Hickory, N.C. ? The Wingate University Football Team (5-1, 3-0) stunned Lenoir-Rhyne University (4-3, 1-2), 50-49, Saturday afternoon in a South Atlantic Conference contest in front of 6,107 fans at Moretz Stadium on L-R's Homecoming.? The Bulldogs overcame a pair of three-touchdown deficits and scored the last 18 points to remain undefeated in league play.

Wingate wide receiver Perry Floyd (Gastonia, N.C.) scored three touchdowns (two receiving and one on a return) as the Bulldogs were able to rally from deficits of 28-7 and 42-21 to pick up the win.

Wingate quarterback Cody Haffly (Locust Grove, Ga.) passed for 311 yards and three touchdowns in the Bulldogs? fifth straight win over the Bears.

Lenoir-Rhyne, which rushed for 430 yards in the game, was rolling early as it scored on its first four possessions to build a 28-7 lead early in the second quarter.

Bear sophomore fullback Byron Darby (Gastonia, N.C.) scored on touchdown runs of 65 and 28 yards while senior quarterback Justin Sanders (Monroe, N.C.) added a touchdown run and a touchdown pass as L-R built the early lead.

Wingate cut the margin to 28-21 thanks to Robert Fletcher?s (Lancaster, S.C.) 52-yard fumble return for a score and Haffly?s 10-yard touchdown pass to Floyd before L-R junior running back James Pone (Wilson, N.C.) scored from 18 yards out just before the half to give L-R the 35-21 advantage at intermission.

Pone?s second score of the day, from nine yards out, pushed the Bears lead to 42-21 midway through the third quarter but Wingate responded with 11 straight points capped off by running back Nelson Woods? (Charlotte, N.C.) one-yard run to cut the margin to 42-32 entering the final frame.

Woods? score was set up by Jonathan McKinney?s (Hephzibah, Ga.) 28-yard fumble return to the L-R one.

Lenoir-Rhyne appeared to put the contest away when sophomore quarterback Major Herron (Kingsland, Ga.) ran it in from two yards out for the 17-point advantage (49-32) early in the fourth quarter at the 11:18 mark but Floyd returned the ensuing kickoff 89 yards for the score to put Wingate back in the game.

Another Bear fumble set up Floyd?s 43-yard touchdown reception from Haffly to cut the lead to 49-44 with 7:30 left and an 18-play, 91-yard drive by Wingate followed and was culminated by another Woods? one-yard touchdown run with 43 seconds remaining.

A 61-yard field goal attempt by Lenoir-Rhyne fell short and Wingate prevailed.

Floyd finished with 94 yards receiving on six catches while Delric Ellington (Charlotte, N.C.) added a game-high 11 catches for 91 yards for Wingate.

Meanwhile, Fletcher finished with a team-high 11 tackles to go along with two forced fumbles and one fumble return for a score for a Bulldog defense that scored 21 points off of three Bear fumbles.

Sanders (111 yards), Darby (109) and and junior running back Andrew Courman (Beaufort, N.C.) (91) led Lenoir-Rhyne?s ground game, which came into the contest ranked first in NCAA Division II.

Lenoir-Rhyne remains at home next Saturday when it hosts SAC-rival Carson-Newman at 7 p.m., while Wingate returns home to face Newberry at 1:30 p.m., on Saturday as well.