WHEELING, W.Va. -- The Fairmont State University football team looked to snap a two-game skid as it traveled to Wheeling University. In a game that featured four kickoff returns for a touchdown, the Falcons rallied to beat the Cardinals, 52-49.

Fairmont State (2-2, 1-1) received the opening kickoff as freshman quarterback Nino Marzullo came out for his first collegiate start. Marzullo quickly got into rhythm as the Falcons quickly moved down field. At the Wheeling 49, Marzullo connected with Jolann Alston, who then ran over a defender en route to the 49-yard score. With 12:32 on the clock, the visitors led 7-0.

Unfortunately, the lead was short-lived as Wheeling's Tre Holloway returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards to tie it the score at seven. The Fairmont State offense trotted onto the field just 18 seconds after scoring on its first drive. After runs by Dereik Crosby II and Marzullo, the quarter back found Gage Michael for a 22-yard pickup. Two plays later, the Marzullo-Michael connection picked up 31 yards as the ball was placed on the Cardinals' one-yard line. Following two quarterback runs for no gain, Marzullo was able to fight his way into the endzone to give the Falcons a 14-7 lead.

Both teams were not able to get anything going on their next drives as Wheeling (2-2, 1-1) took over at its own 20 with 5:31 to go in the first. The Cardinals balanced the run and pass as they moved down the field. With a 1st-and-10 from the Fairmont State 21, the Cardinals' evened the game with a touchdown pass down the middle of the field. 

On the Falcons' next drive, Crosby II picked up 19 yards on two runs before Marzullo found Kobe Harris for a 15-yard reception to move into Wheeling territory. As the drive stretched into the beginning of the second quarter, Fairmont State was stopped on third and short as Emmanuel Richardson trotted on the field to attempt a 52-yard field goal. Richardson's kick had the distance but just faded to the right of the goal post as the score remained tied at 14.

The Cardinals began with three-straight runs as they moved to Fairmont State's side of the field. After gains of 12 and 14 yards, Wheeling scored on a 12-yard reception to take a 21-14 lead. On the following kickoff, Harris caught the ball at the eight-yard line and raced through a crowd of players as he broke free and scored on the 92-yard return to tie the game once more (21-21). The craziness continued as Wheeling's Holloway received the next kickoff and took it to the house, his second of the game, to give the lead right back to the home side, 28-21, with 9:56 to go in the half.

Fairmont State's offense took the field at its own 16 for its next drive. Marzullo picked up where he left off completing passes of nine, 17 and 10 yards to move the ball to the Wheeling 33. The Falcons' quarterback then completed passes to Winston Page and Michael to set up 1st-and-Goal from the five. On the next play, Marzullo kept the ball on the option play and ran his way into the endzone to tie the game at 28 with 5:13 on the clock. Just like before, Wheeling received the kickoff and returned it for another special teams touchdown to lead 35-28.

The run game started things off for the Falcons as Elijah Tidwell picked up 19 yards on two runs. Harris then caught a 21-yard pass from Marzullo to keep the offense moving. After a couple of short plays, Crosby II raced 31 yards for a touchdown but it was called back on a holding penalty. Tidwell then picked up 10 yards on the ground before catching a pass for five yards and the first down. From the Wheeling 19, Marzullo stepped back and threw a pass towards the endzone intended for Michael but was interfered with as it moved the ball to the four-yard line. Marzullo then called his own number as he pushed his way for the equalizing touchdown. At the half, the two teams were tied at 35.

Wheeling received the opening kickoff and started from its own 40. On the first play, the Cardinals ran for a 60-yard touchdown to reclaim the lead just 14 seconds into the second half. Fairmont State's first drive of the half started at its own 25. The passing of Marzullo and rushing attack from Tidwell quickly moved the ball to the Wheeling 21. On 2nd-and-10, Jermaine Bradford caught a shovel pass in the backfield and raced for the 21-yard score to even the game at 42 with 11:25 left in the third.

The Cardinals wasted little time on its next drive as it covered 56 yards in four plays to jump ahead by seven (49-42) with 10:06 on the clock. Neither team really got anything going as Fairmont State had possession going into the fourth quarter. Tidwell picked up a couple of yards before Marzullo scrambled out of the pocket and picked up 28 yards to set up 1st-and-Goal from the 10. After a Tidwell rush of seven, Marzullo was pressured as his pass was picked off and returned 53 yards as Harris tracked down the runner to prevent a touchdown.

Wheeling gained a couple of yards to set up a 3rd-and-1 but the Falcons defense stood tall and forced a turnover on downs. Starting at its own 38, Fairmont State's Crosby II gained eight yards on a couple of carries before Marzullo found him in open space for a 25-yard gain. The offense was stifled there as Richardson came out to attempt a 41-yard field goal. The redshirt sophomore's kick was true as it made it a four-point game (49-45) with 8:23 left in regulation.

The home side was able to quickly move the ball deep into Falcon's territory as it had 2nd-and-3 from the FSU 8. However, the defense stopped the Cardinals and once again turned them over on downs. The Falcons were unable to get anything going on offense as it punted the ball back to Wheeling. After a couple of plays, a defensive pass interference moved the ball to the Fairmont State 22. Following a first down stop, Izuchukwu Igwe pushed his way through the offensive line and brought down the running back for a loss of 11. A short gain on third down, the Cardinals attempted a 48-yard field goal but it was no good as the Falcons took over at their own 31 with 1:49 to go.

A sack followed by an incompletion, Marzullo found Harris on the near sideline for a 17-yard pick up to prolong the drive. On the very next play, Marzullo completed a 53-yard pass to Page to give the Falcons its first lead since the 9:32 mark in the first as they led 52-49 with 68 seconds on the clock.

After a 48-yard return on the kickoff, Wheeling quickly picked up 35 yards on two passes to move to the Fairmont State 17. On first down, the Cardinals' quarterback was looking towards the endzone for the lead but Karron Watties was able to come across the middle of the field and intercepted the pass to seal the three-point road win.

Marzullo finished the game going 28-44 for 435 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 48 yards for an additional three scores. Michael finished with eight catches for 101 yards as Page caught five passes for 96 yards and the game-winning touchdown. As a team, the Falcons gained 633 yards and was 9-15 on third down.

Fairmont State welcomes West Virginia State University on Saturday, October 5 as it is Homecoming Weekend. Kickoff is slated for 2:00 p.m.