We here at North Carolina Football News make no excuses for our love of stats and spreadsheets. We scour box scores each week and log the top performers and most notable numbers from the college football landscape across the Old North State. It’s quite a large document already!
As we charge into the meat of the college schedule into October and November, we take a moment to review the best of the best after the first five weeks of the season.
Here are your September (and late August) Superlatives:
Get Your Kicks From ‘Rout 66’
If college football in North Carolina was an old-school arcade game, North Carolina Central would have the high score right now. The Eagles put their quarters in the slot in week four and rolled up a season’s best 66 points in a 66-24 triumph over rival North Carolina A&T. NCCU faithful have dubbed that game “Rout 66” and have even used that number in fundraising efforts. Cold.
The next closest team on the high score list is Johnson C. Smith, which pinned 52 points on Lincoln in week three.
400-Yard Passing Club
Three North Carolina quarterbacks, all from FBS schools, have enjoyed 400-yard passing performances through the end of September.
North Carolina’s Jacolby Criswell leads the way, completing 28-of-48 passes for 475 yards and three touchdowns in in week four. Alas, the Tar Heels would rather forget that game, which also included two Criswell interceptions and a 70-50 home loss to James Madison. But that stats are still noteworthy. Drake Maye never had a 475-yard game.
Appalachian State’s Joey Aguilar threw for 424 in a comeback win at East Carolina (2 TDs, 2 INTs). Wake Forest’s Hank Bachmeier hit 403 yards, with one touchdown, in a week two loss to Virginia.
The top performance from a non-FBS quarterback came from the arm of Greensboro’s De’yon Cannon, 20-of-32 for 363 yards and four touchdowns in the Pride’s D3 win over Southern Virginia.
High Five
Only one North Carolina quarterback has thrown five touchdown passes in a game through five weeks. Shaw’s Christian Peters accomplished the feat (20-of-42 for 322 yards, 5 TDs, 2 INTs) in a Bears win at Albany State in week two.
200-Yard Rushing Club
North Carolina college teams have produced dozens of 100-yard rushers this season but only a trio of players have gone for more than 200.
North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton has covered the most ground so far, hitting 210 rushing yards (with three TDs) in a week three win over North Carolina Central. Davidson’s Mari Adams went for 207 (2 TDs) on the same day against Point University.
Lenoir-Rhyne’s Zayvion Turner-Knox got the season started with a bang, galloping for 204 yards and three rushing scores in the Bears’ opener against Bowie State.
Catch(es) Of The Day
North Carolina Wesleyan’s Christian Drumgoole broke school records and earned national attention for his receiving performance against Ferrum in week three. Drumgoole caught 17 passes (most in a single game this season in our state) for 258 yards (also the single-game best in NC). He found the end zone twice, though the Battling Bishops lost a nailbiter.
Western Carolina’s De’Andre Tamarez caught eight passes for 229 yards in a week four game at Montana, while Brevard’s Zackary Orr made eight catches for 205 yards in week three against Hampden-Sydney. Drumgoole, Tamarez and Orr are the only members of the state’s 200-yard receiving club this season.
Tackling Machines
It has been a rough season for St. Andrews so far, but the Knights can celebrate that Lavarius Heath has the top tackling performance in our state. Heath recorded 12 solo tackles and 17 total stops in a week three game at Cumberland.
Barton’s Matt Smith recorded 15 total tackles (11 solos) in the Bulldogs’ Thursday night opener against West Virginia State.
Two defenders have recorded four tackles-for-loss in a single game, the most in the Old North State: Fayetteville State’s Shi Gaskin (4 TFLs, 2 sacks) against UNC Pembroke and Livingstone’s Davion Watkins (4 TFLs, 2 sacks) against Allen. Both Gaskin and Watkins recovered fumbles in their respective games, too.
Louisburg’s Letraskey Pressley had four sacks in the Hurricanes’ JUCO game against the Georgia Warhawks in week one (23 yards in losses). Brevard’s Robert Dorsey recorded three sacks (21 negative yards) in a week four win over Belhaven. North Carolina’s Jahvaree Ritzie had three sacks in the Heels’ opener at Minnesota. QBs beware of these guys.
Shutout Specialists
Three North Carolina schools kept opponents off the scoreboard in August/September: Louisburg College zapped the Georgia Warhawks 30-0 in week one, Guilford blanked Greensboro 14-0 in week two and Elizabeth City State silenced Erskine 20-0 in week three.
He Could Go All The Way!
Aaron Harris from North Carolina A&T has the longest scoring play of the season thus far. He returned the opening kickoff against North Carolina Central 100 yards for a touchdown in week 4.
On the same day, UNC Pembroke’s Sincere Baines returned a kickoff 98 yards to the house against Charleston.
Davidson’s TJ Magee has the longest defensive score of the season thus far, returning a pick-six against Presbyterian 98 yards this past Sunday.
Trey Goodridge of North Carolina Central has the shortest defensive score, recovering a blocked punt against North Carolina A&T in the end zone for six points. NC State’s DK Kaufman turned a strip-sack into a 2-yard touchdown against Northern Illinois in week five.
Long-Distance Offensive Scoring Plays
Four offensive scoring plays covered 80 yards or more during the first five weeks of the season:
* Appalachian State’s Christian Horn turned a pass from Joey Aguilar into an 83-yard touchdown on opening weekend.
* Chris Mosley from North Carolina Central recorded an 80-yard rushing TD against Elon in week two.
* Brevin Caldwell (Johnson C. Smith) and LJ Turner (Catawba) both caught 80-yard touchdown throws from quarterbacks Darius Ocean and Preston Brown, respectively.
Longest Field Goals
Charlotte’s Stephen Rusnak split the uprights on a 54-yard field goal against Gardner-Webb in week three. Those points proved crucial in the 49ers’ comeback to defeat the upset-minded Bulldogs.
Duke’s Todd Pelino nailed a 53-yarder against UConn in week three. North Carolina A&T’s Andrew Brown has the longest field goals among non-FBS kickers, hitting a 52-yarder against Winston-Salem State and a 51-yarder at Wake Forest. Jason Zapata of Livingstone has the longest field goal among D2 kickers, recording a 48-yarder at Bowie State in week four.
Lucky 13, Lucky 7s
North Carolina’s Noah Burnette has the most points scored by a kicker in a single game thus far. He hit four field goals (on four attempts) and booted a PAT, recording 13 of UNC’s 19 points at Minnesota.
Four in-state kickers have recorded 12 points in a game: Wake’s Matthew Dennis, NC State’s Kanoah Vinesett, East Carolina’s Noah Perez and Campbell’s Connor Lytton.
Johnson C. Smith’s Jacob Meneses and Davidson’s Adam Zouagui are the only North Carolina kickers to attempt and make seven extra points in a game. That seemed to be a weekly occurrence last season, though overall scoring is down for our teams in 2024.
What A Rush!
Davidson’s shotgun triple option offense can create video game rushing numbers. This season is no different. The Wildcats rolled up 482 rushing yards in a week three win over Point University. The ‘Cats had 399 against Catawba in week two. In both games, Davidson averaged 7.1 yards per rush.
The best rushing performance for a team not named Davidson was provided by Guilford College, which amassed 397 yards on the ground in a week four win over visiting Sewanee.
More Than Six Football Fields Of Offense!
It’s little solace to UNC fans that North Carolina put up the state’s top statistical performance in total offense during its loss to James Madison. The Tar Heels recorded 616 yards in all — the only North Carolina school thus far to eclipse the 600-yard mark.
Can’t Run Away
Three Old North State teams have held opponents to fewer than 20 rushing yards in a game thus far. Gardner-Webb has the best statistical mark, limiting Charlotte to only 13 yards on the ground in week three. Guilford stymied Methodist rushers (a mere 18 yards) on the same Saturday. Lenoir-Rhyne held Mars Hill to 19 rushing yards in week four.
In terms of fewest yards per attempt, Gardner-Webb’s amazing effort against Charlotte rushers stands as the best so far: 26 carries, 13 yards, 0.5 yards per carry.
You’re Grounded
Chowan and Fayetteville State defensive units have done the best job, statistically speaking, in limiting opposing passing attacks in a single game.
Chowan held Barton to just 38 passing yards (4-of-11, 0 touchdowns) in week three, though the Hawks still lost the game 24-20. Fayetteville State gave up only 47 yards (15-of-24, 0 TDs, 2 INTs) against Elizabeth City State in week four. The Broncos won 31-7.
Other Notable Numbers
Campbell’s defense picked off four passes at Western Carolina…
Guilford intercepted four passes against Greensboro in its opener, then had eight sacks and 12 tackles-for-loss in a win over Methodist … The Monarchs meanwhile had their own big defensive performance against Greensboro, earning 16 tackles-for-loss and seven QB sacks… Greensboro’s best defensive effort came against Southern Virginia: eight sacks, 12 TFLs, 2 interceptions and two fumble recoveries. D3 football!
Duke’s defense recorded 16 tackles for loss against Elon …North Carolina’s defense forced two misses field goals at Minnesota, including what would have been the game-winner on the final play.
Gardner-Webb’s defense had six sacks, a pick-six, 11 tackles-for-loss, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries en route to a win over Presbyterian…
On the same fateful Saturday, UNC gave up 70 points to James Madison, and NC State allowed 59 points to Clemson — both lopsided losses. A dark day indeed…
Chowan ended a 13-game losing streak dating back to 2022 when it beat Mississippi College 27-25 on Saturday … Fayetteville State’s string of 15 consecutive regular-season conference wins came to an end this past Saturday at Virginia State… North Carolina A&T had beaten former MEAC rival South Carolina State seven times in a row before Saturday’s 45-25 defeat.
