Wofford, Lenoir-Rhyne advance in college football playoffs

Wofford pulled away from visiting Elon, and Lenoir-Rhyne scored in the closing minute Saturday as both Carolinas teams advanced in the college football playoffs.

Wofford shut down Elon’s offense in the second half and got four field goals from Luke Carter in a 19-7 first-round Football Championship Subdivision game.

Lenoir-Rhyne’s touchdown with 45 seconds remaining carried the Bears past Wingate 21-17 in a second-round Division II contest.

Wofford will play next Saturday at fourth-seeded Kennesaw State (Ga.), Lenoir-Rhyne will visit unbeaten Valdosta State (Ga.) in a Division II quarterfinal.

Wofford 19, Elon 7

Wofford rushed for 344 yards in grinding out a victory over the Phoenix.

Freshman fullback Nathan Walker carried 14 times for 90 yards, and senior halfback Lennox McAfee added 63 yards on 12 rushes. The Terriers (9-3), who tied for the Southern Conference title with Chattanooga and Furman, threw the ball only five times.

Wofford took a 3-0 lead midway in the first quarter on a 32-yard field goal by Carter. Elon (6-5) came back for its only score on a 1-yard run by Breylynd Cyphers. His score capped a 75-yard, 16-play drive.

The Terriers closed to 7-6 on a 21-yard field goal by Carter shortly before the half. Wofford went ahead to stay early in the third quarter, when Walker scored on a 4-yard run that capped a 65-yard drive. The Terriers then recovered an Elon fumble near midfield and drove for Carter’s third field goal, from 33 yards.

Carter’s final field goal came with 9 minutes, 53 seconds to play. Elon, which lost three of its final four games after quarterback Davis Cheek (Butler High) suffered a season-ending knee injury, drove to the Wofford 7 but turned the ball over on downs with about five minutes left.

Lenoir-Rhyne 21, Wingate 17

HICKORY One year after going 3-7, Lenoir-Rhyne is headed to the Division II South Regional finals.

The Bears (12-1) led 14-10 after a 2-yard touchdown run by Ameen Stevens with 12 minutes remaining, but Wingate (9-4) drove for a go-ahead score with 2:51 left on a 61-yard pass from freshman Shaw Crocker to Bryan Mitchell.

Trailing 17-14, Lenoir-Rhyne started from its 14. The Bears drove to midfield, where quarterback Grayson Willingham (Weddington) threw an 18-yard pass to Darnell Jackson. On the next play, Willingham connected on a 32 yard touchdown pass with Riley McGee (Central Cabarrus), who spent his freshman year with the Charlotte 49ers.

Wingate drove to midfield in the closing seconds, but four passes fell incomplete.

It was the second victory this season over Wingate for Lenoir-Rhyne, under first-year head coach Drew Cronic.

Nijere People (Butler High) scored Wingate’s first touchdown on a pass from Crocker. The Bulldogs (9-4) held that 7-0 lead into the third quarter.