HICKORY, N.C. – The Lenoir-Rhyne Football Team defeated Virginia State 48-7 with a dominating performance in the season opener on Saturday evening. Grayson Willingham threw three touchdowns to three difference receivers and Dwayne McGee had three total TDs (two rushing, one receiving) in the victory.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: No. 4 Lenoir-Rhyne 48, Virginia St. 7
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (1-0), Virginia St. (0-1)
Location: Petersburg, Va. | Rogers Stadium

STATS OF THE GAME:
•  Willingham entered the game with 60 career touchdowns and added three more to his program-record total. Willingham found Ryan Carter, McGee and Deondre Lester on the afternoon.
•  The Bears opening drive resulted in a 20-yard field goal by Chase Allbaugh who would go 2-for-2 on the day and hit six extra points on the day. 
• McGee sprung a 70-yard run on the first play of the ensuing drive which set up a Carter TD grab to give the Bears a 10-0 lead.
• On third and goal, McGee caught a 7-yard TD pass to push the advantage to 17-0 as the Bears jumped all over the Trojans early.  
• The Trojans only score of the game came on a 40-plus yard run up the gut to pull within 10 but Willingham answered with a strike to a wide open Lester across the middle to extend the lead to 24-7. 
•  McGee then burst for a long touchdown run before the half to give LR a 31-7 advantage at the break.  
•  It was more of the same to start the second half as Amari Houston had a strip-sack to give the Bears the ball back on the Trojans opening drive.
•  LR would tack on a pair of second half scoring drives to secure a 31-point victory.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
•  LR has won seven straight regular season non-conference games and won three in a row over CIAA opponents.
•  This was the first game for Virginia St. since Nov. 2019 as they didn't compete in the spring.
•   LR improves to 54-34-4 all-time in season openers.

UP NEXT:
Lenoir-Rhyne has a bye week next week before hitting the road to take on Newberry on Sept. 18.