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# Wingate 36, Delta State 13: turnovers turned a tight game into separation
- URL: https://www.mayberrysports.com/wingate-36-delta-state-13-turnovers-turned-a-tight-game-into-separation/
- Published: 2026-09-17T22:09:15.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-17T22:09:15.000Z
- Description: Wingate’s 36–13 road win: the late touchdown drives, takeaways and rushing production that separated a one-score game.
- Author: Rick Mayberry
- Tags: Football, #report, Wingate

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FOOTBALL · SEPTEMBER 5, 2026 · RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS

## Executive brief

Wingate led only 10–7 entering the fourth quarter in Cleveland, Mississippi. Its 26-point finish produced a 36–13 road victory. The final margin masks how long Delta State remained within one score. [\[1\]](#source-1)

Mayberry’s assessment: the Bulldogs combined the ability to travel the field with the ability to cash in a sudden opportunity. That distinction matters. A turnover can offer possession; the offense still has to convert it into points. Wingate did both when the game was ready to turn.

## Official data — game profile

| Metric            | Wingate        | Delta State   |
| ----------------- | -------------- | ------------- |
| Final score       | 36             | 13            |
| Quarter scoring   | 7 / 3 / 0 / 26 | 0 / 7 / 0 / 6 |
| Total yards       | 413            | 197           |
| Offensive plays   | 63             | 47            |
| Yards per play    | 6.6            | 4.2           |
| Net rushing yards | 251            | 57            |
| Passing yards     | 162            | 140           |
| Third downs       | 6/13           | 5/10          |
| Fourth downs      | 2/2            | 0/0           |
| Turnovers lost    | 0              | 3             |
| Possession        | 35:38          | 24:22         |

Full-game official totals. [\[1\]](#source-1)

## Decisive possessions

Xavier Jackson finished a 90-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown run. Geviaunta Walker then recovered a fumble at the Delta State 13; Jayshawn Appling scored on the next snap. Wingate’s lead became 23–7\. Two interceptions subsequently preceded touchdown runs by Jason Willis and Justin Little. [\[2\]](#source-2)

The decisive change was the succession of successful possessions. Delta State needed an answer after conceding the first touchdown; the fumble instead gave Wingate an immediate chance to extend the deficit. Subsequent turnovers further reduced the opportunities for a comeback. Calling this merely a late offensive surge would miss the defense’s role in creating it.

## Player impact

Ethan Wallace supplied 80 rushing yards, Willis 79 and Little 52\. Brooks Brien completed 12 of 20 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown without an interception. Jackson scored as both receiver and runner. Tyson Brown contributed seven tackles, including two for loss; Chris Harris recorded a sack. [\[2\]](#source-2)

For Delta State, Emile Picarella III threw two touchdown passes and two interceptions; Lawrence Armstrong led its receivers with 47 yards. [\[1\]](#source-1) The scoring passes demonstrate that the passing game produced answers, even though turnovers also interrupted it.

That distribution is useful when assessing the offense: its production was spread among several players. It does not, by itself, prove that the same combinations will work against a different front or coverage. Those conclusions require film and a larger sample.

## Mayberry’s take

The strongest feature was the combination of offensive efficiency and possession security. The caution is that a comfortable final score can obscure the earlier difficulty creating distance. A useful next review would separate ordinary possessions from possessions following takeaways, then examine which methods consistently created manageable downs.

Delta State’s review should start with protecting possessions while identifying ways to avoid becoming dependent on a passing response. A box score cannot identify every missed assignment or explain why a turnover occurred; assigning those causes without film would overstate the evidence.

## Conference context and outlook

The nonconference win left Wingate 1–1 overall and 0–0 in SAC play; Delta State fell to 0–2\. Wingate’s next scheduled game was its conference opener at Carson-Newman. [\[2\]](#source-2) This provided a better foundation for that test, but no conference standings advantage and no basis for assigning championship odds.

## Source note

The recap and play-by-play disagree on the identity of the final interceptor; that individual credit is omitted. They also differ on some scoring timestamps, so exact scoring times are omitted. The agreed result and team totals support the analysis. This is a retrospective report.

## Sources

[\[1\] Wingate Athletics: official statistics and play-by-play](https://wingatebulldogs.com/sports/football/stats/2026/delta-state/boxscore/11942?ref=mayberrysports.com)

[\[2\] Wingate Athletics: game recap](https://wingatebulldogs.com/news/2026/9/5/football-bulldogs-ride-huge-fourth-quarter-to-36-13-victory-at-delta-state.aspx?ref=mayberrysports.com)