Hajj-Malik Williams goes to the air for Campbell on Saturday.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)

BUIES CREEK — Freshman Cameron Davis ran for a career-high 137 yards and Campbell defeated Presbyterian 28-14 Saturday in the Big South Conference opener for both teams at Barker-Lane Stadium.

A crowd of 5,673 saw Campbell (4-1, 1-0) win its fourth-straight game, thanks in part to 228 rushing yards and a defense that held the Blue Hose (0-5, 0-1) to just 5-of-14 third down conversions.

Davis averaged 6.2 yards on 22 carries, while Johnathan Hawkins (4.4) and Bryant Barr (4.3) also gained more than four yards per attempt. Hajj-Malik Williams completed 5-of-9 passes for 141 yards and two scores. Barr scored on runs of 6 and 3 yards.

Trevion Armstrong and Davarius Bargnare hauled in touchdown receptions and Caleb Snead added a pair of grabs for 40 yards.

Jarius Jeter led PC with 132 yards and one TD on 23 carries, while Brandon Thompson completed 12-of-27 passes for 114 yards. Keith Pearson had 5 receptions for 56 yards.

Pearson’s 22-yard punt return gave the Blue Hose the ball at the 50-yard line on their first possession. Jeter’s 1-yard rush put PC ahead 7-0 with 8:34 left in the opening quarter.

Malik Grate returned the ensuing kickoff 43 yards and Williams hit Armstrong with a 56-yard scoring toss to knot the score at 7 with 6:14 left in the first quarter.

Barr capped a 7-play, 72-yard drive with a 6-yard run to give the Camels a 14-7 lead with 9:39 to play in the opening half.

Late in the third quarter, Presbyterian had first down and goal at the Campbell 5-yard line, but Darion Slade broke up Thompson’s pass attempt on 4th-and-2.

PC took over on downs at the Campbell 37 on the second play of the fourth quarter, but the Camel defense held the Blue Hose to just two yards on four plays.

Barr’s 3-yard dive pushed the Camel lead to 21-7 with 8:04 to play. Williams ran for 25 yards to give the Camels a 1st-and-goal at the 3.

PC tacked on one more score on Thompson’s 3-yard keeper to trim the margin to 21-14 with 4:45 left. Williams connected with Bargnare on a 39-yard TD toss for the final margin.

Slade led the Camels with 12 total tackles, including 5 unassisted, while Brevin Allen added 8 stops. Colby Campbell led Presbyterian with 14 tackles, including 1.5 sacks.

After an open date next Saturday, Campbell hosts Hampton on Oct. 19 for a 4 p.m. kickoff.

(Campbell media services provided the basis for this report)

Trevion Armstrong goes into the end zone for the Camels.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)

Levi Wiggins (29) makes an interception for CU against Presbyterian.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)

Justice Galloway-Velazquez (2) makes a third-down stop for the Camels.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)

Bryant Barr (4) scores in Campbell’s 28-14 home win on Saturday.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)

The Blue Hose are not going to catch Davarius Bargnare (1).
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)