NEWBERRY, S.C. — No. 6
Kentucky State's historic season and first NCAA Division II playoff berth came to an end Saturday with a 45-24 loss to No. 3 Newberry in the first round of the championship.
Kentucky State controlled the ground game, outgaining the Wolves 154–126 and averaging 5.7 yards per carry.
Chad Elzy Jr. led all rushers with 96 yards and added two touchdowns to pace the Thorobreds. His teammate
Jaylen Middleton averaged 7 yards per carry and rushed for a total of 43 yards.
Kentucky State's defense carried its intensity into the playoffs, forcing two turnovers, including an interception by
Jordan Thompson and a forced fumble by Michael Daniels. The Thorobreds added a 17-yard sack and recorded two tackles for loss totaling 19 yards, leading the contest in both categories.
On defense,
Lawrence McConnell shined on the national stage, pacing all defenders with a game-high 11 tackles.
Matt Bolanos showed why he is among the top punters in Division II, averaging 48.2 yards per punt, highlighted by a 56-yarder.
Leland Gantz added to the strong special teams performance with a 17-yard field goal and a perfect 3-for-3 effort on PATs.
2025 SIAC Coach of the Year
Felton Huggins Jr. guided the Thorobreds to a 7–1 record in SIAC play and a 9–3 overall finish — Kentucky State's best season since 1935.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
13:59 –
NC – Rico Dorsey Jr. hauled in a 35-yard touchdown pass from Reed Charpia. 2 plays, 75 yards, 1:01.
Newberry 8, Kentucky State 0
10:44 –
KSU – Leland Gantz put the Thorobreds on the board with a 17-yard field goal. 9 plays, 68 yards, 3:15.
Newberry 8, Kentucky State 3
5:30 –
NBY – Jonah Norris punched in a 1-yard touchdown run. 11 plays, 65 yards, 5:14.
Newberry 15, Kentucky State 3
2:08 –
KSU – Jaun Gainous found his way into the end zone from one yard out. 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:22.
Newberry 15, Kentucky State 10
Second Quarter
11:28 –
NC – Norris scored again on a 1-yard run, his second touchdown of the afternoon. 10 plays, 79 yards, 5:35.
Newberry 21, Kentucky State 10
3:36 –
NC – Burke Nettles connected on a 33-yard field goal. 8 plays, 37 yards, 4:34.
Newberry 24, Kentucky State 10
0:42 –
NC – DeAndre Coleman caught a 24-yard touchdown from Charpia. 3 plays, 26 yards, 0:20.
Newberry 31, Kentucky State 10
Third Quarter
4:32 –
KSU – Chad Elzy broke loose for a 9-yard touchdown, pulling the Thorobreds within two scores. 12 plays, 60 yards, 6:28.
Newberry 31, Kentucky State 17
1:00 –
KSU – Elzy scored again—this time from 30 yards out—to trim the deficit to one score. 4 plays, 39 yards, 1:54.
Newberry 31, Kentucky State 24
Fourth Quarter
11:47 –
NC – Norris added a receiving touchdown, hauling in a 4-yard pass from Charpia for his third score of the game. 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:13.
Newberry 38, Kentucky State 24
2:08 –
NC – Kenmane Brunson tacked on a rushing touchdown from 5 yards out to seal the win. 4 plays, 16 yards, 1:47.
Newberry 45, Kentucky State 24
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ksuthorobreds.com.
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ABOUT THE SOUTHERN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (SIAC)
The SIAC is a NCAA athletic conference consisting primarily of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with headquarters in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The SIAC includes 15 member institutions (Albany State University, Allen University, Benedict College, Central State University, Clark Atlanta University, Edward Waters University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Lane College, LeMoyne-Owen College, Miles College, Morehouse College, Savannah State University, Spring Hill College, and Tuskegee University), which are located within a contiguous seven-state footprint (Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio). The SIAC sponsors nine men's and seven women's sports and is a proud member of the NCAA Division II. For more information, visit
www.thesiac.com.