FERRUM, Va. — Sophomore kicker Chase Bailey's 35-yard field goal in overtime lifted Averett University football team to a 31-28 conference victory over Ferrum College, handing the Panthers a loss on their Senior Day and on their turf debut at W.B. Adams Stadium Saturday.

Ferrum (2-7, 2-4 USA South) took the first possession in overtime, and after an incomplete pass and a 2-yard rush put the Panthers at third-and-8 on the Averett 23, senior linebacker Michael Reives intercepted Troy Helton's pass at the Averett 18 to give the Cougars possession of the ball.

Sophomore quarterback Kelly Hall completed a 12-yard pass to sophomore wide receiver Myles Bennett to move the Cougars up the field, but a 5-yard loss set them back at Ferrum's 18. Two incomplete passes followed with one batted away, and at fourth-and-15, it was up to special teams.

Ferrum took a timeout before the kick to freeze Bailey, but he was unfazed even after having his first field goal attempt blocked earlier in the game. He came out of the timeout to nail the first field goal of the season for Averett (2-6, 2-3 USA South).

"I felt confident that he was ready," head coach Cleive Adams said. "We made a decision to go with him after hard-fought practices this week. We're very proud of him and happy."

The victory gave Adams his first win over his alma mater, where he later worked as a defensive coordinator for several seasons. Today's win also marks only the second time that Averett has beaten Ferrum at Ferrum. The first win came in 2009 when the Cougars defeated the Panthers 34-28 in triple-overtime. Three out of Averett's now four wins over Ferrum have been in overtime.  

Junior linebacker Jake Salisbury, who finished with eight tackles, sparked the defense for the Cougars with an interception in the opening drive of the game. He returned the ball for 37 yards as he was brought down just 1 yard shy of the end zone by Ferrum's Bryan Smith. Senior running back Ray Brown was able to punch in over the goal line, giving Averett an early 7-0 lead in less than two minutes of play.   

The Panthers climbed ahead with two touchdowns in three possessions when Joe Barton and D'Andre Cook each ran in for a score, and with neither team finding the end zone in the second quarter, the Cougars trailed the Panthers 13-7 at the half.

Ferrum took a 14-point lead with a 47-yard rushing touchdown from Helton and increased the margin to 21 on a Harvey Taylor run, putting the Panthers up 28-7 with just over six minutes remaining in the third quarter. It was then that the Cougars began to answer and put a deadlock on Ferrum's scoring.

Hall completed three passes of 12 or more yards to both Bennett and senior wide receiver Terrance Owens II while also adding a run of his own, sitting Averett on Ferrum's 25-yard line. With a 14-yard rush, sophomore running back Travis Jones registered his 10th touchdown of the season to close the gap. The Cougars defense came in and forced two consecutive fumbles, and the latter fumble, forced by sophomore Don Warren, came at the 1:12 mark in the third quarter. The ensuing drive led to Hall connecting with senior Brenden Hughes for a 6-yard touchdown catch as Averett continued to inch its way back, compressing Ferrum's lead to 28-21. Hall went 21 for 37 to end the afternoon with 275 yards.

The Cougars possessed the ball for most of the fourth quarter with quick three-and-outs from Ferrum. Just outside the red zone and with 5:15 on the clock, Jones scored again for the Cougars to tie the game at 28-28. Ferrum had a chance to take the lead, but Hunter Ferguson, who had gone 7 for 7 in field goals before entering today's game, missed a 28-yard attempt that hit the left upright.

Averett has fallen short by five or less points in its last three games going down to the wire, so this victory has shown Adams and his staff that their squad is beginning to get over that hump.

"This win means a lot to us because we have been battling all season long, even with games from last year," Adams said. "We were down 28-7, and our guys were still able to fight back. It's a huge win for us and a confidence builder for our program."

Bennett paced the receivers with eight catches for a career-high 115 yards, churning out his second consecutive game with 100-plus yards. Owens put up six receptions for 92 yards, and senior cornerback Dontae Gilbert led the Averett defense with 10 tackles, which also his second straight performance with double-digit tackles. Senior linebacker Brandon Petty added seven tackles and a sack for the Cougars.

Averett travels to Montgomery, Alabama, to face Huntingdon College on Saturday, Nov. 14, for the last game of the season.