CARROLLTON, Ga. - Behind a 500-yard night on offense and a stout defensive effort, the West Georgia Wolves won their first game of the 2026 season, knocking off Fort Valley State, 49-7, at University Stadium in the final non-conference game of the campaign.
West Georgia (1-4) had 543 yards of offense and held Fort Valley State (1-3) to 174 yards and only 11 first downs. The Wildcats' lone touchdown came on a short field after a blocked punt.
Offensively, UWG threw for 408 yards, led by a career-high 384 from Colton Fitzgerald. The senior signal caller was 25-for-37 with a career-high four touchdowns as well.
Fourteen different Wolves recorded a reception, led by an 80 yard night from DK Daniel while Jaden Henry and Colby Dixon each finished with 72 yards. On the ground, UWG had 129 yards, led by 37 yards from freshman Christian Monfort.
The defense was lights out, allowing the Wildcats just 2.9 yards per play. The trio of Jamie Speight, Caleb Reid, and Jay Culbreth led the Wolves with five tackles each.
The Wolves got the ball to open the game and drove 89 yards in nine plays, getting on the board with a two-yard plunge by Justin Montgomery.
Defensively, UWG held FVSU to negative yardage on their first two drives combined and on West Georgia's third drive, they took nine plays to march 75 yards, capping it off with a 35-yard strike from Fitzgerald to Jaden Henry to make it 14-0.
With 8:59 left in the second, UWG added a third touchdown as Fitzgerald hit Montgomery out of the backfield for a 24-yard touchdown, making it 21-0.
Christian Monfort got in on the scoring at the 1:02 mark of the second quarter, putting the Wolves up 28-0 on a one-yard touchdown rush.
After the Wolves forced a punt on the Wildcats' opening drive, the offense took the ball 82 yards in seven plays, scoring on another passing touchdown, this one from Fitzgerald to Zander Erasmus from six yards out.
Fitzgerald's fourth touchdown of the game came with 2:30 left in the third and was a 17-yard completion to DK Daniel, making it a 42-0 UWG lead.
Late in the game, after FVSU blocked a punt, the Wildcats got on the board, having to just drive 30 yards to spoil UWG's shutout bid.
One play after a UWG interception, Chancellor Bryant picked off Isaiah Nathaniel and took it back 40 yards to stretch the advantage to the final margin.
Other notable defensive standouts were Elijah Barnes, Jamie Speight, and Lucas Naquin who each recorded a sack.
West Georgia has a bye week next Saturday before opening United Athletic Conference play at Eastern Kentucky on October 10.
NOTABLE NUMBERS
- Justin Montgomery's touchdown to open the scoring was his first career rushing touchdown at UWG. Jaden Henry also scored his first career touchdown at UWG in the first quarter, going for the majority of the 35 yards to the endzone after the catch.
- In the second half, Erasmus also got in with his first career touchdown. Daniel's touchdown was his first career receiving touchdown as the Rome native's first career touchdown at UWG was a passing touchdown in 2025.
- Chance Bryant's pick six was the first UWG pick six since Solomanie Bambara returned an interception for a TD in the 2024 season finale at Utah Tech.
- Fitzgerald recorded the first four-touchdown game since Quincy Casey had four against Central Arkansas in 2024.
- UWG put up over 500 yards of offense for the first time since the 2024 Lincoln game.
