Boiling Springs, N.C. – In a battle of teams that made the FCS Playoffs last season, Gardner-Webb scored a game-winning touchdown in the final minute to fend off an Elon comeback effort and win 34-27 on Saturday at Ernest W. Spangler Stadium.
 
The win is Gardner-Webb's first of the season as the Runnin' Bulldogs improve to 1-1 on the season. With the loss, Elon is 0-2 after playing its first two non-conference games of the season on the road.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 

• Gardner-Webb opened the scoring with a 25-yard field goal to cap off an eight-play drive. On the next Runnin' Bulldogs possession, Jaidyn Denis forced and recovered a fumble to give the Phoenix the ball near midfield, but Elon could not capitalize on the takeaway, as the ensuing drive ended in a punt.
• After Elon's defense forced a three-and-out, Bo Sanders returned a punt to the Gardner-Webb 29-yard line, setting up a Jack Berkowitz field goal that tied the game at 3-3 with under a minute to go in the first quarter.
• Elon and Gardner-Webb traded punts to begin the second quarter before the Runnin' Bulldogs marched down the field to retake the lead with a 16-play, 96-yard touchdown drive that lasted nearly six and a half minutes. Gardner-Webb tacked on another field goal in the dying seconds of the first half to take a 13-3 lead to the locker room.
• Matthew Downing took over for Justin Allen at quarterback to start the third quarter. It took the Phoenix just three plays to open the scoring in the second half as Downing completed passes to Chandler Brayboy for 40 yards, Christian Da Silva for 22 yards and Jordan Bonner for a 15-yard touchdown. The scoring drive lasted just 53 seconds as the Phoenix cut its deficit to 13-10.
• The Runnin' Bulldogs restored their double-digit lead with a touchdown on their second drive the third quarter. A Berkowitz field goal later in the frame brought Elon back within seven before Gardner-Webb took its largest lead of the game at 27-13 with a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter.
• Down by two scores with 6:47 left in the fourth, Downing led the Phoenix on a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, capped off by a three-yard touchdown to Jamarien Dalton. With Gardner-Webb looking to ice the game on the following drive, Denis forced his second fumble of the game and Brandon Tyson recovered to give Elon's offense the ball back with no timeouts.
• Needing a touchdown to tie the score, Downing converted a third down with a completion to Bonner and then found Johncarlos Miller II for 25 yards to move the ball deep into Gardner-Webb territory. Three plays later, facing fourth down from the three-yard line, Downing found Dalton in the flats and the redshirt sophomore dived to the pylon for the game-tying touchdown.
• After getting the ball back with 1:25 on the clock, the Runnin' Bulldogs went 69 yards in nine plays to go back ahead 34-27. Elon got the ball back with 14 seconds left but a Gardner-Webb interception sealed the game.

 
NOTES AND STATS
 

• Matthew Downing finished the game with 199 yards passing and three touchdowns after taking over in the third quarter. Downing threw for 118 yards in the fourth quarter and went four of five on passes thrown at least 15 yards down the field on the night.
• Jalen Hampton rushed for 77 yards on 18 attempts to lead the Phoenix. Elon's longest run of the night came on a 35-yard scamper from Josh Johnson on a fake punt in the third quarter.
• For the second straight game, Chandler Brayboy made five catches to lead the Phoenix.
• Jamarien Dalton's pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter were the first two of his career.
• Onuma Dieke made the first catch of his Elon career.
• Jaidyn Denis tallied a career-best 10 tackles, including 1.5 for a loss, and forced two fumbles, one of which he also recovered. Denis is the first Elon player to force two fumbles in the same game since Devonte Chandler against Towson last season.
• Dylan Tucker, Antonio White, Bo Sanders and Marco Patierno all tallied at least seven tackles.
• Jack Berkowitz improved to 3-3 on field goals in his career as the Shelby native made both his attempts on the night. Kyle Romenick hit the longest punt of his career, a 61-yarder in the second quarter.
• Of Elon's 329 yards on offense, 288 came in the second half.
• The loss is Elon's first in its last seven games against non-conference FCS opponents from the state of North Carolina.

 
UP NEXT
 

• Elon will face CAA opponent North Carolina A&T in its home opener on Saturday at 6 p.m. It will also be Hall of Fame night.