Lamb throws 2 TDs, Harrison adds pick-6 as Western Illinois beats Charleston Southern 31-20

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Aidan Harrison scored on a 38-yard pick-6 and Nathan Lamb threw a pair of touchdown passes as Western Illinois won its Big South-Ohio Valley Conference opener, topping Charleston Southern 31-20 on Saturday.

Autavius Ison scored on two short runs to get the Buccaneers within a point, 14-13 with 2:19 left in the first half, but Lamb capped a seven-play, 65-yard drive with a 22-yard pass to Matthew Henry with :29 left to send the Leathernecks into intermission with a 21-13 advantage. Lamb threw nine yards to Elijah Aragon on the opening drive of the second half to push the lead to 28-13.

Cameren Smith carried 25 times for 101 yards and a touchdown for Western Illinois (2-3). Lamb was 17 of 23 for 197 yards and two touchdowns with an interception and Aragon caught 10 passes for 129 yards and a score.

Ison carried 29 times for 229 yards to lead Charleston Southern (1-4, 0-2). Rob McCoy Jr. was 9 of 17 passing for 106 yards and a touchdown but was picked off twice.