Gold made three red-zone visits count for two touchdowns. The Renegades reached the red zone four times but scored one touchdown, settling for four field goals. That efficiency gap—more than Gold’s 2-for-11 showing on third down—proved decisive in a 29-18 World Bowl XLVI victory Sunday.

The Renegades opened the scoring with Gregg Zavala’s 33-yard field goal, and Paul Giles intercepted Hale Merrie on Gold’s first listed possession. But Gold’s defense answered with two first-quarter interceptions of John Rice, by Trey Sapp and Marshawn Mallow, limiting the damage and giving the offense time to find its footing.

John Riggins III broke the game open at the start of the second quarter with a 28-yard touchdown run. Gold added a second score just before halftime, when Merrie connected with Evan Stokes for a two-yard touchdown to make it 14-3. Merrie finished with 348 passing yards and two touchdown passes, despite throwing two interceptions.

The largest swing came early in the third. A 40-yard touchdown pass to Marshall Bernardi was wiped out by a holding penalty. Gold faced second-and-25, then Merrie found William Patton for a 50-yard touchdown. The extra point put Gold ahead 21-3. Patton, listed as a running back, finished with 109 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Gold’s offense was not spotless: the team completed 24 of 49 passes and converted only two third downs. But its 13 carries produced 56 yards and two rushing touchdowns, including Riggins’ five-yard score in the fourth quarter. Stokes added a two-point conversion run, stretching the lead to 29-9.

Rice completed 42 of 60 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown for the Renegades, who also gained 104 yards on 24 carries. Zavala’s field goals kept the score within reach, and Rice’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Charles Button cut it to 29-18 with 1:04 remaining. Gold’s early cushion held. The Renegades finished 6-for-19 on third down and had eight penalties for 51 yards; Gold had four for 35.

Gold owner Vikings_Fan pointed to the swing plays after the win: “That 50-yard touchdown after the holding penalty changed the feel of the game, and Riggins’ two scores gave us the ground-game finish we needed.”