Special teams played the most pivotal part of the night as the Lincoln University football team fell to Fayetteville State Saturday, 19-7, in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and home opener inside the LU Athletics Stadium.

It marked the first game in the on-campus stadium since the 2019 season.

The Broncos were 4-for-4 on field goals, while the Lions missed both of their field goal attempts. The lone FSU touchdown was set-up on a punt miscue as a Lincoln defender was pushed into a live ball during a punt return, setting the Broncos up on the 23-yard line.

Lincoln's defense held the South Division favorites to less than 100 yards in the first half as the Broncos took a 10-7 lead into half.

Sophomore running back Amir Gerald (Washington, D.C./Woodrow Wilson) keyed Lincoln's lone scoring drive with a 57-yard run. The next play, freshman Isaiah Freeman (Chester, PA/STEM Academy) connected with junior Dah'mear Triplett (Elkton, Md./Elkton) for the 13-yard scoring drive. It capped an efficient three-play, 90-yard drive.

Coming out of the break, FSU went on its lone extended drive of the game, but was kept out of the end zone.

Gerald finished with 126 yards on 14 carries, while Freeman added 64 yards on 11 carries. The freshman quarterback was 10-for-26 for 109 yards and one touchdown.

Sophomore Drew Stephens (Newark, N.J./Abraham Clark) hauled in three passes for 57 yards, while Triplett added three catches for 33 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, Kai Gray (Neward, N.J./Saint Peters Prep) finished with 12 tackles, one for loss, and a pass break-up, and senior Eric Best (Burlington, N.J./Burlington) recorded nine tackles, an interception and pass break-up. Senior Kentrell Pierce (Calumet City, Ill./Harold Richards) and junior Derrick McCoy (Bridgeton, N.J./Bridgeton) added nine tackles each. McCoy finished with 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

Lincoln travels to Johnson C. Smith noon Saturday.