William and Mary Rallies Again to Stay Perfect at Home
By: Jackson Shuman
In front of a lively Homecoming crowd at Zable Stadium, the William and Mary Tribe delivered yet another second-half comeback to defeat Elon 26-21, extending their perfect 4-0 home record.
Despite trailing 14-3 late in the second quarter, the Tribe seized momentum with 23 unanswered points, sparked by two highlight-reel touchdown passes from Tyler Hughes to Deven Thompson. William & Mary’s ability to capitalize on key Elon mistakes and make timely defensive plays underscores why they remain firmly in the hunt for a CAA championship.
Below are the key takeaways from Saturday’s win.
Key Takeaways
Another Comeback
So far this season, the Tribe is 4-0 at home. In three of those wins, they’ve overcome halftime deficits to come back and win. Saturday was another example of the resilience this team has shown all year.
Down 14-10 at halftime, the Tribe came out of the locker room and immediately marched 82 yards on a 10-play drive, capped by a 39-yard touchdown reception by Deven Thompson in the corner of the end zone. Time and again, William & Mary and Coach Mike London have proven that no matter the deficit, they are never out of a game.
With three road games remaining, it will be important for the Tribe to carry that same resilience away from Zable Stadium.
Capitalizing on Elon’s Mistakes
A key turning point came when a misfired Elon snap went through the back of the end zone with 2:46 left in the third quarter, giving the Tribe a 19–14 lead on a safety.
The offense took advantage of great field position at the 46-yard line on the ensuing drive, scoring a touchdown in just two plays. That score put William & Mary ahead by 12 late in the fourth quarter — ultimately the difference in the Tribe’s five-point win.
Had Elon not committed that costly error deep in their own territory, the outcome could have looked very different. But credit to Tyler Hughes and the Tribe offense for capitalizing on the Phoenix’s mistake and putting the team in a great position to win heading into the fourth quarter.
Once Again, Disciplined
Through seven games, William & Mary ranks third nationally in fewest penalty yards per game. On Saturday, the Tribe committed just four penalties for 30 yards, compared to Elon’s 10 penalties for 82 yards.
With so many close games this season, consistently avoiding costly penalties continues to pay major dividends — and will remain critical as the season progresses.
Defense Comes Up with a Clutch Stop
Down 26-21 with 4:56 left in the fourth quarter, Elon got the ball back needing a touchdown to take the lead. After picking up a first down, the Phoenix faced a 4th-and-7 on their second series of the drive.
On the play, defensive lineman Clayton Dobler wrapped up quarterback Landen Clark for the game-sealing sack.
When asked postgame about the play, Dobler said,
“A big emphasis was to keep the quarterback contained. Toward the end, I was really trying to compress the pocket, and on the fourth-down stop, I was able to get off my block and make the play.”
Clayton Dobler sacked Landen Clark on a pivotal fourth down. [Photo by Jim Agnew]
What’s Going On at Quarterback?
For the second straight week, sophomore quarterback Noah Brannock led a few drives while Tyler Hughes watched from the sideline.
Brannock’s first drive came early in the second quarter and ended in a Tribe field goal after the offense was stopped three times at the one-yard line. A false start on fourth down forced William & Mary to settle for the kick. His next and final drive ended in a three-and-out before Hughes returned to finish the game.
It will be interesting to monitor the quarterback rotation going forward to see if Brannock continues to lead select drives.
Moving Forward
Now 4-3 overall and 3-1 in the CAA, the Tribe sits in fourth place in the conference — right in the middle of the title conversation.
They can’t afford to take any game for granted down the stretch, but their remaining CAA schedule — New Hampshire (4-4), Albany (1-6), Campbell (2-6), and Hampton (2-6) — is entirely winnable.
If the Tribe continue to limit mistakes and make timely defensive stops, they’ll keep themselves in every game. And as they’ve proven all season, even when trailing, they’re never out of it.
Player of the Game: Deven Thompson
Thompson recorded three catches for 81 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday’s contest. Both scores came on contested “50/50” balls that Thompson confidently calls “80/20.”
His ability to stretch the field and win one-on-one matchups has been a game-changer for the Tribe’s offense — and once again, he proved to be a nightmare for opposing defenses.
Deven Thompson had two touchdowns vs. Elon. [Photo by Jim Agnew]
Up Next
Next week, William & Mary heads to Durham, New Hampshire, to take on the New Hampshire Wildcats (4-4).
The William & Mary Sports Blog 