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The Pirates of Hampton University celebrated their homecoming with a 41-21 victory over conference rival Elon University.
Hampton Quarterbacks Malcom Mays and Chris Zellous combined for 104 passing yards and one touchdown, completing 17 of 25 attempts. The running game was pivotal, as the duo of Ja’Quan Snipes and Tymere Robinson rushed for 172 yards on 33 attempts, accounting for four touchdowns.
Hampton finished the game with 381 yards of offense, running 80 plays to Elon’s 52. The Phoenix showed some promise defensively, with Khalil Baker leading Elon with 12 tackles, while Nick Veloz added nine. The Phoenix recorded a total of 11 tackles for loss on the day.
Elon’s offense struggled from the start of the game, with a bad snap on the first play sailing over the quarterback's head, leading to a Hampton recovery at the Elon three-yard line. After a back-and-forth battle, the Phoenix took a 21-20 lead after halftime with a 70-yard touchdown pass from Mathew Downing to Onuma Dieke.
However, the Pirates responded with 21 unanswered points in the second half. Hampton’s final scoring drive started at their own seven-yard line and was propelled by a 66-yard run from Snipes. They marched 93 yards in seven plays, with Robinson scoring the final touchdown on a five-yard run.
Elon’s quarterback finished completing 7 of 14 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns, with his main targets Chandler Brayboy and Dieke combining for five catches and 165 yards. However, Elon’s rushing game struggled, finishing with negative 28 yards on 29 attempts. Hampton’s defense was strong, registering six quarterback sacks and eight tackles for loss, limiting Elon to 168 total yards.
Trent Boykin improves to 5-3 in his first year as head coach, marking a new era for Pirate football. Following this win, the Pirates will host No. 13 FCS ranked Villanova, who is 6-2 overall with a 3-1 conference record. That game is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. this Saturday.
