WISE - - A record-setting defensive performance and a fast start offensively propelled UVA Wise to a season-opening 41-9 non-conference football victory over Ferrum College at Carl Smith Stadium on Thursday, Sep. 1. The Cavaliers held the Panthers to negative 18 rushing yards in the contest to establish a new single-game program record. It was one of two program records that fell on the evening as sophomore kicker Kellan Dalton booted a 50-yard field goal in the third quarter, marking the longest field goal in school history.
The talents of Greeneville High School (Tenn.) were on full display in the first half. Former Green Devil Jaevon Gillespie scored the game's first three touchdowns to put UVA Wise (1-0) in front 21-0 after a quarter of play before former Greeneville teammate Dorien Goddard hauled in a 7-yard touchdown pass to extend the Cavs' advantage to 28-0.
Ferrum (0-1) never recovered. The Panthers mustered just one first down in the second quarter and four offensive yards. It was a night the NCAA Division III program never got on track offensively as UVA Wise registered 16 stops behind the line of scrimmage and six sacks.
Dalton's first made field goal of the game, a 31-yarder, sent the Cavs to intermission in front 31-0. The sophomore made history in the third quarter when he helped his team capitalize on a turnover with a school-record 50-yard boot.
Ferrum finally got on the board with 5:42 to play in the third quarter when Daniel Lamb capped a 6-play, 79-yard scoring drive but, the excitement was short-lived as UVA Wise blocked the conversion try.
Julian Edwards put the final points on the board for the Cavs with 4:16 to play in the third quarter when he scored on a 33-yard touchdown run. The 33-yard touchdown run was the longest rush of Edwards' career.
The Panthers scored the lone points of the final quarter on a 38-yard field goal by Seth Deaton.
With the win, UVA Wise is now 3-0 all-time against Ferrum and has two of its finest defensive performances against the school. In 1997, the Cavs limited the Panthers to a school record 16 passing yards in that win before tonight's dominating performance in stopping the run.
The negative 18 rushing yards break a single-game program record that was originally set last fall when UVA Wise held Catawba to negative one rushing yard.
Gillespie finished the game with 106 yards on just 10 carries to lead a rushing attack that tallied 291 yards. It was the most rushing yards by the team since 2018 when the team rushed for 335 against Concord.
Michael Williams Jr. led the defensive effort for the Cavs with six tackles, two sacks, and a pair of forced fumbles in his collegiate debut; five of Williams' six stops came behind the line of scrimmage.
Sincere Adams led all players with 13 tackles in the loss while Drew Hill added 10 stops for Ferrum.
Brayden Hawkins passed for 181 yards and a score for the Panthers but the signal caller was limited to 15-of-34 passing.
Markel Harrison finished with a career-high nine catches and career-best 98 receiving yards to pace a UVA Wise receiving core that saw 10 different Cavs catch a pass.
Lendon Redwine finished the game 22-of-36 through the air for 260 yards.
In addition to Dalton's big night kicking, punter Drew Vermillion had a solid outing. The redshirt junior averaged 43 yards per punt on four attempts, pinning the Panthers inside the 20-yard line on two occasions with a long punt of 49 yards.
It was the second consecutive season-opening win for UVA Wise who travels to NCAA Division I FCS North Alabama next Saturday for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
