Gardner-Webb 34, Brevard College 17

Published Sep. 3, 2011 11:50 p.m. ET

foxsports

Kenny Little ran for three touchdowns to help Gardner-Webb defeat Brevard 34-17 on Saturday night in the season opener for both teams.

The Bulldogs trailed NCAA Division II Brevard 7-3 after the first quarter, but Little's 15-yard touchdown run with 11:54 remaining in the first half gave the Bulldogs the lead for good at 10-7. Little finished with 117 yards rushing while teammate Juanne Blount ran for 102 yards.

Ron Dickerson's debut as a head coach was the 11th straight win for the Bulldogs over a lower division team.

But it didn't come easily. Brevard rolled up 245 yards rushing and got two touchdowns from Derek Church. Aaron Reese led the Tornados with 111 yards rushing.

Church's 10-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter cut the Bulldogs' lead to 27-17, but Little put the game out of reach with a 3-yard scoring run with 6:24 to play.