DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University football knocked off non-conference foe Hampden-Sydney College 38-28 in front of packed Frank R. Campbell Stadium to open the season Saturday evening. While the start of the game signaled a new era in the program's history with the opening of the new multi-million-dollar stadium, it was the finish that mattered for the Cougars.
 
After falling behind 14-0 early in the first quarter — including giving up a 97-yard touchdown return on the opening kickoff — Averett (1-0) settled down and put together one of its most balanced performances in recent history while holding off several late comeback attempts by Hampden-Sydney (0-1).
 
Tied 14-14 at halftime, Averett jumped in front 28-14 with a pair of third quarter scores. On the opening drive of the half, sophomore running back Sean Bowman raced 52 yards on the third play from scrimmage, setting up a 12-yard touchdown run by junior Travis Jones on the next play to give the Cougars their first lead of the game.
 
On Hampden-Sydney's ensuing possession, the Averett defense halted the Tigers' drive near midfield after starting quarterback Edgar Moore was injured. He didn't return. The Cougars then pieced together a nine-play, 80-yard drive that culminated with junior quarterback Kelly Hall diving for the left pylon in the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown run with 6:02 to play in the third quarter.
 
The two-touchdown lead wasn't safe, however. Hampden-Sydney struck quickly at the start of the fourth quarter to get within 28-21. Yet, Averett answered immediately as Hall found senior receiver Terrance Owens II wide open in the end zone for a 27-yard touchdown on the Cougars' next drive. The Tigers responded with another scoring drive to get back within seven.
 
Averett's next drive stalled just past midfield, but sophomore Hunter Long's punt was downed at the Tigers' 3-yard line. Three plays later, Averett junior linebacker Caleb Williams picked off Alec Cobb's pass at the Hampden-Sydney 22-yard line and returned it into the red zone with 5:18 to play. Hampden-Sydney's offense never touched the ball again. Averett freshman kicker Cole Westberry nailed a 23-yard field goal to give the Cougars the 38-28 lead with 3:46 to play, and Westberry's squib kick bounced off a Tiger and was recovered by freshman Christian Bratton.
 
Fittingly, the Cougars leaned on Bowman to pick up two first downs to eat up the rest of the clock and send the home crowd into a mass celebration. Bowman finished with a career-high 199 net yards on 31 carries.
 
Bowman's 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter tied the game at 14-14 after junior Myles Bennett's 17-yard touchdown catch from Hall got Averett back into the game once the Cougars fell behind early.
 
Hall completed 20 of 27 passes for 262 yards and two touchdowns. Owens led all receivers with 103 yards on six catches.
 
Averett's defense held Hampden-Sydney to under 100 yards rushing and to only 329 yards of total offense in comparison to the Cougars' 520 yards. Averett also dominated time of possession by nearly 18 minutes.
 
The victory came in the first game played at the recently completed Frank R. Campbell Stadium, which was filled with a crowd wearing all white apparel as part of the team's "White Out" game in which the players wore all white uniforms at home for the first time. The Cougars also won in the debut game of the then-new synthetic turf Daly Field when it was installed in 2014.
 
Averett returns to action next week at Randolph-Macon College at 6 p.m. in Ashland, Virginia.