College Football

Week 3 Stat Champions: Wingate high score, 200-yard receivers, Elon & WCU punters duel in Cullowhee

Charting the biggest box-score busters from Week 3 of the North Carolina college football season

Published

September 16, 2025

North Carolina College Football stat champions for Week 3, recognizing Wingate, Catawba and Guilford.

Wingate scored 72 points, Catawba racked up 660 yards of offense and Guilford WR Shane Shapiro earned 210 yards in receptions as part of a big week 3 in NC college football. Graphics/photos courtesy Wingate, Catawba and Guilford athletics.

From Wingate’s 72-point eruption to a pair of 200-yard receiving performances, Week 3 in North Carolina college football delivered some of the most eye-popping numbers of the young season.

Catawba racked up 660 yards of total offense to seize the state lead, while Charlotte’s E. Jai Mason and Guilford’s Shane Shapiro became the first two wideouts from North Carolina programs to crack the 200-yard mark.

Special teamers made their mark as well, with Wake Forest’s Chris Barnes sprinting 98 yards on the opening kickoff against NC State — the longest return we’ve seen this fall. And in a battle of punters, Elon’s Jeff Yurk and Western Carolina’s Stephen Brantley traded booming kicks of 74 and 76 yards, respectively, in the same game.

Defenses had their moments too: East Carolina blanked Coastal Carolina in our state’s first shutout of the season, UNC’s Mikai Gbayor and NC State’s Isaiah Shirley both scored TDs on returns, and Barton’s Keno Jones piled up 19 tackles — a number that may stand as the year’s benchmark.

Here’s the full rundown of Week 3’s Stat Champions across North Carolina college football.

Team Scoring 50+ Points

72 Points – Wingate (D2) vs. Bluefield State (W, 72-7)

Wingate, the only team to pass 50 points this past weekend, eclipsed the previous season’s best of 64, set by North Carolina Wesleyan in a 64-12 win over Averett in Week 2.

Defensive Shutouts

0 Points – East Carolina (FBS) beat Coastal Carolina 38-0 on Sept. 13

The Pirates are the first from North to earn a shutout this season

Longest Offensive Scoring Plays

91 yards – Ka’Trez Bracey, Elizabeth City State (D2): Pass reception from Christopher Perkins vs. Johnson C. Smith
83 Yards – Khamoni Robinson, Lenoir-Rhyne (D2): Rushing TD vs. Emory & Henry
83 Yards – Davontay Deloatch, Winston-Salem State (D2): Passing TD from Daylin Lee

Ka’Trez Bracey (ECSU) set the new season’s best for longest offensive scoring play, overtaking Nahjiir Seagraves’ 86-yard rushing TD set in NC Wesleyan’s Week 2 win over Averett.

Longest Defensive Scoring Plays

62 Yards – Mikai Gbayor, UNC (FBS): Fumble return vs. Richmond
62 Yards – Jamorious Wilson, Louisburg (NJCAA): Interception return vs. Hudson Valley CC
41 Yards – Isaiah Shirley, NC State (FBS): Interception return vs. Wake Forest

Defensive TDs were plentiful in Week 3, with eight different players finding the end zone from that side of the ball – including two from Louisburg (Wilson and Keaton Braddock, who recorded a 1-yard fumble return for a score.

Longest Special Teams Scoring Plays

98 Yards – Chris Barnes, Wake Forest (FBS): Opening kickoff return vs. NC State
97 Yards – Dominic Dutton, Western Carolina (FCS): Kickoff return vs. Elon
92 Yards – Jarrell Thomas, Greensboro (D3): PAT return for 2 points vs. Roanoke

Chris Barnes ignited a hot start for Wake Forest with the longest kickoff return of the season in our state (98 yards). The previous best had been set by Greensboro’s Sincere Brown (95 yards vs. Guilford).

Longest Field Goals 48+ yards

49 Yards – Andrew Brown, North Carolina A&T (FCS): vs. Hampton
48 Yards – Luke Barnes, Elon (FCS): at Western Carolina

We’re still waiting for our first 50-yard+ field goal of the season, with A&T’s Brown and UNC’s Rece Verhoff the only to hit from 49 yards this season

Team Rushing 250+ Yards

334 Yards – Wingate (D2): 44 attempts, 4 TDs, 7.6 yards-per-rush vs. Bluefield State
288 Yards – Catawba (D2): 44 attempts, 3 TDs, 6.5 yards-per-rush in a win over UVA Wise
251 Yards – North Carolina Wesleyan (D3): 42 attempts, 5 TDs, 6.0 yards-per-rush at The Apprentice School

North Carolina Wesleyan, which reached the top-three for the second week in a row, has the season’s best so far with 396 rushing yards in its opener against Averett.

Team Passing 350+ Yards

398 Yards – North Carolina Central (FCS): 24-of-37, 3 TDs, 1 INT vs. Fayetteville State.
382 Yards – Charlotte (FBS): 26-of-30, 3 TD, 1 INT in a win over Monmouth.
375 Yards – Appalachian State (FBS): 31-of-52, 1 TD, 3 INTs in a loss at Southern Miss

While App State lost this past weekend, the Mountaineers hold the season’s best for team passing yardage (404 yards) in its season’s opening win vs. Charlotte.

Total Offense 500+ Yards

660 Yards – Catawba (D2): 288 rushing, 372 passing, 73 plays, 9.0 yards per play in a comeback win vs. UVA Wise
575 Yards – Wingate (D2): 334 rushing, 241 passing, 64 plays, 9.0 yards per play in a romp over Bluefield State
563 Yards – Charlotte (FBS): 181 passing, 382 rushing, 72 plays, 7.8 yards per play in the 49ers’ first win of the season vs. Monmouth

Catawba took over the season lead for most total yards from Gardner-Webb and North Carolina Wesleyan, who both managed 627 in wins earlier in the season. NC Wesleyan and Wake Forest both have games averaging 9.5 yards per play – best in the state so far.

Individual Passing Leaders 350+ yards

387 Yards – Walker Harris, NCCU (FCS): 23-of-36, 3 TDs, 1 INT, long pass of 63 yards in a home win over Fayetteville State
382 Yards – Conner Harrell, Charlotte (FCS): 26-of-30, 3 TDs, 1 INT, long pass of 62 yards in a home win over Monmouth
372 Yards – Preston Brown, Catawba (D2): 25-of-29, 3 TD, 1 INT, long pass of 60 yards on his way to SAC Offensive Player of the Week honors vs. UVA Wise.

NCCU’s Walker Harris came within 2 yards of the current season’s best set by fellow Durham resident Darian Mensah (Duke), who threw for 389 against Elon in Week 1.

Individual Rushing Leaders 100+ yards

173 yards – Kyjuan Westmoreland, Greensboro (D3): 22 carries, 2 TDs, long rush of 60 yards, 7.9 yards per rush vs. Roanoke
164 Yards – Hollywood Smothers, NC State (FBS): 24 carries, 0 TDs, long rush of 42 yards, 6.8 yards per rush in a comeback win vs Wake Forest
159 Yards – Nahjiir Seagraves, North Carolina Wesleyan (D3): 18 carries, 4 TDs, long rush of 76 yards, 8.8 yards per rush in a win at The Apprentice School

Eleven North Carolina college players rushed for 100+ yards during Week 3 games. App State’s Rashod Dubinion still holds the season high of 194 yards (Week 2 vs. Lindenwood). Seagraves holds the season high by himself with four rushing TDs.

Individual Receiving Leaders 100+ yards

228 Yards – E. Jai Mason, Charlotte (FBS): 10 catches, 2 TDs, long reception of 62 yards, 22.8 yards per catch in a win against Monmouth.
210 Yards – Shane Shapiro, Guilford (D3): 14 catches, 2 TDs, long reception of 65 yards, 15.0 yards per catch in a win at Methodist.
138 Yards – Amari McArthur, Catawba (D2): 5 catches, 2 TDs, long reception of 60 yards, 27.6 yards per catch against UVA Wise.

Mason and Shapiro became the first two receivers from North Carolina teams to hit the 200-yard mark for receptions this season. Shapiro’s 14 catches is a seasons’ best in our state. Elizabeth City State’s Ka’Trez Bracey has the longest catch of the season of 91 yards vs. Johnson C. Smith. He finished with 120 for the game.

Tackling Leaders 12+ tackles

19 Tackles – Keno Jones, Barton (D2): 5 solos, 14 assists at North Greenville
15.0 Tackles – Steven Reid, Mars Hill (D2): 3 solos, 12 assists vs. Carson-Newman
14.0 Tackles – Chris Calhoun, Elizabeth City State (D2): 6 solos, 8 assists vs. Johnson C. Smith

Barton’s Keno Jones may be tough to catch for the season’s best tackling effort (19). The next closest are Reid and WCU’s Hayward McQueen Jr, with 15.0 tackles. Shaw’s Danny Felix has the most solo tackles for the season with 11.

Tackles for Loss 3.0+

4.0 TFLs – James Laycock, Brevard (D3): 11 negative yards vs. Sewanee
3.5 TFLs – Dylan Hazen, Wake Forest (FBS): 10 negative yards vs. NC State
4 players with 3.0 TFLs – Colton Phares (App State), Kahmari Brown (Elon), Elijah Barnes (Wingate) and Travis Burton (Guilford)

4.0 tackles for loss continues to be the standard so far this season, set by Laycock, Kenyon Garner (Livingstone) and Evan Simons (Catawba).

Sacks 2.0+

Six players with 2.0 Sacks – Malkart Abou-Jaoude (UNC), Reid Willford (Charlotte), Sean Morris (WCU), Thomas Johnson (NCCU), James Laycock (Brevard) and Devarious Jessie (Greensboro)

Guilford’s Travis Burton leads the state so far this season with 3.5 sacks against Greensboro in Week 2.

Interceptions 2+

2 INTs – Donovan Woods, UNC Pembroke (D2): vs. Delta State
2 INTs – Tycorien Gist, Louisburg (NJCAA): 78 yards in returns vs. Hudson Valley CC

So far, five North Carolina college players have picked off two passes in a game this season.

Punting Average 50+ Yards

55.2 Yards/Punt – Jeff Yurk, Elon (FCS): 6 punts, 331 yards, long punt of 74 yards, 1 inside the 20, 2 touchbacks, 5 punts of 50+ vs. Western Carolina, setting a school record
53.5 Yards/Punt – Brady Braun, Gardner-Webb (FCS):

Yurk set a school record with his punting average against the Catamounts.

Longest Punts 60+ Yards

76 Yards – Stephen Brantley, Western Carolina (FCS): vs. Elon
74 Yards – Jeff Yurk, Elon (FCS): vs. Western Carolina
66 Yards – Albert Fleming IV, Fayetteville State (D2): at North Carolina Central

Amazingly, the two longest punts of the NC college football season came in the same game, with Brantley and Yurk taking turns flipping the field.

Kicker Points 10+

11 points – Luke Barnes, Elon (FCS): 3-for-3 FGs, 2-for-2 PATs in a win at Western Carolina
11 points – Charles Viorel, Gardner-Webb (FCS): 3-for-3 FGs, 2-for-2 PATs in a win over The Citadel
11 points – Kaleb Robison, NCCU (FCS): 2-for-3 FGs, 5-for-5 PATs in a win over Fayetteville State

A solid weekend for FCS kickers saw three earn 11 points. Wingate’s Caleb Bonesteel (D2) hit 7-for-7 on PATs in the Bulldogs’ 72-7 triumph over Bluefield State. Jadon Moore of Louisburg holds the season lead for kicker points with 16 in Week 1 (5-for-5 FGs, 1-for-1 PAT).