Dover (Nov. 8, 2008) --- Winston-Salem State scored the game-winning touchdown with less than five minutes to play, then stopped Delaware State on fourth down and a foot on the Hornets' final possession in a 27-26 victory at Alumni Stadium Saturday afternoon.

The Rams won their second in a row to improve to 3-6 on the season, while the Hornets fell to 3-6 after dropping their third straight.

Winston-Salem State trailed 26-14 before outscoring DSU 13-0 over the last 21 minutes of the game.

The Rams trailed 26-21 before quarterback Jarrett Dunston capped off a 12-play, 56-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown plunge on fourth-down to give WSSU a 27-26 lead with 4:19 left to play. A two-point pass following the touchdown was unsuccessful.

On the ensuing possession, Delaware State drove 52 yards to the Rams' 20-yard line. The drive was aided by a pass interference call on Winston-Salem State with the Hornets facing a third-down-and-22 on their 16-yard line. Kareem Jones also had a 29-yard run during the drive.

Delaware State faced a fourth-down and less-than-a-yard at the Winston-Salem 20 with 38 seconds left, but Vashon Winton was stopped short on a quarterback keeper up the middle, setting off a celebration on the Rams' sideline.

"This was a tale of two halves," said Delaware State Head Coach Al Lavan. "We played well in the first half, but I give Winston-Salem credit for making the big plays down the stretch. The game came down to one yard, but we came up short."

"We were hoping to draw Winston offsides on the fourth-down play, but I thought we could pick up the yardage on a keeper," said Winton, who completed 13-of-21 passes for 145 yards and a season-high three touchdowns. "It just didn't work out the way we were hoping."

Delaware State opened the scoring on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Winston to Kareem Jones on the game's first possession. The big play in the drive was a 45-yard pass from Winton to Larrone Moore to the Winston-Salem 19. Jones also rushed for 21 yards during the drive, part of his career-best 230 yards in the game, the fifth-highest total in team history.

"It was nice to have a big game, but it's tough when it comes in a losing effort," said Jones, who surpassed 1,000 yards at DSU during the contest. "I give credit to the offensive line, which made it all happen for me."

Winston-Salem scored 14 unanswered points, including touchdown runs by Willie Wilson (four yards) and Dunston (eight yards) to open up a 14-7 lead in the first quarter.

A 27-yard field goal by Riley Flickinger and a safety on a bad punt snap by the Rams pulled Delaware State to within 14-12 with 9:49 left in the second quarter.

The Hornets regained the lead when Winton connected with Eric Jones on a nine-yard touchdown pass with 6:33 left in the second quarter. The extra point by Flickinger gave DSU a 19-14 lead.

Delaware State stretched its lead to 26-14 when Winton and Moore teamed up on a 14-yard scoring pass with 32 second left in the first half.

Winston-Salem State pulled to within 26-21 on a nine-yard touchdown run by Nicholas Copper with 6:10 left in the third quarter.

Delaware State wrapped up its 2008 home schedule with a 2-4 record. The Hornets return to action next Saturday (Nov. 15) at Norfolk State.

Winston-Salem State will visit North Carolina Central next weekend.