FINAL STATS

(FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.) Four Bowie State turnovers and a heavy dose of Richard Medlin were keys to Fayetteville State's 27-7 non-conference win. The loss dips Bowie State to 0-3 but evens the Fayetteville State record at 1-1. The 0-3 record for BSU's Bulldogs is their roughest start since the 2007 season. 

After a scoreless first quarter, Robert Benjamin flipped a one-yard touchdown pass to a wide open Dallin Gray in the right corner of the end zone to give Fayetteville State a 6-0 advantage at the 13:56 mark of the second quarter. Bowie State responded back on its next possession when junior Clifton Budd (Silver Spring, MD, Sherwood) rushed for a 14-yard touchdown, capping off a, 8-play, 80 yard drive. Junior Michael Gagne (Baltimore, MD, Parkville) converted the extra point, shifting the advantage over to Bowie State at 7-6 with 10:04 left in the half. 

All-CIAA running back Richard Medlin went left and scampered 27-yards for a Broncos touchdown and Austin Turner added the extra point, making the score 13-7 at halftime. 

Benjamin three his second touchdown of the evening, this time hooking up with LaMarcus Bond for 33 yards, extending the Broncos lead 20-7. Benjamin wrapped up the game completing 13-of-26 passes (one interception) for a game-high 140 yards. 

Fayetteville State's Benjamin also rushed for a one-yard touchdown with just over 12 minutes to play in the game and Turner's extra point accounted for the final margin. 

Medlin led all rushers with a career-high 160 yards on 16 carries with his longest jaunt being 54 yards. The Fayetteville State was suffocating, especially in the second half. Fayetteville State gave up 245 yards in total offense, but only allowed 71 in the second half. 

Bowie State's Budd played most of the game at the “Wild Cat” (quarterback) position from the second quarter on. Budd led the Bowie State offense with 92 passing yards (completing seven-of 20 but intercepted twice), 58 rushing yards and 25 punt return yards. 

The Bowie State offense really struggled after halftime. Its last seven offensive series' of the second half resulted in three interceptions, a fumble and three punts. In terms of team statistics, first downs were hard to come by for Bowie State as the Bulldogs managed a horrific 1-of-13 on Third-Down Conversions and 1-of-3 in the Red Zone. 

Sophomore Ramono Flowers (Largo, MD, Largo) carried the ball eight times for 44 yards and senior Rodney Webb (Baltimore, MD, Milford Mill Academy) added 41 yards on 14 carries. Bowie State senior Seth Minter (Baltimore, MD, Catonsville) led the team in receptions with three (20 yards) and sophomore Ridwan Cole (Bowie, MD, Bladensburg) was the only other Bulldogs player with multiple receptions (2 for 13 yards). 

Defensively, senior Terence Peete, Jr. (Memphis, TN, Northwest) led the Bulldogs with eight tackles and fellow seniors Kyle Jackson (Baltimore, MD, Edmondson) and Sterling Grant-Jones (Baltimore, MD, Edmondson) added six tackles each. 

Bowie State will keep their bags packed for one more week, traveling back to the State of North Carolina next Saturday (9/18) to face the Blue Bears of Livingstone College. Game time is set for 1 p.m.