Staff report

FAYETTEVILLE — Livingstone’s football team earned additional respect, but didn’t get the win in its latest adventure.

After knocking off Bowie State and Winston-Salem State, the Blue Bears came close to beating defending CIAA champ Fayetteville State on the road on Saturday, but the Broncos rallied for a 19-14 victory. Fayetteville State has a knack for winning the tight ones and has done that all season long.

The Broncos beat Livingstone for the seventh time in a row and has won 21 of the last 23 meetings. Livingstone hasn’t won in Fayetteville since 1998.

The Blue Bears (2-5, 2-3) tried hard to make history in front of 1,835 fans at Jeralds Stadium. Livingstone led 14-2 in the third quarter, but the Broncos scored the last 17 points.

William Guton had a 37-yard scoring run to give the Blue Bears a 7-0 lead.

The Broncos got on the board with a special-teams safety, but the Blue Bears took a 7-2 lead to halftime.

Livingstone went up 14-2 on a short scoring pass from Marcus Drish to Davontay Deloatch with 5:47 left in the third quarter.

QB Demari Daniels made the plays that brought Fayetteville State (5-2, 5-0) back. He threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to cut Livingstone’s lead to 14-9 with 4:35 left in the third quarter.

The Broncos chopped their deficit to 14-12 with a 45-yard field goal.

Daniels broke a 41-yard scoring run with 4:09 left in the game to put Fayetteville State ahead for the first time.

Ben Caldwell (North Rowan) started at right guard for the Broncos.

Drish threw for 155 yards for Livingstone, with Matthew Henry accounting for 82 receiving yards.

JyMikaah Wells (Salisbury) had eight carries for 32 yards for the Blue Bears. His longest gain was 10 yards.

Tyhem Conley intercepted a pass for LC. Terrance McPherson had eight tackles, while Jaden Echols had seven.

Livingstone is home against Shaw this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Fayetteville State will host J.C. Smith.