No. 4 William & Mary opens with tough CAA win at Campbell

Following a preseason filled with individual accolades and a consensus top-five national ranking in the Football Championship Subdivision, William & Mary got the opportunity to measure reality against the hype. The measuring stick, Campbell University, was not intimidated by the Tribe’s reputation. In fact, the Camels pounded the ball downfield for a touchdown after receiving the opening kickoff and continued to move the ball almost at will throughout the first half.

The No. 4 Tribe proved up to the challenge of opening the season against a Coastal Athletic Association opponent on the road and took control midway through the second quarter on the way to a 34-24 victory over the Camels at Baker-Lane Stadium in Buies Creek, North Carolina. After allowing 232 yards on the Camels’ first three possessions, the Tribe defense gave up just 9 yards on the next five.

Like Campbell, William & Mary’s offense was on fire from the get-go, but it remained good throughout. Outgained 241 yards to 234 in the first half, W&M bettered the Camels 452-310 in total offense. Bronson Yoder led the Tribe’s 270-yard rushing effort with 124 yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback Darius Wilson threw for 182 yards and two scores.

“What a tough game,” Tribe coach Mike London said. “I’ll tell you, Campbell is a really good football team, really talented, athletic and tough. “I like our football team, that we have some toughness and resiliency.

Today was a game about resiliency. ” Operating behind an offensive line averaging 336 pounds per man, Camels quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams (226 yards passing) led the Camels on a 13-play, 78-yard touchdown drive to begin the game. He was 4-for-4 passing for 33 yards, while Lamagea McDowell ran for 27 yards, including a 1-yard TD that gave the Camels a 7-0 lead.

The Tribe retaliated with a 13-play, 69-yard touchdown drive on which Yoder ran for 32 yards. Wilson’s 7-yard TD pass to DreSean Kendrick tied the score at 7 with 2:36 to play in the first quarter. “That showed that we didn’t let that first score get us down, that we had fight,” Wilson said.

The Tribe defense was plagued by missed tackles early, and the Camels drove 62 yards to the W&M 10 on their second possession. But Tribe all-conference linebacker Isaiah Jones stopped that drive by forcing and recovering a fumble at the 10. Another forced fumble set up the Tribe’s go-ahead score, as Jayden Joyner jarred the ball loose from Campbell punt returner Chris McKay and JT Mayo recovered at the Camels’ 12.

Yoder scored on a 3-yard touchdown three plays later, and the Tribe led 14-7 with 8:54 left in the first half. The Camels tied the game at 14 with a nine-play, 81-yard drive capped by Williams’ 14-yard touchdown pass to VJ Wilkins with six minutes left in the first half. But the Tribe took control from there as the defense hit its stride and the offense controlled the ball.

W&M took the lead for good, at 21-14, as Yoder capped a 65-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run. Caden Bonoffski, a transfer from Davidson, stretched the margin to 24-14 with a 37-yard field goal as time expired in the first half. 𝙏𝙊𝙐𝘾𝙃𝘿𝙊𝙒𝙉 𝙏𝙍𝙄𝘽𝙀‼️ W&M answers with Bronson Yoder’s second TD of the contest! W&M 21, CU 14 | 2Q, 2:59 — William & Mary Tribe Football (@WMTribeFootball) Bonoffski added a second field goal, from 45 yards, to increase the lead to 27-14 left in a third quarter in which the Tribe controlled the ball almost 12 minutes.

Wilson’s 27-yard touchdown pass to Martin Lucas gave the Tribe a commanding 34-17 cushion with 8:11 left in the game, before Campbell added a touchdown in the final minute. 𝙏𝙊𝙐𝘾𝙃𝘿𝙊𝙒𝙉 𝙏𝙍𝙄𝘽𝙀‼️ Darius Wilson to Martin Lucas down the W&M sideline! W&M 34, CU 17 | 4Q, 8:11 — William & Mary Tribe Football (@WMTribeFootball) “To go toe-to-toe and come out on top, that’s critically important to our psyche,” London said of winning a tough conference game on the road to start the season. Sign up for email newsletters.