- FCS FOOTBALL -

Jalen Hampton’s four TDs lead Elon past Campbell

Phoenix improve to 2-0 in CAA play

Published

September 24, 2023

Jalen Hampton accounted for all four of Elon's touchdowns in the win over Campbell. (Photo by Abbey Lipcsik | Elon University athletics).

By Jacob Kisamore | Elon Athletic Communications Assistant

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Jalen Hampton scored four rushing touchdowns Saturday night as the Elon University football team held on for its first road win of the season, 28-24 against Campbell.

Hampton became the first Elon player to run for four touchdowns in a game since A.J. Harris in 2010. Three of Hampton’s touchdowns came in a 21-point second quarter for the Phoenix. It was Hampton’s fourth multi-touchdown game of his Elon career.

With the victory, Elon is now 2-0 in CAA play and 2-2 overall. Campbell falls to 0-2 in the CAA and 2-2 overall.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Campbell scored the only points of the first quarter as the Camels knocked home a field goal on their second drive of the night.
On the ensuing drive, Elon marched down the field as Jalen Hampton scored a 10-yard touchdown to cap off an 11-play, 75 yard drive that lasted just over five minutes and took the game into the second quarter. Hampton ran for 44 yards on the drive.
Bo Sanders grabbed his first interception of the season and second of his career on the next Campbell drive to set the Phoenix up in Camels territory. Matthew Downing converted a key third down with a 14-yard scramble to keep the drive alive and Hampton finished off his second touchdown of the night from seven yards out by driving a pile of teammates and defenders into the endzone.
A Shon Brown sack on Campbell’s ensuing drive helped force a punt and get Elon’s offense the ball back with just over six minutes left in the second quarter. Another Downing scramble on third down kept Elon on the field and a 30-yard run later in the possession by Christian Da-Silva set Elon up on the goal line. Hampton powered his way to a third touchdown in the quarter on the next play to put the Phoenix ahead 21-3.
A Downing interception in the endzone halted a promising opening drive for Elon in the second half. However, the maroon and gold responded on its next possession. A 26-yard connection between Downing and Johncarlos Miller II moved the ball to Campbell’s two-yard line before Hampton tied Elon’s FCS record on the next play with his record-tying fourth rushing touchdown of the night.
Campbell scored a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter to cut Elon’s lead to 28-24. The Camels got the ball back with under a minute left and no timeouts but a Chazz Harley tackle on the final play allowed the final seconds of the clock to tick off, securing the win for the Phoenix.

NOTES AND STATS

Jalen Hampton finished the night with 169 yards on 33 carries, as he surpassed 1,500 for his career and moved into eighth place on Elon’s all-time FCS rushing list, passing Derrick Moore (1999-00).
After rushing for 260 yards as a team last week against North Carolina A&T, Elon totaled 242 on the ground against the Camels. Elon is now 8-0 under Tony Trisciani when rushing for over 200 yards. The Phoenix has been over 100 yards rushing as a team in all four of its games this season.
Johncarlos Miller II hauled in four passes for a career-high 55 yards to lead Elon in both categories. Jordan Bonner and Christian Da-Silva also caught multiple passes.
The Phoenix defense held Campbell to just 35 rushing yards, the fewest Elon has allowed in the Trisciani era. This was the third time under Trisciani Elon has run for at least 200 yards while holding an opponent under 100. Elon also did this against North Carolina A&T last week.
Bo Sanders and Caleb Curtain led the Phoenix with 10 tackles each. Ishmel Atkins added a career-best eight tackles.
Elon tallied a season-high seven sacks, the most in a game for the Phoenix since recording 11 last season against Albany. Jesse Powell II and Jaidyn Denis both recorded the first sacks of their careers while seven other Elon players had at least a half sack.
With his ninth career sack, Marvin Pearson tied Rob Sullivan for 10th all-time on Elon’s FCS sack list.
The Phoenix registered eight tackles for a loss, marking the fourth straight game this season Elon has reached at least seven.
After going 6-44 on third downs in its first three games, Elon converted on third down seven times, including five in the first half.
Elon is now 13-5 in its last 18 CAA games and has started 2-0 in conference play each of the last two seasons. The Phoenix is currently on a five-game CAA winning streak.