Chanticleers hold off Texas State as Pinckney sets NCAA record
CONWAY, S.C. – Coastal Carolina scored 24 consecutive points to open up a 31-10 lead on Saturday night and withstood a late Texas State rally to beat the Bobcats 31-23 for its fifth consecutive victory in front of 15,823 fans at Brooks Stadium.
After Texas State scored on its opening possession, wide receiver Sam Pinckney made history on Coastal’s first offensive snap as he recorded a reception in his 55th consecutive game, setting a new NCAA record. CCU found the end zone on its second drive when Kendall Karr hauled in a four-yard touchdown pass from Ethan Vasko to tie the game at 7-7 with 4:39 left in the first quarter.
The Bobcats reclaimed the lead with a field goal in the closing seconds of the first quarter, but the Chants began a 24-0 run when Pinckney snagged a 25-yard touchdown toss from Vasko with 8:18 to go in the half. The Chanticleers extended the lead to 21-10 on a six-yard Braydon Bennett run at the 1:57 mark.
CCU opened the second half with its longest drive of the season, marching 94 yards in 7:32 as Reese White capped the possession with a two-yard run with 7:16 remaining in the third quarter. Kade Hensley pushed the Chants’ lead to 31-10 with a 25-yard field goal with 9:16 to play in the fourth quarter.
Texas State rallied with a touchdown with 3:37 to play, then recovered an onside kick and scored its second touchdown of the quarter with 44 seconds to go. Pinckney recovered the Bobcats’ second onside kick attempt to give the Chanticleers possession. The Bobcats’ turned Coastal over on downs to get one final drive, but Matthew McDoom’s tackle in-bounds on the game’s final snap clinched the victory for the Chanticleers.
Making his second consecutive start, Vasko went 17-of-27 for 145 yards and two touchdowns through the air. White led the ground game with 41 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. CCU finished the night with 188 yards rushing on 44 attempts.
Pinckney finished with a game-high 81 yards receiving on six catches, while Jared Brown added six catches for 53 yards.
Clayton Isbell paced the Chants’ defense with 11 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss. Will Whitson finished with eight tackles and 2.0 sacks. Facing the top-ranked offense in the Sun Belt Conference, the Chanticleers held Texas State to seven total yards of offense combined in the second and third quarters.
Coastal steps out of conference play next Saturday as the Chants travel to West Point to face Army at 12:00 p.m. on the CBS Sports Network.
