WILLIAMSBURG, VA. – William & Mary stopped Campbell twice in deep in its territory in the fourth quarter and the 20th-ranked Tribe defeated the Camels 37-21 Saturday night at Zabel Stadium.
Jalen Jones intercepted three passes – including a third quarter pick six – and the Tribe (2-0) limited Campbell to just 2-of-11 third down conversions.
Campbell (1-1) trailed 17-14 early in the third quarter, but the Tribe – which won last week at FBS member Charlotte – scored 20 second-half points.
Quarterback
Hajj-Malik Williams led the Camels with 91 rushing yards on 18 carries and two TDs and completed 18-of-31 passes for 186 yards and one score.
Julian Hill, who grabbed a 21-yard scoring pass from Williams late in the second quarter, finished with seven receptions for a career-high 95 yards.
Seventh-year senior defensive lineman
Gabe Holmes led the Camels with a career-high 10 tackles, including eight solo stops.
The Tribe accumulated 271 of its 392 total yards on the ground. Bronson Yoder ran 18 times for 95 yards, while Malachi Imoh added 89 yards on just six carries and two scores.
Darius Wilson completed 11-of-18 passes for 116 yards and one score, while Lachlan Pitts led the Tribe with four catches and 57 yards.
In the first meeting between the two future CAA members, The Tribe scored on three of its first four drives and took a 17-0 lead with 4:40 left in the opening half on Darius Wilson's 10-yard touchdown pass to Colton Turner.
Campbell, however, responded with an 11-play, 82-yard drive capped by Williams' 21-yard toss to Hill with 47 seconds left in the second quarter.
The Camels received the second half kick-off but were forced to punt. However, William and Mary's Calin Newton muffed the catch and
Josh McNeely recovered at the Tribe 19. Williams ran in from seven yards and
Caleb Dowden's PAT cut the deficit to 17-14 with 12:37 left in the third.
William and Mary answered with a 14-play, 75-yard march that consumed 7:34, capped by Imo's 20-yard run. On the ensuing possession, Jones picked off a Williams pass and returned it 33 yards to push the Tribe lead to 31-14 with 3:42 remaining in the third.
Campbell responded with a 61-yard march that ended when Williams ran 17 yards on a QB keeper and cut the gap to 31-21 with 1:12 to go in the third. On the second play of the next possession, Imoh ran up the middle for 56 yards for what proved to be the final score of the game.
Twice in the fourth quarter, Campbell drove inside the Tribe 25-yard line. A 19-yard TD run by Williams was called back by a holding penalty and the Camels turned the ball over on downs.
The Camel defense forced a three and out and
Alex Santiago blocked Will Whitehurst's punt to set up Campbell with a first down on the Tribe 38 with 6:37 to go. However, Jones picked off Williams' pass on 4th down at the 23 to end Campbell's last threat.
Campbell returns to action next Saturday (Sept. 17) in a 6:00 p.m. kickoff at FBS member East Carolina.
