North Carolina A&T comes up short in homecoming loss

GREENSBORO, N.C. — South Carolina State overcame a sluggish first half to hand North Carolina A&T a crushing 22–16 loss during its homecoming at Truist Stadium. The defeat dropped North Carolina A&T to 1–6 overall while South Carolina State improved to 4–3 on the season.

First-Half Control for North Carolina A&T

North Carolina A&T appeared poised to send the 21,500 Aggie faithful home happy after dominating the first two quarters. Kicker Andrew Brown accounted for all of the Aggies’ first-half points, nailing field goals from 43, 55, and 33 yards out. The Aggies’ defense held South Carolina State scoreless through two quarters, controlling possession for more than 16 minutes in the first half.

Quarterback Kevin White completed 17 of 34 passes for 194 yards and one touchdown but was under constant pressure. South Carolina State’s defensive front sacked him four times, with linebacker Michael Lunz II leading the charge.

South Carolina State Rallies Behind QB

Trailing 9–0 entering the third quarter, South Carolina State found its rhythm behind quarterback William Atkins IV. The sophomore led an eight-play, 86-yard drive capped by a 43-yard touchdown strike to Cyrus Ellison to cut the deficit to 9–7.

The Bulldogs capitalized on a pair of North Carolina A&T turnovers in the fourth quarter. After a strip-sack by defensive lineman Jordan Franklin set up a short-field score, running back Josh Shaw plunged in from one yard out. Atkins then found Jordan Smith for a 23-yard touchdown to give South Carolina State a 22–9 lead with just over nine minutes remaining.

Late North Carolina A&T Surge Falls Short

North Carolina A&T mounted a late push when Kevin White connected with Thomas Brown for an 11-yard touchdown with 3:05 left, bringing the Aggies within six. However, SC State’s ground game, led by Mason Pickett-Hicks’ 67 yards, iced the final minutes with clutch first downs.

Despite outgaining South Carolina State 20–17 in first downs, North Carolina A&T struggled to sustain drives, converting only 5 of 18 third-down attempts. Penalties also proved costly, as the Aggies were flagged 10 times for 95 yards.

Looking Ahead

The loss marks the fourth-consecutive homecoming defeat for North Carolina A&T, which will look to regroup before heading back on the road next week. For SC State, the comeback win continues a midseason surge as the Bulldogs aim to position themselves for a potential repeat in the MEAC.

Both teams left Truist Stadium knowing the margin between celebration and heartbreak remains razor-thin — and on this Saturday, it was South Carolina State’s resilience that stole the show.

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