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DANVILLE, Va. — Averett football's Homecoming game was spoiled by N.C. Wesleyan College as the Battling Bishops took advantage of several turnovers and edged the Cougars 27-24 on Saturday afternoon in front of a packed crowd at the Cougar Den.

Averett (1-3, 0-1 USA South) looked energized entering the second half after trailing 20-10 at the break. The Cougars struck on their first possession of the third quarter as junior quarterback Kirkland Brown found sophomore Adaryl Jones Jr. for a 42-yard touchdown pass. After forcing N.C. Wesleyan (1-3, 1-0 USA South) to go three-and-out, Averett's offense drove 65 yards on 10 plays, finishing things with sophomore Xavier Morgan's 2-yard touchdown run to put the Cougars in front 24-20 with 8:40 to play in the quarter.

On N.C. Wesleyan's next play from scrimmage, Averett senior linebacker Tyler Robertson intercepted Robbie Lanier's pass and returned it 24 yards inside the Battling Bishops' 20-yard line. The Cougars, however, came up empty in the red zone. On first-and-goal from the N.C. Wesleyan 4-yard line, Averett had its pass intercepted. N.C. Wesleyan's ensuing drive went 70 yards in 10 plays, leading to Lanier's 3-yard touchdown pass to Greg Edwards to put the Bishops back in front by three points with 2:28 to play in the third quarter.

Turnovers continued to haunt Averett. On the second play of their next drive, the Cougars fumbled away the ball. Although the Averett defense held strong deep in its own territory and stopped N.C. Wesleyan on fourth down, the Cougars turned the ball over again with another interception.

As N.C. Wesleyan conintued to move the chains with its running game, Averett went three-and-out on its next possession, then threw an interception inside the final minute to seal the game in N.C. Wesleyan's favor.

The Bishops opened the game with a wild touchdown on their first play from scrimmage. Edwards, a wide receiver, took the end around and tossed a pass to Malik Adams, who fumbled the ball. Averett recovered, but immediately fumbled the ball back into the hands of Adams, who ran it 20 yards for the touchdown to give the Bishops a 7-0 lead.

Averett answered with sophomore Hobie Proctor's 23-yard field goal, but the Bishops marched back down the field by going 73 yards in only four plays to take a 14-3 lead. Early in the second quarter, Averett sophomore Ray Brown found the end zone from 5 yards out to close the deficit to 14-10. It appeared as though that score would hold going into halftime until Lanier hit John Young for a 34-yard touchdown pass across the middle as time expired. Averett, however, did block the extra point to stay within 20-10 entering the locker rooms.

Averett will look to rebound next Saturday on the road at Maryville College.