Stubblefield-to-Burgess connection lifts South Carolina State to 16-15 victory over Wofford

ORANGEBURG, S.C. (AP) — Ryan Stubblefield hit Shamontae Burgess with a 12-yard touchdown pass with 89 seconds remaining and South Carolina State rallied to defeat Wofford 16-15 in a season opener on Saturday.

The Bulldogs drove 74 yards on the winning drive, with Stubblefield completing key third-down passes of 29 yards to Cyrus Ellison and 35 yards to Jalen Johnson.

Wofford took a 13-9 lead early in the fourth quarter when Maximus Pulley blocked a punt and Perrin Ketchin returned it for a touchdown. The Terriers made it 15-9 a few minutes later when Brandon Maina sacked William Atkins IV in the end zone for a safety.

The Terriers’ Conner Deviney missed a 43-yard field goal try on their next possession and South Carolina State began the game-winning drive from its own 26-yard line.

After South Carolina State took the lead, Wofford drove to the Bulldogs 31-yard line, but Deviney missed from 48 yards with four seconds remaining.

For the game, Stubblefield completed 10 of 17 passes for 128 yards and Atkins was 17 of 33 for 175 yards. The Bulldogs compiled 414 yards while holding Wofford to 142 yards.

Wofford’s Jayden Whitaker completed only 6 of 21 passes for 56 yards but the blocked punt and safety kept the Terriers in the game to the end. ___

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