WCU's Spring Football Game

Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations

Three different QBs combined to run four scoring drives in the first half as the Purple Team built a 28-10 halftime lead in Saturday’s annual Spring Game. The White Team’s late score before halftime sparked a 28-point comeback that included a 10-point run late in the second half. However, it wasn’t until C. J. Williams intercepted what turned out to be the last pass of the game and returned the ball 100 yards for his second pick-six of the game that the White Team was able to celebrate its comeback win.

Saturday's game featured 23 drives for both teams. Ten of those drives resulted in points with nine touchdowns and one field goal. Seven of the drives went three and out with the White team going three and out four times and the Purple going three and out five times. Five drives ended in interceptions with the White team's defense picking off four passes and the Purple team picking off one. The White team did not convert a single fourth-down attempt.

Cole Gonzales, the returning starter, completed 4 of 5 passes for 79 yards and a 64-yard TD to AJ Colombo. Bennett Judy, a redshirt freshman, completed 67% of his passes, including eight-straight at one point, for 285 yards and three touchdowns, but was also intercepted twice, while redshirt sophomore Brook Palhegyi was 3 of 9 for 36 yards. Colombo was one of nine receivers to catch passes for the Purple, totaling 96 yards and a TD, while tight end Jake Young had five catches and a TD, and Jai Boyd had five catches for 56 yards. Santana Fleming had two receptions for a score, and Branson Adams also had a receiving touchdown from behind the line. Receiver Eric Rasheed had the game's highest average per reception (1, 50 yards) and receiver Ca'lique Cunningham had the second highest average (51 yards).