GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum Pioneers forced five turnovers including three inside the red zone to pace TU to a convincing 34-6 South Atlantic Conference football win over archrival Carson-Newman Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Field in the Mountain Division opener for both teams.
The Pioneers are off to their first 5-1 start to a season since 2003 when TU captured its first SAC Championship. Tusculum (5-1, 3-1 SAC, 1-0 Mtn Div) knocks off the Eagles (2-4, 1-3 SAC, 0-1 Mtn. Div.) for a fourth straight time in Greeneville.
In the 51st installment of the second oldest football rivalry in the State of Tennessee (1904), the Pioneers record back-to-back wins against Carson-Newman in over 100 years. Tusculum last consecutive wins over C-N were in 1919 (13-0) and 1920 (10-0).
Tusculum jumped out to a 34-0 lead before giving up a late score in spoiling TU's bid for its first shutout of C-N since 1934 (3-0).
Tusculum linebacker Wesley Scott led the way with 10 tackles including a forced fumble, while Earnest Johnson made four tackles, forced a fumble and recovered another.
The Pioneers grounded out 303 rushing yards on the day to average 7.4 yards per carry which is the sixth highest per attempt average surrendered by the Eagles.
Tusculum added to its SAC-leading interception total with its ninth and 10th picks of the season, while also recovering three fumbles.
The Pioneers out-gained the Eagles by a 453-312 margin in offensive yardage.
TU quarterback Tre Simmons was a duel threat as he rushed for 89 yards on seven carries including a 71-yard touchdown run on the Pioneer's opening possession. He also went 17-for-28 for 150 yards with two touchdowns, zero interceptions and was sacked only once on the day. His 17 completions went to nine different receivers including four catches by Tyler Burke for 61 yards and a TD.
Cortney Jackson ran for 84 yards on eight attempts and two touchdowns, Mekhai Johnson had a game-high 13 carries for 77 yards and Maurice Gomillion finished with 42 yards on eight tries.
Eagles' quarterback Ivan Corbin led the visitors with 197 total offensive yards. The former TU signal caller went 11-of-25 for 145 yards but had two turnovers including a fumble and an interception, both inside the TU 20 which proved to be momentum killers for the Eagles.
On Tusculum's third play of the game, Simmons scrambled into the secondary, averted several tacklers and sprinted 71 yards to the end zone for the touchdown. It was the 10th-longest run from scrimmage in school history.
On C-N's second possession, the Eagles fumbled the ball and was recovered by Johnson at the C-N 21. Four plays later, Jackson would plunge up the middle for the one-yard touchdown. Juan Villasenor's kick added to the 14-0 Tusculum lead at the 7:27 mark of the quarter.
The Pioneers took the final possession of the quarter into the next period which included a 13-yard rush by Jackson and a 12-yard carry from Simmons to move into C-N territory. A 19-yard run by Johnson to open the second quarter moved the ball to the C-N 11. On third down, Simmons would complete a nine-yard pass to Mydreon Vines in the right corner of the end zone with 12:59 left in the half to make it a 21-0 game.
Midway through the second quarter, the Eagles drove deep into Tusculum territory to the 17. But Scott hit TJ King in the backfield for a fumble and was recovered by Jermaine Witherspoon at the TU 11.
Carson-Newman held and forced a punt and took over at the C-N 14 with 4:11 in the period. The Eagles converted five first downs on the possession, including three times on third down including an 11-yard pass from Corbin to Braxton Westfield to the TU 20 in the final seconds. But Nate Craft's 37-yard field goal try on the final play of the half went wide right as the Pioneers led 21-0 at the break.
C-N first possession would stall at the their 35 and would be forced to punt to start the second half. Tusculum marched down the field to the C-N 12, but on third down, Simmons was sacked by Tray Jureidini-Wyche for a 15-yard loss back to the C-N 27.
Villasenor attempted a 44-yard field goal but it was blocked by Jalen Anderson and was picked up and returned 24 yards Jackson Ward before he was stopped at the TU 34.
The momentum looked to be swinging again for the Eagles as they moved to the TU 5. But on fourth down, Corbin was forced out of the pocket and rolled to his left by Johnson punched the ball out and was recovered by TU's Ryan Dolce.
The Pioneers marched 93 yards on eight plays, capped off by Jackson's 46-yard touchdown run, his second score of the day as TU led 28-0.
Tusculum took the opening possession of the fourth quarter and went 67 yards on 11 plays as Simmons completed a 23-yard pass to Burke in the end zone for his SAC-leading 11th TD toss of the season. The PAT was no good as TU led 34-0 with 7:45 left in the game.
The Eagles broke up the shutout on their next possession as C-N went 80 yards on five plays with King scoring on a four-yard run.
Tusculum possessed the ball for 33:34 including 10 minutes in the final quarter. TU went 8-of-15 (53%) on third down conversions, while C-N went 6-of-14 (43%).
TU punter Andrew Cantrell established a new career record on Saturday recording his 70th and 71st punts inside the opponents' 20-yardline, breaking the previous mark posted by his older brother Hunter, who record 70 during his career from 2014-2017.
Witherspoon finished second on the team with his eight tackles, while John smith accounted for six stops including four solo hits. C-N's Callum Clements led his team's defensive efforts with seven tackles, along with Major Williams seven hits.
The Pioneers will be on the road next Saturday for a 12 p.m. kickoff at UVA Wise.
