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Campbell University

Brevin Allen
Brevin Allen

Football Jason Williams

Camels head to GWU for Big South road debut

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Riding a five game winning streak, Campbell will make its Big South road debut at Gardner-Webb on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. at Spangler Stadium.
 
Follow the Camels
Watch Saturday's game live on ESPN+, and listen to the Camels on the radio locally on 88.3 WUAW FM and GoCamels.com. Live stats are also available at GoCamels.com, and follow on Twitter @GoCamelsFB for live updates.

Last time out
Hajj-Malik Williams accounted for three touchdowns and Campbell's defense stopped Hampton on five of six second half possessions, leading the Camels to a 31-16 win at Barker-Lane Stadium. In front of a record-setting Homecoming crowd of 6,783 at the 5,500-seat facility, Campbell won its fifth-straight game by holding Hampton to 0-of-3 on fourth downs – all in the final half.
 
Williams tossed a pair of TD passes to Jalen Kelsey and also scored on a pass from wide out Caleb Snead as the Camels equaled their best start in the program's Division I era (since 2008). Slade led the Camels with 11 total tackles, while Galloway-Velazquez added 10 stops and Gaffney nine.
 
Camels unbeaten against FCS foes
Campbell is among 12 schools that remain unbeaten against FCS competition, with losses only to FBS opponents, this season. The 5-1 Camels, whose only loss came at FBS Troy, are joined by the three remaining FCS unbeatens, North Dakota State, Princeton and Dartmouth, plus James Madison, South Dakota State, Weber State, Kennesaw State, Sacramento State, Central Connecticut State, Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman. Of those, only Campbell and Bethune-Cookman remain unranked. Campbell is also one of 12 FCS teams with five or more wins and one or fewer losses.
 
Five in a row
Campbell has matched a school record with five straight wins, tying its 2011 mark. At 5-1 on the season, the Camels have also matched their best start through six games in school history, hitting that mark for the second straight season.
 
Camels receiving FCS Top-25 votes
For the fourth consecutive week, Campbell is receiving votes in the FCS top-25 polls. The Camels picked up 19 points in the AFCA Coaches' Poll, the most ever for the program. Campbell also received seven points in the STATS FCS Top-25 media poll, giving the Camels votes in both polls for the second week in a row, a program first.
 
This is the third different season that the Camels have received top-25 votes, also picking up tallies in 2011 and 2018.
 
Take it away
With Monchovia Gaffney's fourth quarter interception against Hampton, the Camels have posted a takeaway in all six games of 2019, collecting 12 total turnovers in that span, including seven interceptions and five fumbles. Campbell has turned those 12 takeaways into 35 points. The Camels rank seventh in the FCS in turnover margin, losing the ball to turnovers only five times so far this season. Campbell's five turnovers are the fifth-fewest in the country, while its 12 takeaways ranks 38th. CU is one of five teams in the country that has not lost a fumble this season.
 
Campbell's seven interceptions have come from seven different Camels.
 
No fly zone
A year after leading the FCS in passing defense, the Camels are again among the nation's leaders, ranking 18th at 180.5 yards allowed per game. CU also ranks sixth in passing efficiency defense at 107.65. The Camels allowed just 122.5 yards per game through the air in 2018, holding opponents under 150 yards passing seven times, including a school record 12 yards at Presbyterian.
 
Home sweet home
The Camels are off to a 4-0 start at home for the first time in program history. Campbell opened its 2019 home slate with a 38-14 win over Division II Shaw, winning its fifth straight home opener, following that performance with a 31-29 win over Davidson, a 28-14 victory over Presbyterian and Saturday's 31-16 win over Hampton. With two home games remaining, Campbell has already matched a school record for home wins with four (2011, 2014, 2018).
 
Camels win first two Big South tests
For the third time in program history, Campbell is 2-0 to begin conference play, also winning its first two Pioneer Football League games in 2014 and 2017. The Camels started 4-0 in both of those years.
 
Packing Barker-Lane
Campbell welcomed a crowd of 6,783 for its 2019 homecoming game against Hampton, setting a Barker-Lane Stadium record. It was the 13th crowd of 6,000 or more since the facility's expansion in 2013. So far this season, Campbell is averaging 5,974 per game at 5,500 seat Barker-Lane Stadium, one of eight FCS schools in the country averaging a sellout (Merrimack, Sacred Heart, Central Arkansas, ETSU, Rhode Island, Charleston Southern and Montana State).
 
Rookie reaches the century mark
Jalen Kelsey became the second Camel log 100-plus receiving yards in a game this season, catching three passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns against the Pirates. The freshman picked up his first multi-touchdown game of the season, scoring on a 79-yard toss in the first quarter, and again in the fourth on a Hajj-Malik Williams scramble and throw. Kelsey's 79-yard score is the longest play from scrimmage for the Camels this season. on the year, he owns 273 yards receiving in five games, with five of his nine catches going for TDs. His five touchdowns are already tied for third most by a Camel in a single season, ranking second among CU rookies all-time.
 
Freshman QB climbing charts
Hajj-Malik Williams combined for 322 yards and three touchdowns in the win over Hampton. The freshman QB completed 14-of-26 passes for 217 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, also running 15 times for 82 yards, even catching a 23 yard touchdown pass from wide receiver Caleb Snead in the 31-16 win over Hampton. Williams has thrown for at least one touchdown in all six games this season, tossing two or more five times.
 
Williams has produced 1,200 yards passing, ranking ninth on the CU single season charts, with 12 TD passes (tied for fifth with Kameron Bryant's 2015 number). The Atlanta, Ga. product is the first Camel to throw and receive a touchdown pass in the same game in Campbell's modern era.
 
Williams is the first Camel to throw and receive a touchdown pass in the same game in Campbell's modern era. In fact, a Camel has only recorded a TD pass and catch in the same season five times, joining Ben Bolling, who accomplished the feat in 2013 and 2015, Jordan Hildreth in 2013, and now Snead this season (all wide receivers).
 
Turning defense into points
Kam Prewitt's 44-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter at Mercer marked the Camels' first non-offensive TD of the season. It was the 14th pick-six in Campbell's modern era (since 2008), and Prewitt's first as a Camel. Campbell posted three non-offensive scores in 2018.
 
With Prewitt's pick-six, Campbell has now scored 35 points off 12 takeaways this season. The Camels scored a season-high 21 points off turnovers in their 31-29 win over Davidson in week four. Campbell has converted points off of opponent turnovers in three of its six games this season.
 
Leading the Camels
Rookie quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams leads the way for Campbell, completing nearly 61 percent of his passes, while averaging 200 passing yards per game with 12 touchdowns. Williams adds 275 rushing yards and two more scores, while Cameron Davis has rushed for a team-high 291 yards and a TD. Johnathan Hawkins also owns 274 yards and four scores rushing.

Caleb Snead owns a team-best 324 receiving yards with four touchdowns, while Davarius Bargnare has picked up 293 yards and two TDs. Jalen Kelsey tacks on a team-high five receiving TDs with 273 yards.
 
Justice Galloway-Velazquez paces the CU defense with 52 tackles, adding 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, an interception and a blocked kick. Tywun Rivens has also gathered 39 tackles, while Damien Dozier and Darion Slade own 32 stops. Brevin Allen adds a team-best 7.0 tackles for loss, including 3.5 sacks.
 
Scouting Gardner-Webb
Gardner-Webb comes into the game with a 3-4 overall record following a 49-28 setback at Monmouth, its first Big South loss of 2019. The Runnin' Bulldogs opened league play at home with a 35-27 win over Hampton.

Jayln Cagle paces the Bulldogs with 606 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, adding 137 receiving yards and two more scores. Kalen Whitlow has tossed seven touchdown passes with 196.8 passing yards per game, while Izaiah Gathings adds 441 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

On the defensive side, Darien Reynolds has registered 74 tackles, while Josh Ramseur owns 7.0 tackles for loss.

Saturday will be the second modern era meeting between the Camels and Runnin' Bulldogs, with GWU taking last season's contest in Buies Creek 35-7.

Next up
Campbell will travel to future Big South foe North Alabama next week (Nov. 2). The Camels will return to Buies Creek to face nationally-ranked Kennesaw State on Nov. 9.
 
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Players Mentioned

Brevin Allen

#97 Brevin Allen

DL
6' 4"
Sophomore
Damien Dozier

#23 Damien Dozier

DL
6' 4"
Redshirt Junior
Monchovia Gaffney

#20 Monchovia Gaffney

LB
6' 2"
Sophomore
Justice Galloway-Velazquez

#2 Justice Galloway-Velazquez

LB
6' 2"
Sophomore
Kam Prewitt

#1 Kam Prewitt

DB
5' 11"
Redshirt Senior
Tywun Rivens

#32 Tywun Rivens

LB
6' 1"
Junior
Darion Slade

#7 Darion Slade

DB
6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
Caleb Snead

#8 Caleb Snead

WR
6' 4"
Redshirt Sophomore
Davarius Bargnare

#1 Davarius Bargnare

WR
5' 10"
Sophomore
Johnathan Hawkins

#21 Johnathan Hawkins

RB
5' 11"
Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

Brevin Allen

#97 Brevin Allen

6' 4"
Sophomore
DL
Damien Dozier

#23 Damien Dozier

6' 4"
Redshirt Junior
DL
Monchovia Gaffney

#20 Monchovia Gaffney

6' 2"
Sophomore
LB
Justice Galloway-Velazquez

#2 Justice Galloway-Velazquez

6' 2"
Sophomore
LB
Kam Prewitt

#1 Kam Prewitt

5' 11"
Redshirt Senior
DB
Tywun Rivens

#32 Tywun Rivens

6' 1"
Junior
LB
Darion Slade

#7 Darion Slade

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
DB
Caleb Snead

#8 Caleb Snead

6' 4"
Redshirt Sophomore
WR
Davarius Bargnare

#1 Davarius Bargnare

5' 10"
Sophomore
WR
Johnathan Hawkins

#21 Johnathan Hawkins

5' 11"
Graduate Student
RB