College Football: Concord rallies on the road to win opener

EMORY, Va. – The Concord University football team erased a 17-7 second quarter deficit as it held Emory & Henry to three points in the game’s final 34 minutes in a 27-20 win Saturday afternoon at Fred Self Stadium.

Down two scores for the only time in the game after a bad snap on a punt ended up in the end zone for an E&H (0-1) touchdown, the Mountain Lions (1-0) took the ensuing kickoff back 94 yards for a score with 4:15 remaining in the first half.

After forcing a punt at midfield with 1:54 left in the first half, the Mountain Lions took the ball 81 yards on six plays in the final 1:54 as senior quarterback Jack Mangel hit junior Jarod Bowie for a 25-yard touchdown strike with 28 seconds remaining in the opening half.

The successful two-minute drill gave the Mountain Lions a 20-17 lead at halftime.

Halfway through the third quarter, Concord’s defense was asked to make a goal line stand to keep the advantage at three. On 4^th-and-goal at the one-yard line, fifth-year senior linebacker Ty Maust and fifth-year senior defensive back Phillip Russell stuffed Emory & Henry running back Grayson Overstreet.

On the next Wasps’ possession, they settled for a 22-yard goal to tie the game with 2:26 left in the third quarter.

However, the Mountain Lions had an immediate answer as Mangel and the offense needed five minutes to drive 62 yards that ended with a Kris Copeland one-yard touchdown rush. Copeland’s second touchdown of the day was set by Bowie snagging a 17-yard passing from Mangel on 3^rd-and-11 at the E&H 18-yard line.

CU’s defense held up the rest of the way as it had to make one final stand. The Wasps got the ball back at the Concord 39-yard line with 1:25 remaining, but CU forced a turnover on downs without E&H picking up a first down.

The season got off to a fast start as Mangel found junior wide receiver Cayden Chambers for a 40-yard touchdown pass on the game’s third play.

Mangel finished the day with 208 yards passing as 158 of those came in the first half. Bowie caught six passes for 96 yards and a score. For Bowie, 60 of his yards came on the first half’s final possession.

Copeland finished with 221 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns. He rushed for 22 yards and added 34 receiving yards. Copeland’s kickoff return for a score was the first for CU since Tiko Henderson went 92 yards at Shepherd in 2014.

Emory & Henry’s offense averaged nearly 440 yards last season, but on Saturday Concord held the Wasps to 262 yards. Maust led the way with 10 tackles. Fifth-year senior linebacker Tylen Fowler threw in seven tackles with two coming for loss. Three of the five tackles for fifth-year senior defensive lineman Dajor Davenport were for loss including a first-half sack.

The Mountain Lions have their home opener and first Mountain East Conference game of the year when Glenville State travels to Athens 1:00 p.m. Saturday.