DURHAM, N.C. — Shaw University football mounted a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback to defeat Winston-Salem State 20–13 on Saturday afternoon at Durham County Memorial Stadium.

Trailing 13–7 entering the final period, the Bears outscored the Rams 13–0 over the last nine minutes to secure their second conference win of the season.

Freshman quarterback Alexander Marsh orchestrated back-to-back scoring drives to complete the rally. He connected with Tyrek Hardison for a 28-yard touchdown to tie the game at 13–13 midway through the fourth quarter, then capped a 10-play, 79-yard drive with a six-yard strike to Trey Thorpe with seven seconds remaining to give Shaw its first lead of the game.

Marsh finished 12 of 22 passing for 145 yards and two touchdowns while also adding 53 rushing yards and a nine-yard scoring run in the second quarter that cut the Rams' early advantage to 13–7.

Shaw's defense held firm in the second half, forcing two interceptions — including one by Latrell McFadden in the red zone — and limiting Winston-Salem State to just 51 passing yards and 173 rushing yards on the day. Brian Collins also recorded an interception, while Jaden Perkins and Amarion Mbaye combined for 1.5 sacks.

Offensively, the Bears controlled possession for over 43 minutes, grinding out 186 rushing yards on 56 carries. Fabian Diggs led the ground game with 70 yards, while Hardison caught five passes for 76 yards and a score.

The win marked Shaw's first victory over Winston-Salem State since 2022 and capped the program's annual Breast Cancer Awareness Game inside Memorial Stadium.

Up next, Shaw returns home for its Homecoming Game on Saturday, October 18, against Johnson C. Smith. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. inside Durham County Memorial Stadium.