GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- College football returns to Pioneer Field this Saturday afternoon as Tusculum University hosts UVA Wise for a South Atlantic Conference contest, which kicks off at 1:30 p.m. (ET).
The Pioneers (2-4, 1-3 SAC) will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak when they face the Highland Cavaliers (3-3, 2-2 SAC). Tusculum committed a pair of costly fourth quarter turnovers in last weekend's 38-31 loss at Lenoir-Rhyne. UVA Wise had its bid for a three-game winning streak halted with a 37-14 home loss to Newberry.
TU's four losses have been decided by eight points or less against teams who currently have a combined 17-5 record.
The last time Tusculum experienced a three-game losing skid was two years ago as the Pioneers snapped the drought with a 21-19 road win at UVA Wise in the last meeting between the two schools.
BREAST CANCER AWARNESS DAY
This Saturday's Tusculum / UVA Wise football game has been designated as Breast Cancer Awareness Day at Pioneer Field. There will be a Breast Cancer survivors walk during halftime ceremonies. Survivors will also serve as honorary captains for the contest.
Fans are asked to wear pink in honor of October and Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
SERIES HISTORY
The 12th renewal of the Tusculum / UVA Wise football series will be held this week as the Pioneers and Cavaliers meet in Greeneville.
UVA Wise leads the series 6-5 with Tusculum coming away with a 21-19 win at Wise in their last meeting in 2019.
September 7, 1991 was a monumental date for both football programs. For Tusculum, it was the program's first game in 41 years since the University dropped the sport in 1950. For UVA Wise (then Clinch Valley College), it was the first football game in its school's history. The Cavaliers came away with a 13-8 victory.
Tusculum went 0-10 during that 1991 campaign, but the Pioneers answered in its 1992 season-opener and a rematch with UVA Wise in Greeneville where TU came away with a 24-13 victory on Sept. 5, the program's first win since the sport's reinstatement.
UVA Wise won the 1993 meeting 37-31, before Tusculum answered with a 34-31 win in 1994 at Pioneer Field. The Cavaliers ran a string of three consecutive victories, including back-to-back wins in Greeneville. TU posted back-to-back wins in Wise, a 30-7 victory in 1998 and a 47-28 triumph in 2013.
In the last meeting in Greeneville, UVA Wise gutted out a 13-10 double-overtime win over the Pioneers in 2016. That game was the collegiate head coaching debuts for TU's Jerry Odom and Dane Damron of UVA Wise.
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
After two weeks on the road, the Tusculum Pioneers return home this weekend to host UVA Wise. TU will play three of its remaining five contests at home including next Saturday's inaugural meeting with Barton College in the Pioneers' annual homecoming game.
The Tusculum offense is scoring 34.2 points per game which are second in the SAC and 37th in NCAA Division II. TU is also third in the league in passing offense (244.7 ypg) and second in passing yards per completion (14.53 ypc – 29th in NCAA II).
Tusculum quarterback Ivan Corbin passed for a career-high 339 yards last week at Lenoir-Rhyne where he accounted for two touchdowns (1 pass, 1 rush). He leads the league in total offense average 265.2 yards per game (36th in NCAA II). He has passed for 1,391 yards this season (231.8 ypg – 3rd in SAC / 46th in NCAA II) with seven touchdowns. He has as rushed for three touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversions. He has accounted for 20 completions of 20 or more yards this season giving him a 14.64 yards per completion average which is best in the conference and 21st in the country.
Corbin's top target has been junior Justice Parham who leads the team in receptions (30), receiving yards (515) and touchdown receptions (4). He is averaging 85.8 receiving yards per game (3rd in SAC / 41st in NCAA II) including last week's nine-catch, 109-yard performance. Parham has recorded a TD catch in six of his last eight games and eight of his 11 outings as a Pioneer. Nine of his 30 receptions this year have been for 20 or more yards. He has also thrown for one TD this season.
Tyler Ajiero is second on the team in receiving with 14 grabs for 191 yards. Derrick Wright is third with 13 receptions for 146 yards and a touchdown.
Tight end Bryce Moore has posted five receptions for 115 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for a pair of scores. Will Shellenback has started in all six games this year at tight end where he has four grabs for 45 yards.
A trio of running backs have been handling a majority of the rushing load for the Pioneers, who are averaging 148.2 yards per game (5th in SAC). Cortney Jackson is averaging 6.3 yards per carry and has totaled 266 yards on 42 attempts including four touchdowns. He posted a career-best 82-yard TD run last week at Lenoir-Rhyne, which is the fifth-longest in program history.
Corbin is second on the team in rushing (200 yards), while senior Maurice Gomillion is third with 179 yards on 41 carries and a TD. He has also made nine receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown catch. Gomillion needs 137 rushing yards to eclipse 1,000 for his career and become the 13th Pioneer to join that elite group.
Freshman Reggie Kellum is fourth with 174 yards on 33 carries and has been credited with five receptions for 65 yards.
The Tusculum offensive line has the Pioneer offense ranked first in the league in fewest tackles for loss allowed (4.83 tpg – 29th in NCAA II) while the nine sacks allowed (1.50 spg) are the fourth fewest in the league and 39th-best in the country. Slated to get the start in the offensive trenches are tackles Andrew Theobald and Rick Jeantihomme; guards Mike Peppin and Tremaine Chatman; and center Thomas Mahoney.
Tusculum continues to lead the league in defensive touchdowns scored with four scores, which are the third-most in the nation. TU is tops in the SAC in passing defense (165.7 ypg – 21st in NCAA II) and fumble recoveries (7 – 18th in NCAA II). TU is also third in sacks per game (3.00 – 40th in NCAA II), third in tackles for loss per game (7.7 tpg – 40th in NCAA II) and second in turnovers gained (12 – 35th in NCAA II).
Sophomore defensive back Jermaine Witherspoon is the team's leading tackler with 33 stops, including two for loss. Witherspoon has also forced a fumble, posted an interception and has two pass break-ups to his credit.
Senior linebacker Jahaud Russ is second with 32 tackles including five for loss and four quarterback hurries. He scored a touchdown on a 49-yard fumble return in last month's Limestone game.
Ty'Korian Brown and Raynell Killian are tied for third with 31 tackles apiece. Brown has four passes defended including an interception to go along with a tackle for loss. Killian has five tackles for loss with one sack, a fumble recovery for a TD and three passes defended including an interception from last week's game at Lenoir-Rhyne.
Junior free safety John Smith has made 29 tackles including two for loss and a pair of pass break-ups.
Junior defensive end Nelson Louis has made 23 stops including six for loss and a SAC-leading five sacks (36th in NCAA II). He enters this week's action with 18 career sacks to his credit, which are the fourth-most in program history.
Senior Ryan McIntyre also has 23 tackles with five going for loss and two sacks. McIntyre also has two passes defended and a pair of QB hurries. Senior nose guard Quaheim Glasgow has posted 21 tackles with five for loss and leads the team with two fumble recoveries, including one he returned for a 20-yard touchdown in the season-opener at St. Augustine's.
Senior punter Andrew Cantrell leads a very talented special teams for the Pioneers. Cantrell will be playing in his 32nd consecutive game and is averaging 41.0 yards per punt which is the second-best average in the SAC and 16th in the nation. Of his 28 punts, 12 have resulted in fair catches including six inside the 20-yardline. His 46 career punts inside the 20 are the fourth most by a Pioneer.
The duo of Eli Shepherd and John Aiden Pittman has been handling the placekicking duties for Tusculum. Shepherd leads the team in scoring with 26 points on his four field goals and 14 extra points. He enters this week's game with 99 career points and needs one more to become the sixth kicker in school history to eclipse the century mark.
Pittman has seen spot action of late and is a perfect 7-of-7 on extra points and converted a 26-yard field goal on the final play of the first half of last week's game at Lenoir-Rhyne.
Tusculum kickoff teams are ranked third both offensively and defensively. TU's kickoff teams are averaging 23.6 yards per return (25th in NCAA II) as Jarvis Jones is averaging 30.6 yards per return including his school-record 100-yarder at Wingate two weeks ago. Tusculum's kickoff coverage team is allowing 16.9 yards per return which is 38th nationally.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for Tusculum home football games are $15 for fans. Children ages 12 and under will be admitted free. Tickets go on sale at 12 p.m. on Saturday and are available at both the north main entrance and the south visitors' entrance.
FOLLOW THE GAME
If you can't make it to Saturday's game, fans can watch the action on-line at www.TusculumPioneers.com on the Pioneer Sports Network and the SAC Digital Network. The radio call of the game will also be available locally on WSMG Radio on 95.5 FM and 1450 AM, as well as online at https://jewel955.com/listenlive.
The "Voice of the Pioneers" Brian Stayton and Joe Byrd will describe all the action for both the radio and video broadcasts. Stayton is in his 25th season as the broadcast voice of Tusculum University Athletics.
