Bright lights, big win.
Under the spotlight of a national broadcast, the University of Charleston and Concord football teams provided plenty of late-game drama. The Golden Eagles jumped on Concord early behind the legs of quarterback Jeremy Johnson, then weathered a second-half surge from the No. 21 Mountain Lions for a 29-21 win Thursday night at UC Stadium.
The win, Charleston's first over Concord since 2012, should give the Golden Eagles (4-1, 4-1 Mountain East Conference) second place in the league. Even if Glenville State beats Notre Dame (Ohio) on Saturday to match UC's 4-1 MEC record, the Golden Eagles hold the head-to-head edge, having beaten the Pioneers 31-30 on Sept. 19.
There was plenty of attention paid to Thursday's game. It not only was the MetroNews game of the week, but also was broadcast over ESPN's online streaming service, ESPN3, as its national Division II game of the week.
"In the end, we made some plays, and I'm proud of our guys," UC coach Pat Kirkland said. "We've got to learn from some miscues, but I think it's also important for us that we realize we beat a good Concord team.
And we also need to praise these players for what they did and the effort they put forth."
The recent history of this UC-Concord series has produced plenty of close games. Each of the previous three had been decided by six points or fewer.
The Mountain Lions rebounded from their first-half struggles to add some excitement into Thursday's contest. Concord cut its 22-point halftime deficit to just eight when Calvinaugh Jones, last season's MEC offensive player of the year, scored a 4-yard touchdown with 13:39 left in the game.
Then Concord had a chance to tie the game by taking a chance on a fake field goal. Kicker Andy Ellington looked like he had a sure-fire touchdown pass to T.J. Smith, but UC free safety John Knox sprinted to the left side of the end zone to bat the pass away.
"All I knew is that I had to get there," Knox said. "I just had to get there. [My eyes] were probably popping out of my head, but I knew I had to get there. And when that ball was coming down, and I saw that I was there, all my intentions were to just get that ball on the ground."
Concord could have had another shot to tie the game, forcing fourth-and-4 for UC on the Mountain Lions 36 with 1:25 left. But Concord was flagged out of a time out for having too many men on the field, allowing UC to kneel out the clock and secure the win.
It was a nail-biter borne from what, after the first half, appeared to be a comfortable Charleston win.
UC wasted little time on its first touchdown drive. Kick-started by a 58-yard Torie Wagner kickoff return, the Golden Eagles went 38 yards in four plays and capped the series with Johnson's 10-yard touchdown run. That was the first of three straight touchdown sprints for Charleston's sixth-year quarterback.
He added a 75-yard score, weaving through the Concord defense and dashing away from it as he reached the secondary, with 7:29 left in the first quarter. He finished a 13-play, 68-yard drive with 10:04 left in the second with a 12-yard score. Johnson added a passing touchdown with 17 seconds left in the first half, a 16-yarder to Rashawn Dickerson.
"When we got out there, I knew they were going to blitz a lot," Johnson said. "So if they didn't take advantage and make the play on the blitz, my feet were going to help, because everyone was going deep on the back end."
Johnson - a former four-star dual-threat quarterback recruit out of Silsbee (Texas) High who had stops at West Virginia, Lamar, Blinn Junior College and Houston before arriving at UC - finished the day with 184 rushing yards on 18 carries and 109 yards on 13-of-26 passing.
Meanwhile, UC's turnover-devouring defense neutralized a Concord offense that Kirkland thought was rounding into form entering Thursday's game. The Golden Eagles intercepted three Brian Novak passes in the first half, two by Zaire Lewis and one by Knox. Those three picks led to 10 Charleston points, the first points off turnovers for UC this season.
The final interception, Lewis' second, came after Concord called a time out with 12 second left in the half. Lewis snatched Novak's 14-yard throw on the ensuing play and returned it to the Concord 28. Brett Benes kicked a 44-yard field goal with time running out to give Charleston a 29-7 halftime lead. Concord's touchdown came on a Novak 12-yard pass to T.J. Smith. Novak finished the game with 124 yards, a touchdown and three picks on 14-of-24 passing.
Tevion Cappe added 100 rushing yards on 25 carries for the Golden Eagles, who next visit West Liberty on Oct. 10. Jones rushed for 125 yards on 19 carries for Concord, and Lewis said Jones' second-half play was what got the Mountain Lions back in the game.
"It definitely was the outside zone," Lewis said. "They were killing us with outside zone, breaking loose. They have a great back and he just started getting loose and taking off."
Yet the Golden Eagles still were able to hold back the nationally ranked Mountain Lions for their third straight win. With that victory, Lewis feels UC's momentum is really starting to build.
"I'm so thankful," Lewis said. "We worked so hard in the offseason to prepare for this season. Everything is coming around, and I'm so thankful."