UNC Pembroke’s football team put on a quite spectacle in its first home game since late August.
Redshirt senior quarterback Colin Johnson threw for 514 yards and seven touchdowns, and the Braves rolled to a 67-20 victory over West Liberty. The record-setting win gave UNCP a two-game winning streak after an 0-4 start. Coach Mark Hall’s team improved to 2-2 in Mountain East Conference play.
The Braves scored early and often against overmatched West Liberty, netting at least two touchdowns in each quarter.
Johnson threw his first TD pass to Que Kennedy on a five-yard play just three and a half minutes into the contest. The rout was on from there. Kennedy later hauled in a 62-yard touchdown pass.
Josh Jenkins and Josiah Hayes joined Kennedy in catching two touchdown passes from Johnson and finishing with 100-plus receiving yards. Johnson hit Jaquan Albright in the fourth quarter for his final TD.
Backup quarterback Tre Robinson made the most of his only throw of the day, completing a 6-yard touchdown pass to EJ Gatling with 2:31 left.
UNC Pembroke put eye-popping numbers in several places on the stat sheet. The Braves earned 31 first downs and piled up 675 total yards. Johnson was 29-of-43, though he did have two interceptions. He broke his own school record for touchdown passes in a single game and set the new single-game school standard for passing yards.
Johnson hails from Sanford. He played his high school football at Lee County and was conference player of the year as a senior. Johnson had 948 passing yards and nine touchdowns heading into Saturday’s action. He threw for 1,885 yards and 20 TDs a year ago.
Saturday’s performance proved reminiscent of how UNC Pembroke finished the 2023 campaign. The Braves outscored their last four opponents by a 222-21 count, leading to high expectations coming into this season.
Coaches voted UNCP second in Mountain East Conference preseason balloting. The Braves opened league play with a 58-36 loss to preseason favorite Charleston after having an early lead. A 14-0 shutout loss at Glenville State followed.
Things looked bleak at times last week as UNCP fell behind Wheeling. But the Braves rallied and seem to have righted the ship heading into the stretch run of the season.
UNC Pembroke will look to continue positive trends this coming Saturday, traveling to Fairmont State. Homecoming follows on Oct. 26 against visiting West Virginia State.
Top UNC Pembroke Players
- Colin Johnson (QB) – 514 passing yards, 7 touchdowns, completing 29 of 43 attempts.
- Que Kennedy (WR) – 8 receptions, 130 yards, 2 touchdowns, including a 62-yard reception.
- Josh Jenkins (WR) – 6 receptions, 118 yards, 2 touchdowns, including a 33-yard reception.
- Josiah Hayes (WR) – 5 receptions, 114 yards, 2 receiving touchdowns, and 1 rushing touchdown.
- D’Marcus Harrington (DB) – 7 tackles, 1 sack, 1 tackle-for-loss, and 1 interception.
- Marquis Raspberry (DB) – 5 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1.5 tackles-for-loss, and 1 forced fumble.
- Keshawn Jefferson (RB) – 5 rushes for 62 yards, averaging 12.4 yards per carry.
- JaQuan Kelly (RB) – 12 rushes for 34 yards and 1 touchdown.
- Jaiden Nesbit (LB) – 7 tackles, 1 sack, 1 tackle-for-loss.
- Evan Powell (DB) – 4 tackles and 1 interception.
Scoring Summary
- 1st Qtr – Que Kennedy, 5-yard pass from Colin Johnson (11:30)
- 1st Qtr – JaQuan Kelly, 1-yard run (kick by Jackson Hills) (4:57)
- 2nd Qtr – Marquez Hurst (WLU), 14-yard pass from Levi Gullion (kick by Tyler Waddell) (12:22)
- 2nd Qtr – Que Kennedy, 62-yard pass from Colin Johnson (kick by Jackson Hills) (11:39)
- 2nd Qtr – Josh Jenkins, 33-yard pass from Colin Johnson (kick by Jackson Hills) (6:52)
- 2nd Qtr – Josiah Hayes, 40-yard pass from Colin Johnson (kick missed) (2:50)
- 2nd Qtr – Ben Turner (WLU), 60-yard pass from Levi Gullion (kick by Tyler Waddell) (1:49)
- 3rd Qtr – Josiah Hayes, 9-yard pass from Colin Johnson (kick by Ty Woods) (12:11)
- 3rd Qtr – Josh Jenkins, 21-yard pass from Colin Johnson (kick by Ty Woods) (4:53)
- 4th Qtr – Josiah Hayes, 1-yard run (kick by Ty Woods) (14:01)
- 4th Qtr – Jaquan Albright, 2-yard pass from Colin Johnson (kick missed) (9:20)
- 4th Qtr – EJ Gatling, 6-yard pass from Tre Robinson (kick by Ty Woods) (2:31)
- 4th Qtr – Keese Demery Sr. (WLU), 25-yard pass from Alex Dunlevy (kick missed) (0:00)
