GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Wingate University's Jon Jimenez broke up a fourth down pass in the end zone with 56 seconds remaining as the Bulldogs held on for a 41-33 South Atlantic conference football win over Tusculum College Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Field.

The loss spoils the record-breaking day for Tusculum quarterback Bo Cordell, who becomes NCAA Division II's all-time leading passer with 15,049 yards. Cordell surpasses the previous DII mark held by West Liberty's Zach Amedro (14,733, 2007-2010). Cordell's career passing tally is also fifth all-time in NCAA all divisions history.

The fans got their money's worth in the final 2:15, as Tusculum nearly erased a 16-point deficit. The Pioneers trailed 41-25 when Cordell engineered a six-play, 76-yard drive, capped off by a five-yard run by Isaac Robinson. Cordell hit Matt Levine with the two-point conversion pass to make the score 41-33.

Tusculum recovered the on-side kick as Levine came up with the loose ball at the WU 45. Cordell found Deon Hicks for a 37-yard completion on the drive's first play. Robinson ran for four yards and two yards, and Cordell was stopped for no gain on third down to set the stage for the Pioneers' final play from the WU 2. Cordell's pass to tight end Wesley Powell to the back of the end zone was broken up by Jimenez to seal the win for the visitors.

Cordell finished with 349 passing yards, going 32-for-55 with two touchdowns. Sophomore receiver Justin Houston scored three touchdowns on the afternoon, including two TD catches and returned the opening kickoff for a 99-yard touchdown.

Wingate running back Nestor Lantigua rushed 27 times for a career-high 144 yards and two touchdowns. WU signal caller Robbie Nallenweg completed 22-of-33 passes for 334 yards and three touchdowns, while running back Josh Covington had a rushing TD and a receiving score for the Bulldogs.

Houston finished the contest with a game-high 11 receptions for 120 yards, while Hicks hauled in seven grabs for 133 yards.

Wingate took the second half's opening kick-off and gained the lead for the first time five plays and 74 yards later. Nallenweg found Angelo Crawford-Reid in the middle of the field and raced 43 yards for a touchdown as the Bulldogs led 27-25 with 13:09 to play in the third frame.

That score sparked a 21-0 run for Wingate as Lantigua gave the Bulldogs a 34-25 lead when he scored on a two-yard run five seconds into the fourth quarter. A four-yard punt following a high snap gave Wingate a short field, as the Bulldogs moved the ball 29 yards on eight plays.

Covington found the end zone on a 17-yard pass from Nallenweg to conclude the run as the Bulldogs increased their advantage to 41-25 lead with 8:28 remaining in the game.

The Pioneers would turn the ball over on downs on its next possession at the TC 33-yard line. The Bulldogs would convert one first down, but the TC defense including on fourth down and 11 yards to go as the TC over at its own 24 to set up the late-game excitement.

The late arrivals missed the first score of the afternoon, as Houston took the opening kick-off 99 yards to pay dirt for the longest kickoff return in school history, breaking the previous record of 97 yards by Ricardo Colclough (vs. Morehouse in 2003).

Wingate answered on its opening possession as Nallenweg and the Bulldogs drove 71 yards on seven plays. Brandon Ellington capped the drive on a 12-yard TD reception to tie the game at 7-7.

Both teams would punt on their next possessions. Cordell broke the NCAA record on a 20-yard completion to Hicks to move the Pioneers to the WU 32. Three plays later, Cordell connected with Houston on a 30-yard touchdown at the 7:38 mark of the quarter. Holder Cameron Tallent recovered from a bad snap and completed the two-point conversion pass to Powell to give the Pioneers a 15-7 lead.

The Bulldogs continued the trading-scores pattern with a TD on their next drive as Covington ran in for a one-yard touchdown. The extra-point try failed as TC led 15-13 at the 5:04 mark of the first frame.

Tusculum responded on its next possession with Cordell's 35-yard scoring strike to Houston concluding a nine-play, 77-yard march which used 3:25 from the game clock as the Pioneers led 22-13.

The wild opening quarter still had some drama remaining as Kyle Johnson was intercepted by Wayne Soliai as the Pioneers set up show at the WU 29. Tusculum would get to the WU 15 thanks to a face-mask penalty. But the drive would stop there as Logan Cornelius' 24-yard field sailed wide right for his first field miss of the season.

Wingate took the momentum and marched 80 yards on nine plays as Lantigua bolted into the end zone from three yards out as the Bulldogs cut the TC lead to 22-20 with 10 minutes left before halftime.

Cornelius would redeem himself later in the quarter as the Tusculum drive stopped at the WU 7 as Cornelius came on and drilled a 24-yard field goal as the Pioneers took a 25-20 lead in the locker room.

Wingate sacked Cordell four times on the day, including twice by Nick Napolitano. Napolitano finished the day with 10 tackles, including three for loss and four quarterback hurries. Wingate's Sterling Brooks led all players with 11 tackles, while Eric Mapoles finished with 10 stops.

Senior Brian Alexander's bid to become Tusculum's all-time leading tackler will have to wait one more game. He accounted for seven tackles on the afternoon, giving him 338 for his career, which are two shy of the program record 340 posted by Jacques Sessions (1991-94).

Tusculum's Caushaud Lyons accounted for eight tackles, including two for loss and a pair of QB hurries, while Evan Dansby finished with seven tackles and a hit behind the line of scrimmage. John Perry tallied six tackles, including a team-high three for loss, including a sack.

Tusculum returns to action next Saturday as the Pioneers travel nationally-ranked UNC Pembroke for a 3:30 p.m. contest.

- TC -