CHARLOTTE, NC - Bluefield State's football team continued its strong start to the season with a 20-12 road win against Johnson C. Smith University, Saturday night in Charlotte, NC.

The Big Blue win was marked by lightening offense and timely defense.

Following the opening kickoff and a three-and-out by the Golden Bulls, the Big Blue struck fast.

Following a four-yard run by Markaden Bryant, quarterback J'Rell Joseph came back with a short pass to Berkarion Black for a first down. Then Joseph hit Perry Wilder on a deep post route and he cruised into the end zone for the touchdown.

Three plays, 80 yards, in less than a minute.

The PAT attempt sailed wide right. But the Big Blue had a 6-0 lead less than three minutes into the game.

The teams traded possessions with no scoring for the rest of the quarter. A J.C. Smith punt was downed at the Bluefield State three-yard line.

That's where the Big Blue started the second quarter.

Two rushes netted just two yards to the five. On a third-and-eight, Joseph completed a pass to Kentavious Jefferson who outraced the Golden Bulls 95 yards for the score.

Three plays, 97 yards, in less than a minute and half.

This time kicker Carson Crossman converted the PAT. 13-0, Bluefield State.

However, the home team wasn't ready to fold yet.

After the kickoff, J.C. Smith started at their 35. Then put together an impressive drive of their own.

Davion Nelson rushed seven times for 50 yards, including the last three for the touchdown.  Wader Hemmingway added a 25-yard run in between Nelson's.

The PAT failed, but the Golden Bulls were right back in it at 13-6.

Following a Bluefield State possession that netted only 13 yards, J.C. Smith took over on its 10 and proceeded to put together another long drive that continued to lean heavily on its running game.

Four minutes later they were at the Bluefield State 40 with a first-and-ten. Following a J.C. Smith timeout, the Big Blue defense came up big when quarterback Antonio Wallace was sacked for a ten-yard loss by Evan Robinson.

Two more plays set up a fourth-and-eight at the 38. A pass for intended receiver Desmond Dozier was incomplete and the Big Blue took over on downs with :55 remaining in the half.

Not content to take a seven-point lead into the locker room, the Big Blue moved quickly to the Golden Bulls 27 with passes to Bryant and Perry Wilder. The half ended with Joseph running for a first down at the 20.

Bluefield State started the second half right where they left off.

After the kickoff, they started at their 28 and used a skillful mix of running and passing for their third lightening score of the game.

The highlights were a 55-yard pass from Joseph to Wilder that ended at the Golden Bulls 11. Then the Big Blue shocked the home team with an end-around by Jefferson for the touchdown.

Carson's kick was good and Bluefield State was up 20-6.

5 plays, 72 yards, in little more than a minute.

The teams traded possessions until J.C. Smith took over with 4:44 left in the quarter.

Starting from their 15, the Golden Bulls put together another impressive, run-dominated drive. Wader Hemingway rushed seven times for 36 yards, including the final 13 for the touchdown.

The PAT failed again, leaving the Big Blue with an eight-point lead, 20-12.

Coming into the fourth quarter, things got a little dicey for the visitors.

Their possession after the kickoff resulted in three consecutive rushes for losses, leaving them with 4^th-and-32 from their own 15.

However, a roughing-the-kicker penalty resulted in a first down at the Golden Bulls 30. Following a Kishion Grandberry run and loss of eight yards, the Golden Bears were penalized again for 30 yards and another first down at the eight.

This time, the Big Blue's lightening stayed in the bottle. A fumble was recovered by the Golden Bulls' Travis Wiley at the nine.

The Big Blue defense stiffened and forced a three-and-out. A short punt gave the offense another golden opportunity at the JC Smith 35 with 10:24 remaining.

But the Golden Bulls stiffened, too, and forced a turnover on downs.

The teams traded possessions until J.C. Smith got the ball at the Bluefield State 46 with 4:13 remaining. Again, their rushing game dominated and they pushed the ball to the 13 with less than two minutes left in the game.

Then the defense caught Nelson in the backfield and forced a critical fumble, recovered by Xavier Curry with 1:42 remaining.

Bluefield State tried to run out the clock, but were forced to punt. It only went five yards and gave JS Smith one last gasp at the Big Blue 30 with :18 left in the game.

A complete pass got them to the 20.

But with two more big stops by the secondary, time ran out on the Golden Bulls.

And the Big Blue did something a Bluefield State team hadn't done since 1977: Win at least two games on the road.

Coach Tony Coaxum summed up the effort from both sides of the ball, "This team loves each other and will lay it all on the line for each other."

Three games in and this season is shaping up like something Bluefield State fans haven't seen in a long, long time.

Lines tell the story. Sometimes.

Johnson C. Smith had the ball. Bluefield State got the game.

Time of possession: Bluefield State, 22:14; JC Smith, 37:46.

Offensive plays: Bluefield State, 53; JC Smith, 79.

First downs: Bluefield State, 12; JC Smith, 21.

Total offense: Bluefield State, 338 yards (65 rushing, 273 passing); JC Smith, 336 yards (201 rushing, 135 passing).

Turnovers: Bluefield State, 1 (Fumble); JC Smith, 2 (Fumble, Interception).

Penalties: Bluefield State, 6 for 44 yards; JC Smith, 9 for 140 yards.

Red Zone Scoring: Bluefield State, 1 of 2; JC Smith, 2 of 4.

Big Blue leaders.

OFFENSE

Passing:

J'rell Joseph, 15-23; 273 yards; two touchdowns; 0 interceptions.

Rushing:

                     J'rell Joseph, 8-48 yards

Kenta Jefferson, 1-11 yards, touchdown

Markaden Bryant, 11-50 yards

                     Kish Grandberry, 12-24 yards

Receiving:             

                     Kenta Jefferson, 1-95 yards, touchdown

                     Markaden Bryant, 3-76 yards, touchdown

                     Perry Wilder, 5-64 yards

Berkarion Black, 3-23 yards

                     Nuccio Lisitano, 3-15 yards

Punting:

                     Braxton Vascoy, 2-72 yards; 36.0 average; long – 40 yards

                     Carson Crossman, 1-46 yards

                     Reggie Redman, 5-121 yards; 24.2 average; long-41 yards

PAT:

                     Carson Crossman, 2-3

DEFENSE

Tackles:

                     Jhordan Inniss, 6 solo, 4 assists

Xavier Curry, 7 solo, 2 assists

                     Kiron Delts, 6 solo, 1 assist

                     Evan Robinson, 4 solo, 2 assist, 1 sack

                     Elijah Miles, 4 solo, 1 assist

                     Kenya Walker, 3 solo, 2 assist

                     Jamrarious McClellan, 2 solo, 3 assist

                     Collin Leydon, 3 solo, 1 assist

Interceptions:

                     Kiron Delts