FAIRMONT, W.Va. - Graduate quarterback Will Bunson threw for four touchdowns and Frostburg rallied from a 19-point, fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Fairmont State 41-34 in double overtime Thursday night.
Brunson threw two touchdowns midway through the fourth quarter and junior running back Gavin Lavat scored a TD from four yards with 58 seconds left to force overtime.
Junior kicker Jeremy Harrison connected on a 41-yard FG in the first OT and Brunson hooked up with junior wideout Lincoln Ikwubuo for a nine-yard touchdown in the second to give FSU a 41-34 lead. It was then up to the Frostburg defense which held the Falcons on four downs at the 24.
The win pushes Frostburg to 3-1 overall and 3-1 in the league. Fairmont, which received votes in the AFCA Preseason Top-25 Poll, falls to 1-3 on the season and 1-3 in the league. The win is the third-straight for the Bobcats and they are averaging 40 points per game during the streak. The victory is also the seventh-straight road win for FSU.
Frostburg junior defensive end Zach Strand put Frostburg on the board when he sacked Fairmont QB Takwan Crews-Naylor in the end zone for a safety as FSU pulled to within 7-2.
Midway through the second quarter, Frostburg took a 9-7 lead after it marched 83 yards on 15 plays in 8:34 and Brunson connected with junior wide receiver Terrell Brown for a nine-yard TD. Brunson completed a 24-yard pass to Ikwubuo for 24 yards on third down and 13 to the Fairmont 13.
Fairmont closed the second quarter with two TDs for a 21-9 cushion at the half. Crews-Naylor connected with Tyree Randolph for a 66-yard scoring pass and Khalik Hamlin dove over the pile from a yard out for a scoring run with 43 seconds left.
Fairmont pushed its halftime cushion to 28-9 when Crews-Naylor tossed a two-yard TD to Javon Hayes late in the third with 1:28 showing.
Brunson started the comeback when he found first-year wide receiver George Richardson for a 26-yard touchdown to cut into the deficit to 28-16 with 9:54 left in regulation. After a squib kick that was recovered by junior defensive back Stacey Watts at the Fairmont 27, Brunson tossed an eight-yard score to junior tight end Chandler Breeden that pulled the score to 28-23.
On the ensuing possession, Colin Harvath kicked a 35-yard FG to extend the Falcon lead to 31-23, setting up Frostburg's game-tying score. Junior returner Aizsha Horne returned the ensuing kickoff 40 yards to the 50 and five plays later, Lavat scored from four yards out to send the game in OT.
The Bobcats finished the evening with 327 yards in offense, despite just running for 68 yards on 31 carries. Brunson threw for all 259 yards for the offense on 17-of-35 attempts with four touchdowns.
Ikwubuo hauled in 118 yards on seven receptions with one TD. Brown finished the night with five catches for 71 yards and one score. Breeden's two receptions were his first of the season, while the score was the first of Richardson's collegiate career.
Senior Michael Bell led the Bobcats with nine total tackles, while junior defensive back Avery Thurman collected eight stops. Strand had his best statistical night of the season with six tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and two sacks. Senior linebacker Wayne Palmer finished with eight tackles, two for loss and one sack.
Fairmont entered the night as the MEC leader in total offense (561.0), but was held to 390 by the Bobcat defense, the first game all season under 500 yards. Frostburg also held Fairmont to a season-low 34 points as the Falcons entered the night as the league leader at 47.4.
Crews-Naylor passed for 231 yards and three touchdowns to pace the attack, while Hamlin ran for 98 yards on 18 carries.
The Bobcats return to action next Saturday when they welcome Urbana at 1:00 pm for Homecoming.
Notes: Frostburg was picked to finish ninth in the 11-team MEC, while Fairmont was slotted second … The Bobcats improved to 11-1 in night games under Fitzgerald … The win is the 17th for the Bobcats in their last 19 games away from home.
