FAIRMONT, W.Va. — After a record-setting 67-20 win over West Liberty at home last week, perhaps the biggest question for the UNC Pembroke football program entering Saturday’s game at Fairmont State is what the Braves might do for an encore performance.
A week after scoring a program-record 10 touchdowns, gaining a record 675 yards, and quarterback Colin Johnson setting new school records with 514 passing yards and seven passing touchdowns, the Braves turn their attention to their next objective, facing off with Fairmont State at noon Saturday in Fairmont, West Virginia.
“We’re just trying to keep the momentum going,” UNCP coach Mark Hall said. “I don’t think it’s realistic that every week we’re going to have 67-plus points and every record fall. But I do think we are beginning to get healthier each week and kind of get our groove, if you want to put it that way. So the challenge is going to be can we take the show on the road and come up here and play a good Fairmont team and be able to score and play a team game again and find a way to win.”
UNCP (2-4, 2-2 Mountain East Conference) has now won two straight games since losing its first four contests of the season.
Fairmont State (3-3, 2-2 MEC) has won two of its last three games, including a 40-21 win at West Virginia Wesleyan last week.
The Falcons have averaged 33.8 points per game, scoring 40 points or more three times and scoring 52 more more twice.
“We’ve just got to try to make them one-dimensional,” Hall said. “We’ve got to try to take something away; they’re pretty good with the run and pass. They’ve got some good athletes. … We’re going to have a challenge for sure defensively, we’re going to have to score points on offense to win the game, but I think we’re more than capable of getting the job done.”
Freshman quarterback Nino Marzullo has thrown for 1,099 yards and eight touchdowns in the five games in which he has appeared for Fairmont State, while also rushing for four touchdowns.
“I really like this kid,” Hall said. “He’s got some moxie to him, plays with a lot of confidence. … I didn’t even think the kid would’ve been a freshman, the way he’s playing. He just seems very comfortable, confident, makes a lot of different throws. He’s got the ability to use his feet. So for him to be a true freshman, the kid’s a stud.”
Dereik Crosby II has run for 490 yards and four touchdowns for the Falcons, while Gage Michael has been one of Marzullo’s key targets, catching 33 passes for 456 yards and two touchdowns; Crosby and Winston Page each have three touchdown catches and nearly 300 receiving yards apiece.
Defensively, Fairmont State has allowed 31.8 points per game.
“They’ve got some good athletes, especially in the secondary,” Hall said. “They do some good things; truthfully, I feel like we should be able to play a good game against them, but the difference between how we play at home and on the road, I think that’s going to be a big deal.”
Leading that Falcons secondary are Howard Williams (39 tackles, three interceptions), Eltayeb Bushra (38 tackles, three forced fumbles) and Nick Longo (35 tackles, one interception), while Donovan O’Malley (48 tackles, four tackles for loss) and Izuchukwu Igwe (34 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks) have been strong on the defensive line.
UNCP leads the all-time series against Fairmont State 3-2, including a 49-7 win last year in Pembroke. The Braves’ three wins have all been by 24 points or more, while the Falcons’ two wins have been by a total of five points.
Sports editor Chris Stiles can be reached at 910-816-1977 or by email at cstiles@robesonian.com. You can follow him on X at @StilesOnSports.