The Yellow Jackets' defense had difficulty adjusting to the Eagles' fast-paced ground attack but managed to stop the bleeding after the third touchdown. WVSU's offense took time to find its footing as they were unable to establish early momentum.

The Yellow Jackets found life in the second quarter, sparked by Amare Ary's 4-yard touchdown run, which was set up by a fumble recovery deep in Carson-Newman territory. Moments later, Bess hit Felder for a 65-yard bomb, cutting the Eagles' lead to 29-14. Carson-Newman responded, but WVSU kept pushing, ending the half with a 32-yard field goal by Brennen Schmitt to trail 36-17.

West Virginia State continued to fight back in the third quarter, with Quientin Williams making one of the game's most exciting plays—a 93-yard blocked PAT return for a defensive two-point conversion that energized the home crowd and cut into Carson-Newman's lead. Although the Eagles added another touchdown, WVSU's defense made key stops and began forcing more punts.

In the final quarter, Bess capped a 78-yard drive with a 3-yard rushing touchdown, showing the Yellow Jackets' never-quit attitude. Though the score was out of reach, WVSU kept pushing, controlling much of the possession and driving into Carson-Newman territory. Defensive adjustments slowed down the Eagles' offense, but a late rushing touchdown sealed the game.

The game was originally scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on Sept. 12, but was rescheduled following the death of WVSU inside linebacker Jyilek Harrington who lost his life less than 24 hours prior to kickoff.

Harrington was remembered in multiple ways this afternoon. The play clocks were set to 22 during pregame, a moment of silence was held just before the national anthem. The 22-yardline was painted black, and the 31-yardline was painted orange, which was the number he wore at Carson-Newman. WVSU entered Harrington into the starting lineup on defense and sent out 10 players for the first play of the game. WVSU players wore helmet stickers with 22 on them and Carson-Newman players had helmet stickers with 31.

WVSU will take the next eight days off to prepare for their Mountain East Conference opener against the West LIberty Hilltoppers on Saturday, Sept. 21. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.