In some ways that also describes the Yellow Jackets' performance on the way to a 45-25 win over visiting West Virginia Wesleyan that earned WVSU a 6-5 record for the second straight season.
The WVSU players had a clear mission and were very cold in their execution of what needed to be done to complete that mission.
"They passed their final exam," Head Coach John Pennington said. "We've had a lot of trouble controlling our emotions the last two years and we had to block out all of the distractions and execute today."
The Bobcats took a 6-0 lead on a 42-yard pass at the 11:11 mark of the first half but the Yellow Jackets responded with a four-play, 67-yard drive to go ahead 7-6 on their next possession. Dant'e Jones capped the drive with a 30-yard scamper.
WVSU closed out the first quarter with a 65-yard pass from Faustino Saucedo to Dakotah Booth to move the lead to 14-6.Wesleyan refused to fold though as they scored on a short pass to make the score 14-12.
All four of the Bobcats' touchdowns on the day would come on passes as the WVSU defense limited the visitors to just 80 yards on the ground. Meanwhile the Jackets ran for 337. The teams finished almost dead even in passing yards with WVSU coming out slightly ahead at 287 to 276.
The Yellow Jackets finished with a season high 624 yard of total offense.
After the teams traded scores the Yellow Jackets took a 24-18 lead in halftime.
WVSU took the second half kickoff and went 72 yards in 10 plays to move the lead to 31-18 but Wesleyan again answered.
This time the Bobcats went 80 yards in just four plays to pull to within one score again at 31-25 with 8:49 to go in the third.
The Wesleyan defense then stopped the Yellow Jackets a yard short on fourth down.
That would be the final highlight for the visitors though.
Senior linebacker Moises Valcarcel forced a fumble after the Bobcats completed a pass to their 43. Dustin Crouser picked up the loose ball and zig-zagged his way to the Wesleyan one.
Dylan Lucas ran it in on the next play and WVSU had a two score advantage. The Yellow Jackets added an insurance score midway through the fourth quarter when Saucedo hit A.J. Barrette on a 69 yard scoring strike.
Saucedo finished his final game in a West Virginia State uniform with 287 yards and two touchdowns on 18-of-30 passing.
Freshman Carl Garmon ran for 202 yards on 22 carries making him the first WVSU back to go over 200 in a game since 2006.
Jones added 102 on 10 carries. Barrette had 127 receiving yards on six catches with Tyrell Henderson adding 59 on seven receptions.
WEST VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
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