CLINTON, S.C. – For the third time in 113 seasons of Presbyterian College football, the Blue Hose have accomplished 10 wins in a single campaign. PC squandered a late lead against Marist in the 2025 regular-season finale, but won the game with 46 seconds left to overcome the Red Foxes 29-25.

In the last-ever home meeting for 34 special seniors, the Blue Hose punctuated arguably their most successful season this century and realized win number 10 for the first time since 2005.

While PC's quest for a Pioneer Football League championship was denied due to a Drake win at Morehead State, head coach Steve Englehart's gang still managed to go undefeated at home over an entire season and finish the slate with a 6-2 mark against conference opponents.

The Scotsmen outlasted a feisty Marist visitor in a game that did not entail a single punt after the first quarter, using an eight-play 65-yard touchdown drive in only 85 seconds to snare the W dramatically.

It was a happy ending for the Blue Hose, who climbed as high as #16 in the AFCA Coaches Poll earlier this year, triumphant on Senior Day for the third time in a row and going into next year with an eight-game home winning streak.






 
FINAL SCORE: Presbyterian, 29 – Marist, 25

RECORDS: Presbyterian (10-2, 6-2) – Marist (5-7, 3-5)

LOCATION: Bailey Memorial Stadium (Clinton, S.C.)


 


ZERO BAILEY BLEMISHES

 
- This is the first time since 1998 that Presbyterian has gone an entire season without any home losses on six attempts. They also managed a perfect home record in 2007, but only three games were played in Clinton that particular year.

- Coach Englehart's club has won their last eight home affairs dating back 13 months by an average of 29 points, but were tested mightily by an upset-minded Marist foe who was searching for their third straight win.

- PC put up a very impressive 45 points per game in their six home contests this fall, building a 13-point halftime lead and outscoring the Red Foxes 13-8 in the fourth quarter to seal the deal.


 
TWO-MINUTE DRILL EXPERTISE

 
- A key component of Presby's close win was their successful execution in putting up late touchdowns in the 2^nd and 4^th quarters. Without those 14 points, the outcome of Saturday's duel would have been vastly different.

- Ahead by a slim 6-0 margin with 2:19 to go in the opening half, quarterback Collin Hurst spearheaded a 69-yard touchdown drive on 11 plays, ending that sequence with a toe-tap score from senior Dominic Kibby.

- With the game hanging in the balance, Hurst delivered more heroics after his team had fallen behind 25-22 with just 2:11 on the board.

- A reigning Phil Steele FCS Freshman All-American, Hurst found BJ Atkins for separate gains of 18 and 24 yards, then leaving it up to sophomore power-back Justin Montgomery who dragged defenders with him into the end zone with 46 seconds left.


 
NOTABLES

 
- PC's win wouldn't have been possible without an exceptional effort by kicker Jett Jackson, hitting three field goals on as many attempts from distances of 39, 41, and 34 yards.

- Those nine points were pivotal considering the final margin, as Jackson becomes the third different Blue Hose kicker in the Englehart administration to make three FG's in a single game (along with Mack Mikko and Peter Lipscombe).

- Linebackers Michael Torres and Boyce Bankhead were a fierce duo as Presby pitched a first-half shutout, combining for 19 tackles, three TFL's, and two forced fumbles. Malik Lewis also added nine stops.

- Montgomery and Zach Switzer tag-teamed for 103 yards on the ground, while both teams passed for the exact same yardage (211). Hurst finished 18-of-32 and has now tossed 26 touchdowns this year.

- Switzer entered the 2025 curtain call hoping to break a Blue Hose single-season record that has stood since 2007. He reached that goal just nine seconds into the game with a 45-yard kick return, finishing the season with a school D-I record 1,458 all-purpose yards.

- Wideout Cincere Gill maintained his miraculous recovery from a torn ACL just one month ago, catching four passes for a team-best 75 yards. Fellow senior tight end Nathan Levicki grabbed his sixth receiving TD of the year and finished with 53 yards on five targets.


 
HOW IT HAPPENED – FIRST HALF

 
- PC's first series of the afternoon had a promising start with Switzer's aforementioned return, but the drive ended abruptly on a deep-ball interception at the eight-yard line.

- Marist picked up just one first down in the aftermath, however, giving possession back to Englehart's unit where they advanced deep enough for Jackson to hit his first field goal.

- The 3-0 lead would persist for the remainder of the first quarter and eventually doubled to 6-0 on another Jackson boot at the 7:01 stamp of the 2^nd stanza.

- Presbyterian turned the Red Foxes over on downs at the 31-yard line to keep them scoreless, as Bankhead hurried the QB into an errant throw.

- That's when PC embarked on their first prosperous two-minute drill, moving down to the 1 on a pass interference penalty and cashing in with a fade route in the corner of the end zone to Kibby (his 21^st career touchdown).

- The Blue Hose rode a 13-0 advantage into the locker room, the eighth time this season that they've held the opponent to seven first-half points or fewer. PC also blanked St. Thomas last weekend over the first two quarters.


 
HOW IT HAPPENED – SECOND HALF

 
- The mood certainly shifted after the break, as Marist managed to reverse their fortunes and score 17 points in the third period. They organized an 11-play drive that covered 69 yards, ending with a touchdown that trimmed the deficit to six.

- Two snaps later, the Blue Hose were the victims of a fumble after a five-yard pickup. Although, PC's always-reliable defense buckled up with a short field and held the Red Foxes to just three points.

- The Scotsmen responded with a kick of their own to take a 16-10 lead, this one from 34 yards with 2:50 remaining in the quarter.

- Marist would not go down quietly as they tried to play spoiler, connecting on a 60-yard pass and taking their first lead of the day on a three-yard touchdown rush with 34 seconds left in the 3^rd.

- Now trailing by one, Presbyterian answered with their third drive of the contest that lasted at least 11 plays. Hurst lofted a 23-yarder to Levicki on a post pattern with 10 minutes on the clock, although the ensuing two-point conversion attempt was no good.

- Regardless, PC had still taken a five-point lead. It wouldn't last though, as the Red Foxes answered with a near-eight-minute drive and their third touchdown of the second half (a two-yard run).

- Marist's two-point try was a success, meaning that Presby would need a field goal at minimum to extend the game and 2:11 of time to work with.

- Hurst confidently led the Scotsmen to the game-winning touchdown with less than a minute to go, capped by Montgomery. Then, fittingly, Bankhead prevented Marist from converting a 4^th and 10 with 14 ticks on the clock.



COACH ENGLEHART'S COMMENTS