DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University football held off LaGrange College 27-24 late to start conference play 3-0 with Saturday's big win on Daly Field at Frank R. Campbell Stadium.
 
With Averett (3-2, 3-0 USA South) ahead by three in the final seconds, LaGrange's 38-yard field goal attempt as time expired sailed left — sealing the game for the Cougars while sending a roar through the home crowd after Averett rallied from a 17-0 deficit early on to beat the rival Panthers.
 
Sophomore Cole Westberry's 22-yard field goal with 10:06 to play in the fourth quarter proved to be the difference for Averett, which is off to its best start in conference play since 2006, the same year the Cougars won a share of the USA South Conference championship.
 
Averett battled back from a rough start after spotting LaGrange (2-3, 1-1 USA South) a 17-0 lead in the first nine-plus minutes of the game. However, the Cougars clawed their way back. Senior quarterback Christian Miles ran the read option on third down to perfection and went untouched 35 yards for a touchdown to trim LaGrange's lead to 17-7 with 2:38 left in the first quarter.
 
On the Panthers' first drive of the second quarter, Averett sophomore Hunter Hinson knocked the ball loose from LaGrange quarterback Connor Blair's hands and junior Dejon Brooks scooped it up and scored from 5 yards out to help pull the Cougars within 17-14.

Averett tied the game, 17-17, entering halftime as Westberry booted a 37-yard field goal as time expired.

The Cougars took their first lead of the game midway through the third quarter on junior Sean Bowman's 16-yard touchdown run to cap a 24-0 run by Averett following the 17-0 hole the Cougars dug in the first quarter.

LaGrange managed to tie the game, 24-24, early in the fourth quarter when Blair hit Djeimon Owens for a 64-yard touchdown pass. Yet, Averett answered with a nine-play, 59-yard drive that ended in Westberry's second field goal of the evening — which turned out to be the difference.

Averett had a chance to seal the game with just over a minute to play, but LaGrange came up with a stop on fourth down to get the ball back on its own 25-yard line with 1:17 to play. Blair worked the LaGrange offense down the field into Averett territory, and with the help of a pass interference call, got the Panthers down the Cougars' 21-yard line to set up the game-tying field goal attempt with 3.8 seconds remaining.

The win gave Averett its second consecutive win over LaGrange after outlasting the Panthers 45-42 in four overtimes last season.

Bowman had another strong performance, rushing 35 times for 178 yards and a score. Freshman Denarius Hilton also had 10 carries for 53 yards. Miles, meanwhile, had one of his best games as a Cougar. The senior transfer completed eight passes for 143 yards.

Averett got another strong effort from its defense as Brooks and senior Kenneth Covington each totaled 10 tackles. Senior Tyriek Able added seven tackles, an interception and one pass break-up. Senior Kevin Norcott also had a key interception early on the Cougars' 2-yard line with LaGrange driving.

The win sets up a showdown between the USA South's only undefeated teams in conference play when Averett travels to Huntingdon (4-1, 2-0 USA South) next Saturday.