SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? Presbyterian College started the game off by rushing out to a 14-point lead, but the 13th-ranked Wofford Terriers scored 38 of the final 45 points in the game to earn a 38-21 victory before 7,931 fans in PC's season opener at Gibbs Stadium.
The Blue Hose were led offensively in the contest by S.J. Worrell (Madison, Ga.) and Terrance Butler (Myrtle Beach, S.C.). Worrell caught a career-best 12 passes for 86 yards in the game, while Butler ended the game with 128 yards receiving on eight catches. The 128 yards receiving by Butler in the contest marked the sixth time in his Blue Hose career that he had accomplished the feat.
Blue Hose signal caller Tim Webb (Lugoff, S.C.) obtained the third 300 yards or more passing game of his career in the Wofford loss, hurling for 351 yards. Webb was 37-for-56 in the game with three touchdowns.
PC had three defensive players finish with 10 or more tackles in the Wofford game. Chris Bowman (Conway, S.C.) led the way with a career-best 13 tackles, which included 1.5 tackles-for-loss and one forced fumble. Senior middle linebacker Antwan Thomas (Hawkinsville, Ga.) acquired 12 total tackles in the game with three tackles-for-loss.
Bo Tribble (Clinton, S.C.) made his return after a two-year absence from the Blue Hose by securing 10 total tackles (seven solo).
Bryson Summers (West Columbia, S.C.) led the Blue Hose special teams. The Blue Hose punter had a long punt of 56 yards and averaged 47.3 yards-per-punt.
Wofford's vaunted rushing attack concluded its efforts on Saturday with 380 yards on the ground with quarterback Ben Widmyer and running back Dane Romero both rushing for over 100 yards. Widmyer rushed for a game-high 107 yards, while Romero picked up exactly 100 yards in the game.
PC finished with 382 total offensive yards in the game. Wofford had 512 yards in the contest.
The Blue Hose started the game off with a bang when Butler caught a dart from quarterback Webb and broke away from the Wofford defense for a 57-yard touchdown reception that gave PC an early 7-0 advantage after Cam Miller's (Lyman, S.C.) successful extra point. PC's opening drive took just 1:46 off the game clock.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Blue Hose caught another break when Josh Tavernier (Anderson, S.C.) stripped Wofford and then recovered the football to give PC the football back at the Wofford 21-yard line.
The Blue Hose wasted no punching the football into the end zone again, using just four plays and 2:04 off the game clock to go ahead 14-0.
Worrell scored his first touchdown of the season to give the Blue Hose the 14-point lead. Worrell caught an out pass from Webb and then turned up the field before diving into the end zone for the score with 11:10 left in the first quarter.
Wofford cut the Blue Hose lead to seven points at 14-7 on their first offensive possession next, scoring on a 40-yard touchdown strike down the right sideline from Widmyer to Andy Strickland.
Both offenses would come to someone of a halt the rest of the first quarter with the defenses starting to take shape. The Terriers looked as if they would score again to square the contest in the first stanza, but the Blue Hose defense held strong in the red zone with Thomas recovering a fumble at the PC five-yard line to return possession to the Blue Hose.
The Terriers opened the second quarter by hitting a 24-yard field goal to cut the Blue Hose lead to 14-10. Patrick Mugan's field goal capped a 14-play drive for the Terriers.
Wofford took its first lead of the game at the 6:34 mark of the second quarter when Romero ran up the middle from one yard out to give Wofford a 17-14 lead after the converted extra point.
The Blue Hose were primed to take the lead on its next possession, marching deep into Wofford territory, but a Webb pass was intercepted by Terrier free safety Jason Leventis and he returned it 80 yards to push the Wofford lead to 10 points with 1:53 left in the first half.
The interception return by Wofford would be the final score of the half for either team with the two squads entering intermission with Wofford on top by the score of 24-14.
The Terriers began the second half by scoring on a one-yard run by Romero. The one-yard run earned Wofford a 31-14 lead with 12:13 left in the third quarter. The score was the culmination of a seven play, 59-yard drive by Wofford.
The Blue Hose responded to Wofford's score by pulling back to within 10 points on its first possession of the fourth quarter.
Butler picked up the PC touchdown when he punctuated a 14-play Blue Hose drive by diving for a four-yard touchdown in the back corner of the end zone with 12:21 left in the final stanza.
Wofford added one more final score with 2:52 left in the game when Romero scored from four yards out to set the final score at 38-21.
The Blue Hose return home next week for the first time in 2008. PC will welcome Fayetteville State to Bailey Memorial Stadium at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 6. It is Scotsman Club Day at PC's home stadium.
