WINGATE, N.C. --- Robbie Nallenweg passed for 316 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Wingate football team to a 42-17 South Atlantic Conference victory over visiting Tusculum Saturday afternoon at Irwin Belk Stadium in the season-finale for both teams.

With the victory, the Bulldogs (6-5, 5-2 SAC) finish tied for second place in the conference, while Tusculum falls to 2-9 overall and 1-6 in the SAC.

Nallenweg went 18-for-29 on the afternoon, including eight to Chris Bowden, who finished with 152 receiving yards. Bryan Caffrey tallied six receptions for 108 yards and two touchdowns, while Andrew Nallenweg scored three TDs on the day (2 rushing, 1 receiving).

Tusculum quarterback Bo Cordell was limited to a career-low 155 yards passing as he went 22-for-33 with two touchdowns and an interception as he was sacked eight times. B.J. Spradlin ran for a game-high 67 yards on 22 carries, while Xzanvion Smith posted four receptions for 40 yards and two scores.

Wingate's Ernest Bridges accounted for 11 tackles, including six for loss and four sacks. Nick Napolitano added nine stops and a pair of sacks, while Hamilton Reed also accounted for two sacks. Richie Kazazian led all players with 14 tackles and an interception, while Jared Seate rounded out Wingate's defensive efforts with 13 stops.

Tusculum's Deres Benn led the Pioneers with his 10 tackles, while Jeffrey Booker and Aaron Morgan tallied eight stops each. Josh Davis added seven tackles and recorded a third quarter interception that set up a Tusculum touchdown.

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 28-0 lead in the first half, scoring two touchdowns in each of the first two quarters.

Wingate scored on its opening possession when Andrew Nallenweg ran for a five-yard touchdown. That play was set up by a 55-yard completion by Robbie Nallenweg to Bowden on the first play of the game. Matthew Sierk's kick gave Wingate a 7-0 lead.

Cordell would fumble on TC's opening drive near midfield as Jarvis Smith picked up the ball and returned it 14 yards to the TC 34. Wingate was driving, but on fourth-and-goal from the three the Bulldogs went for it, but Nallenweg's pass was broken up by John Perry.

Both teams would punt on their next possession. With two minutes remaining in the quarter on fourth-down and five from its own 30, TC attempted a fake punt, but Andy Rosetti's pass attempt to Skylar West fell incomplete as Wingate took over from there.

Four plays later, Mycah Gaylord ran in for a nine-yard TD as Wingate increased its lead to 14-0.

Robbie Nallenweg connected with Caffrey on a 41-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter and he would later connect with his brother Andrew on an 8-yard TD catch as the Bulldogs increased their lead to 28-0 with 7:20 left in the half.

Tusculum answered with a 14-play, 46-yard drive that was capped off by a 35-yard field goal by Brandon Burkey just before halftime to make the score 28-3 heading into the locker room.

On the opening series of the second half, Cordell was intercepted by Kazazian near midfield and returned the ball to the TC 37. Wingate capitalized on the miscue and Andrew Nallenweg punched it in from seven yards out for his third TD of the day.

After a three-and-out by the TC offense, Robbie Nallenweg completed a 47-yard TD strike to put the Bulldogs up 42-3 at the 9:28 mark of the third quarter.

The Tusculum offense answered with a 12-play, 75-yard drive as Cordell connected with Smith on a 10-yard TD reception. Burkey's kick made the score 42-10. Robbie Nallenweg was intercepted by Davis on the first play of the ensuing series and returned the pick 37 yards to the WU 11. Cordell and Smith would connect again, this time from seven yards to make the score 42-17.

Neither team could mount an offensive push in the fourth quarter as the two teams combined on six punts in the final stanza.

Wingate out-gained Tusculum in offensive yardage by a 458-221 margin, including 316-155 in passing.

Smith becomes only the fifth player in school history to record 1,000 receiving yards in a season as he finishes with 1,013 (4th in TC history) on 69 receptions (8th in TC history). His 10 touchdowns scored in 2012 are the seventh most in school history, including eight TD catches (T6th in TC history).

Cordell finished the season with 3,244 passing yards, which are the fourth most in school history and marks the third time in his career that he has passed for over 3,000 yards in a season (2009, 2011, 2012).

Cordell will enter his senior campaign next year with 12,345 passing yards in career, which is currently seventh in NCAA Division II history and 2,388 yards away from matching the DII record of 14,733 yards by Zach Amedro of West Liberty (2007-10). Cordell is also second NCAA II history with his 1098 completions, 21 shy of the national record (1,119 - Steven Gachette, Southwest Baptist).

Senior defensive back Luke Harris wrapped up a fine career on Saturday with his six tackles, giving him 102 on the year, the sixth most in school history. He also becomes only the ninth player in TC history to eclipse the 100-tackle plateau in a season. Harris' 231 career tackles are the ninth most in program history.

Rosetti also put a closing note on his punting career on Saturday as he averaged 39.4 yards on his seven punts, including a long of 54 yards and four punts inside the Wingate 20. The four punts inside the 20 gives him 25 on the year (1st in SAC) to establish a new school single-season record, breaking the previous mark of 22, set by Cory Newton in 2004.

Rosetti's 42.09 punting average this year ends up being second in the conference and third-best in Tusculum history.

- TC -