North Carolina A&T secured its second win under first-year head coach Shawn Gibbs in a thrilling CAA victory, overcoming Campbell University 28-24 thanks to a stunning fourth-quarter comeback fueled entirely by explosive special teams plays.
Campbell opened the scoring with an eight-minute drive capped by a 34-yard touchdown pass from Camden Sixkiller to Trayjen Llanas-Wilcox, putting the Camels up 7-0 with 8:26 remaining in the first quarter. North Carolina A&T quickly responded, going on a six-play, 44-yard drive that ended when Michael Carlock-Williams found Kevin White for a seven-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7-7.
The second and third quarters settled into a defensive battle where Campbell slowly gained the advantage. Late in the second quarter, the Camels executed a grueling 15-play, 97-yard drive that ended with a one-yard touchdown run by Naem Kearney, giving them a 14-7 lead heading into the break. Neither team scored in the third quarter as they exchanged punts, though A&T’s defense created a chance when Tyler Howard intercepted a Sixkiller pass late in the period. Unfortunately, the Aggies couldn't capitalize and punted the ball back.
Campbell finally broke the deadlock in the fourth quarter when Sixkiller threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to Trevor Wilson, extending the lead to what felt like a secure 21-7 advantage.
With less than ten minutes remaining, North Carolina A&T engineered a comeback that could very well define the start of the Shawn Gibbs era. First, the offense finally got back on the board with 9:37 left in the fourth quarter when Kevin White finished a seven-play, 86-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown scamper. This narrowed the deficit to 21-14, putting the Aggies back in the game for the first time since the opening period.
After a key defensive stop, A&T’s special teams unit took center stage. Elijah Kenny ignited the sideline with a spectacular 96-yard punt return for a touchdown, miraculously tying the game at 21 points apiece.
Campbell managed to respond with a sustained 12-play, 53-yard drive that culminated in a field goal, putting the Camels back in front, 24-21. But North Carolina A&T had one final, electric play in reserve: Elijah Kenny secured an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, vaulting North Carolina A&T ahead 28-24 for good. Campbell was unable to respond in the final moments, and the Aggies emerged with the hard-fought victory.
Despite the heroics, North Carolina A&T’s offensive showing was modest, totaling only 221 yards. They also compounded their efforts with 11 costly penalties for a loss of 122 yards. However, the electrifying plays on the punt and kickoff returns single-handedly secured the victory and sent a flood of good vibes to the North Carolina A&T faithful.
Next up, the Aggies host Towson University at home. The game is set to kick off this Saturday at 12:00 p.m., airing on FloCollege.
