Presbyterian College

CLINTON, S.C. – Chapter one of the Matt Rahl head coaching era was a success for the Presbyterian College football team, hoarding close to 600 yards of total offense in a 47-37 victory against UVA Wise on Thursday night.

PC's ninth consecutive win at Bailey Memorial Stadium in a streak that dates back two full years, the Blue Hose secured their highest number of points in a season-opener since 2021. Five different players accounted for at least one touchdown.

Known for his offensive efficiency as Presbyterian's O-Line coach for the past two years (helping the team break a school record for total rushing yards in 2025), Rahl's gang scored 30 of their 47 points in the second half and plunged into a new era at 1-0.

It will be over a month until the Scotsmen are back on their home turf, traveling to Mercer on September 5 who clocked in at #17 in the preseason AFCA Coaches Poll. Kickoff in Macon next weekend is set for 6:00 on ESPN+.


 
FINAL SCORE: Presbyterian, 47 – UVA Wise, 37

RECORDS: Presbyterian (1-0)…UVA Wise (0-1)

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





 
OFFENSE SELLS TICKETS

 
- The Blue Hose have now unleashed at least 40 points in six of their last seven home games. They rank in the FCS top ten for the longest active home winning streaks, passing for over 400 yards as a unit which had not been done in five years.

- Sophomore quarterback Landon Sharpe made his first collegiate start and impressed throughout, totaling 367 passing yards to go with 88 more on the ground and four touchdowns.

- PC also received a boost from rookie wideout Anton Smith, a Miami native who eclipsed 100 receiving yards in his first college game.

- Transfer running back Jackson Burleson was also a weapon for Rahl's group, finding the end zone twice and collecting 92 all-purpose yards.

- The blue and garnet were able to nearly reach a fifty-burger despite three turnovers, earning 31 first downs and averaging six yards per play. They scored either a TD or a field goal in seven of their eight trips to the red zone.

- Sharpe becomes the first Presbyterian QB since Ren Hefley in 2021 to complete 30 passes in a single game. He and Max Holtzclaw found seven different receivers, connecting with Smith and Caleb Johnson 13 times combined.


 

 
OTHER NOTABLES

 
- PC's roster (which is filled with 59 true freshmen and 81 new bodies altogether) had many coming-out parties to start the new year on a high note. Among them: sophomore linebacker Andrew Ruppe who led the team with nine tackles to go with a sack and a fumble recovery.

- Freshman Tymaries Durant wasn't far behind with seven stops himself, while transfer defensive back Braylen Carstarphen snared a highlight-reel interception in the 4^th quarter.

- Preseason Phil Steele Magazine All-PFL honoree Noah Taylor broke up three passes from the cornerback spot, while freshman Floridian Levi Hoss landed an 11-yard sack.

- Fifth-year Greenville product Deverious Abercrombie accounted for 73 receiving yards on five catches, while PC scattered nine plays of 20 yards or more.

- Rookie kicker Kade Bailey hit two-out-of-three field goals in his debut, while the Blue Hose were forced to punt only twice in 16 drives.


 
HOW IT HAPPENED – FIRST HALF

 
- There was a turnover on the first snap of each half for either team, as the game started with a PC interception which led to a UVA Wise touchdown six plays later on a short field.

- The Blue Hose shook off the early takeaway to march 75 yards in 10 plays and tie up the game at seven apiece with a one-yard trot by Damion Moate.

- Wise misfired on a 41-yard field goal try to end the first period with the score still all even. PC opened up the second quarter with a 12-play series, ending with Bailey's first field goal to take the lead (a 34-yarder).

- The Cavaliers hung with the home side for the entire first 30 minutes, responding to Presby's first kick with a field goal of their own which tied the tally once again at 10 apiece.

- Thanks to an electric 57-yard pickup by Smith, Presby quickly hoisted themselves back ahead with another short touchdown run by Burleson. That made it 17-10 Blue Hose with less than six minutes until the break.

- Three straight drives ended in fumbles before halftime, allowing UVA Wise to hit a 56-yard touchdown pass with 35 seconds on the clock. However, their attempt to tie the game again with the ensuing PAT was off the mark.


 
HOW IT HAPPENED – SECOND HALF

 
- Just as Presbyterian turned over the ball on play number one, the Cavs also coughed it up to begin the third quarter on a slippery snap.

- Sharpe threw a perfect corner route to Patrick on the next play to give PC some much needed momentum and a 24-16 advantage.

- Wise had another chunk play in them, scoring from 62 yards out to pull the deficit within one as the second half was less than 90 seconds old.

- Fortunately for Scotty's bunch, the Blue Hose were in the middle of a sequence of three straight touchdown drives, going back up by eight with a Sharpe-to-Burleson 22-yard toss.

- Another big blow came in Presbyterian's direction, as the feisty Cavaliers manufactured a 42-yard house call to grapple the lead down to 31-30.

- PC stayed locked in over the majority of the 3^rd, returning to their common eight-point cushion with a five-yard dive by Sharpe that was reviewed for a possible fumble but was not overturned.

- The Scotsmen won the final quarter 9-7, benefitting from a Wise turnover on downs to kick a 23-yard field goal with 10:38 on the board.

- Now ahead by 11, Carstarphen delivered the game-ender with the aforementioned INT and 18-yard runback. Sharpe threw another beauty to Johnson to put his squad up 47-30, capping PC's scoring output.

- The Cavs would not score again until the last minute of the contest, extending Presbyterian's home winning streak to nine and giving them back-to-back W's in season-openers.



COACH RAHL'S COMMENTS