(9) Football overcomes early deficit against (8) Texas Wesleyan to advance to NAIA FCS Quarterfinals

FORT WORTH, Texas – No. 8-ranked Texas Wesleyan University jumped out to a 14-0 lead on No. 9-ranked Benedictine Football on Saturday afternoon.

The Ravens withstood the opening onslaught and battled back to score 28 unanswered in the second half en route to a 42-33 win over the Rams.

With the win, Benedictine advances to the Quarterfinals of the 2024 NAIA Football Championship series where they will earn a rematch of their 2022 road game of that season's FCS against No. 3 Indiana Wesleyan University on Saturday, Dec. 7 in Marion, Ind.

Texas Wesleyan scored two touchdowns inside the first three minutes of the game to leave Benedictine trailing without their offense taking a snap.

Just over one minute after the Rams took a two-score lead, Benedictine's Jackson Dooley connected on a 41-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Gathright. That was the first of two straight touchdown connections between the record-breaking duo. Benedictine opened the second quarter, scoring on a 40-yard pass from Dooley to Gathright that not only pulled the Ravens even after Harry Balke's point after, it moved Gathright into the top spot on Benedictine's career receiving list. 

Texas Wesleyan responded to Benedictine's 14 unanswered points with 10 points to take a 24-14 lead over the Ravens at the half. The Rams kicked a last-second 50-yard field goal to end the half that proved to be their last points until the last five minutes of the game.

The Benedictine defense helped set the tone in the second half. The Ravens forced a fumble, and they recovered and recorded three interceptions in the second half. The fumble recovery and the last two interceptions led directly to touchdowns for the Ravens.

Jonah Roberts recovered a muffed punt that gave the Ravens first and goal from the Rams 4-yard line. Dalton Witherspoon scored on a 1-yard carry to cut the Ravens deficit down to three points, 24-21, with 11:22 left in the third quarter. Witherspoon added his second rushing touchdown with 4 minutes left in the third quarter to give Benedictine its first lead of the game, 28-24.

Benedictine held Texas Wesleyan to a total of 47 yards on 14 plays in the third quarter after the Rams finished the first half with 237 yards on 35 total plays.

Texas Wesleyan was threatening early in the fourth quarter when Jackson Hoskins intercepted a pass in the end zone and returned it to the 11-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, Dooley connected on an 89-yard pass to JaShawn Todd that put Benedictine in front 35-24.

Benedictine's last touchdown drive of the game was set up but another turnover by Texas Wesleyan as Zachary LaCombe picked off a pass at the 33 to give the Ravens a short field and a chance to put the game away. The Ravens took 3:27 to score on a 31-yard, 9-play drive that a Dooley keeper from the 1-yard line capped off. Balke added the point after and with 8:17 remaining, the Ravens held a 42-24 lead.

The Ravens finished with 521 yards of total offense on 64 plays with 177 yards on the ground and 344 through the air. 

Dooley finished with 344 yards on 15 of 30 passing. Gathright finished with 171 yards on 6 receptions. In addition to breaking the Ravens all-time receiving yards record, his total also allowed him to set a new single-season record as he now has 1,215 yards this season to break the previous record of 1,202 yards set by Aaron Jackson in 2018. Todd gave the Ravens a second 100-yard receiver with 109 yards off 3 receptions. Witherspoon finished with 102 yards on 18 carries 

Isaiah Hasten led the Ravens with 9 tackles. Javhi Blomquist added 6 tackles with 1.5 tackles for a loss and an interception. The Ravens finished with 7 tackles for a loss of 23 yards. Jared Harron and Heath Baker recorded 1 sack each. Hoskins finished with 4 tackles and added 3 breakups to his interception. Trey Williams added Benedictine's fourth interception.

Kickoff with the Wildcats next week is not yet known as the Ravens return to campus on Sunday.

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