GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum will put its five-game winning streak on the line this Saturday when the Pioneers host the Erskine Flying in a South Atlantic Conference contest at the Niswonger Sports Complex and Pioneer Field. Kickoff time is set for 1:30 p.m. (ET).
Erskine (2-6, 0-6 SAC), who are members of Conference Carolinas in a majority of its sports offerings, are associate football members in the SAC beginning this season.
This week's regular-season home finale will also be Senior Day as the Pioneers will honor its 15 senior members of the football program.
Tusculum (7-1, 5-1 SAC) has held its last three opponents under 10 points including last Saturday's 35-9 homecoming win over Emory & Henry. The Pioneers amassed 463 yards offensively, including 307 passing yards and three touchdowns by sophomore quarterback Tre Simmons. Running back Mekhai Johnson tallied 156 all-purpose yards (78 rushing, 78 receiving) and scored two touchdowns. The TU defense held the Wasps to 210 yards on the day and added three more interceptions to their NCAA-leading total (16).
Meanwhile, Erskine jumped out to a 10-0 lead on UVA Wise, but the Cavaliers scored 21 straight points thanks to a blocked punt which resulted into a safety. The Fleet also gave up a third quarter interception which was returned for a touchdown.
TU is off to its best start in 19 years and look to remain tied for the top spot in the SAC Mountain Division standings with next week's opponent Mars Hill.
Regardless of the results this weekend, next week's Tusculum - Mars Hill game will determine the winner of the SAC Mountain Division and a berth in the Nov. 12 SAC Championship Game.
THE SERIES
This week will be the second meeting on the collegiate gridiron between Tusculum University and Erskine College, but it will be the first encounter in a South Atlantic Conference contest.
The inaugural meeting came on Mar. 27, 2021 during the COVID shortened spring campaign. The game itself came on short notice as TU's scheduled game with UVA Wise was cancelled due to COVID protocols involving the Cavs team. Erskine's opponent that particular week also cancelled so the two schools agreed to meet in Greenwood, South Carolina.
Tusculum amassed over 600 yards offensively while scoring the games first 47 points en route to a 47-7 victory.
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
Tusculum is off to its best start to a season in 19 years as the Pioneers are 7-1 overall and 5-1 in SAC play which has the Black & Orange tied for first place in the SAC Mountain Division.
The Pioneers are riding a five-game winning streak for the first time since the end of the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season and the beginning of the 2021 fall campaign. TU has not won six in a row during since the 2003 season (Sep. 13-Oct. 25).
TU has been listed as one of 10 teams "under consideration" for next month's NCAA II Super Region 2 Playoffs. The 10 teams are not listed in any ranked order with the first numbered ranking coming in next week's poll.
Tusculum has been getting the job done with a balanced attack, but especially on defense where TU is listed amongst the leaders in the South Atlantic Conference in several statistical categories including first in the country with 16 interceptions.
The Pioneers are tops in the conference in turnover margin (+8 - 12th in NCAA II), turnovers gained (22 - 3rd in NCAA II), team passing efficiency defense (81.10 - 2nd in NCAA II) and defensive touchdowns (4 - 4th in NCAA II).
Tusculum is also ranked 16th in the country in scoring defense (14.4 ppg - 2nd in SAC), 17th in red zone defense (.647 - 2nd in SAC), 11th in pass defense (151.0 ypg - 3rd in SAC), 17th in total defense (271.1 ypg - 3rd in SAC), 30th in team tackles for loss (7.5 tpg - 4th in SAC), 29th in first down defense (124 - 4th in SAC) and 42nd in rushing defense (120.1 ypg - 3rd in SAC).
Leading the way on defense has been linebacker Wesley Scott. He has emerged as TU's top tackler with 66 tackles, averaging 8.2 per game (2nd in SAC), including a 33 over the last three games. He has a team-best 10 tackles for loss with one sack and is tied for the team-lead with six quarterback hurries.
He posted a team-best nine tackles in last Saturday's win over Emory & Henry and returned an interception for a 35-yard touchdown. For his efforts, he was named the SAC Defensive Player of the Week.
The Keiser University transfer earned All-Conference honors with the Seahawks in 2021 where he led the team with 90 tackles and helped his KU to the NAIA quarterfinal.
New Haven transfer Ryan Dolce is second on the roster with his 39 tackles including three for loss and a sack. The graduate student contributed at the nickel position where he has totaled three pass break-ups and three QB hurries. In last month's win at Catawba, he posted six tackles including a forced fumble and returned an interception for a 72-yard touchdown (5th longest in TU history).
In 2021 at New Haven, Dolce played in 12 games while earning Northeast 10 All-Conference honors and helped New Haven to a league title and berth in the NCAA Division II Playoffs.
Junior Jermaine Witherspoon is second this season with 38 total tackles including 11 stops last month at Barton. He has a pair of passes defended including his fifth career interception at Chowan. He was injured during the Carson-Newman contest and has missed his last two games.
Sophomore linebacker Earnest Johnson is fourth in stops with 30 tackles including five for loss, one sack, three quarterback hurries and forced two fumbles (3rd in SAC / 47th in NCAA II) with a recovery.
Junior defensive back Trey Trawick has climbed moved into fifth on the team with 28 tackles including five for loss and is tied for the team-lead with four pass break-ups. He has posted eighth stops in each of his last two games including last week where he contributed a career-best three for loss (-5 yds).
Preseason All-SAC defensive lineman Dajavon White has made 26 tackles with nine tackles for loss and a team-best four sacks. He also has four QB hurries and has recorded a blocked kick.
Senior Trejen Fox-Birdwell has been a force on the defensive front for the Pioneers in 2022. He has 26 tackles including eight behind the line of scrimmage, three sacks and five QB hurries. He also lettered on the TU baseball team as a pitcher last spring.
Senior John Smith has been credited with 25 tackles including one for loss with an interception and a pass break-up. He joined the century tackle club last week with his three stops against Emory & Henry.
Joslyn Mira had the game of his career at UVA Wise two weeks ago where he posted a career-high eight tackles including three for loss with a sack. He also had a QB hurry and blocked a field goal with 58 seconds remaining to preserve a 10-9 win. Mira is tied for the team-lead with his six QB hurries to go along with 23 tackles including seven for loss and two sacks.
Jamichael Wilson has earned the start at nose guard for Tusculum in every game this season where he has totaled 24 tackles including eight behind the line of scrimmage, including two sacks.
Ten (10) different Pioneers have recorded an interception this season led by the Robinson Twins who have three picks apiece (2nd in SAC / 32nd in NCAA II). Andrae Robinson has recorded 20 tackles including 19 solo hits. Against Catawba, Andrae returned his pick for a school-record 97-yard touchdown. He also has two break-ups and a fumble recovery. Adrian Robinson has made 13 tackles on the year with one for loss, one pass break-up and forced a fumble.
The Robinsons have established a rare feat on two occasions this season with two siblings each recording an interception in the same game. The duo did it at Catawba and followed with repeating the feat at UVA Wise.
Tusculum defensive back Ty'Korian Brown and 2021 All-SAC standout Jordan Taylor eachhave two interceptions each.
On offense, Tusculum is listed amongst the SAC leaders including scoring offense (30.8 ppg - 4th in SAC / 47th in NCAA II), total offense (387.8 ypg - 3rd in SAC), passing offense (211.2 ypg - 3rd in SAC), rushing offense (176.5 ypg - 5th in SAC / 46th in NCAA II), first down offense (158 - 3rd in SAC) and fourth down offense (57% - 2nd in SAC / 42nd in NCAA II).
Sophomore quarterback Tre Simmons is orchestrating the Tusculum attack as he continues to lead the SAC in total offense (235.1 ypg - 44th in NCAA II). He is also first in the SAC in touchdown passes (14 - 36th in NCAA II), total passing yards (1,644 - 37th in NCAA II), passing yards per game (205.5 ypg - 47th in NCAA II) and third in points responsible for (96).
He passed for a season-high 307 yards and three touchdowns last week against Emory & Henry. He has completed a TD toss in seven of his eight starts this year where he has completed 55 percent of his passes.
Last month at Catawba, he rushed for a career-high 122 yards on 11 carries including a 44-yard touchdown run. He recorded 279 total offensive yards and accounted for three touchdowns with zero turnovers in a 34-6 win over Carson-Newman. He ran for 89 yards including a career-long 71-yarder for a TD which is tied for the 10th longest run from scrimmage in school history.
In his 17-game collegiate career, Simmons has passed for 2,420 yards (9th in TU history) and 22 touchdowns (7th in TU history) against 11 interceptions.
Sixteen different players have recorded a catch this season with eight of them having recorded at least 100 receiving yards.
Sophomore Tyler Burke leads the Pioneers with his 21 catches for 325 yards (15.5 ypc) and four touchdowns (2nd in SAC). Last week, he hauled in five receptions for 72 yards including touchdowns covering 35 and 11 yards. Six of his 21 grabs have been for over 20 yards.
Senior and All-SAC selection Justice Parham has made 18 receptions for 273 yards and three touchdowns (8th in SAC). In his TU career, he has made 87 catches for 1,434 yards (14th in TU history), which includes 15 touchdown receptions (T7th in TU history). He missed the UVA Wise game but returned to the lineup last week vs Emory & Henry as made two grabs for 44 yards.
Sophomore Tyler Ajiero is third on the TU team with 17 receptions and is third with his 253 receiving yards and a touchdown. He did not play last week against Emory & Henry.
Tulsa transfer Kemani Brown is fourth on the roster with 14 receptions for 171 yards and is second with three touchdowns (8th in SAC).
Sophomore Lanadrick Bradley has accounted for 11 receptions for 121 yards.
Mydreon Vines is a seasoned veteran with 34 games of NCAA Division I experience including three seasons at East Carolina and last year at NCAA-FCS Western Carolina. This season, he has made seven grabs for 127 yards and two touchdowns.
Marist College transfer Mekhai Johnson has emerged as TU's top all-purpose runner this season and is coming off his best game in a Pioneer uniform. He has totaled 624 all-purpose yards this year (78.0 ypg) including a season-best 156 yards vs Emory & Henry. He rushed for 78 yards on eight carries including a five-yard touchdown. He also hauled in a 78-yard TD reception for the 14th longest catch in school history.
Johnson has 414 rushing yards (8th in SAC) including a team-high five TD carries (T5th in SAC). In his last five games, he has run for 363 yards and three touchdowns during that span. His six total touchdowns have him second on the team in scoring (36 pts).
He has rushed for 1,277 yards in his collegiate career including 33 games at Marist where he was an All-Conference performer, especially on the return team where he was a three-time NCAA FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week.
Graduate student Maurice Gomillion has rushed for 1,334 yards (11th in TU history) in his career on 311 carries (10th in TU history) and nine touchdowns. He has also made 49 receptions for 484 yards and three TDs. This season, he has rushed for 202 yards on 47 attempts (4.3 ypc).
Senior Cortney Jackson earned All-SAC second team honors in 2021 in the TU backfield. This season, he has carried the ball 58 times for 358 yards and five TDs (T5th in SAC). He rushed for 79 yards at Catawba including a 67-yard touchdown run. He missed the Emory & Henry game due to injury.
He has rushed for 915 yards in his 18-game career at Tusculum which includes 12 touchdown carries. He needs 85 rushing yards to become the 14th player in program history with 1,000 for his career.
The Tusculum offensive line has battled injuries for most of the season but the anchor of the trenches has been All-SAC first team choice Tommy Mahoney. He has been a consistent performer in his 24 consecutive starts at center for the Pioneers and is a candidate for the SAC's Jacob's Blocking Trophy.
Junior Ben Shellenback returns for the Pioneers after playing in all 11 games last year including eight starts at tackle and earning Preseason All-SAC second team accolades. He has played in all but one game this year with six starts.
The veteran duo of Bryce Moore and Will Shellenback are manning the tight end position in 2022. Moore made the transition from quarterback in 2021 and has started in seven of TU's eight games this year. He has made 10 receptions for 110 yards while recording a catch in each of his last four games.
Shellenback has played in all eight games this year where he has eight grabs for 32 yards and a touchdown. In his TU career, he has played in 26 games while totaling 202 receiving yards on 21 receptions including three touchdowns.
Andrew Cantrell has been TU's starting punter for the past five seasons. Including the four seasons his older brother Hunter spent at TU, there has been a Cantrell punting for the Pioneers in the last nine gridiron campaigns.
Cantrell has punted in 45 games and is second all-time with 232 punts and is third with 9,044 punting yards. His 38.98 career punting average is seventh in the TU record book while his 75 punts inside the opponents' 20-yardline are a new school record, breaking the record held by his brother Hunter (70).
He is having a banner season in 2022 where he is fourth in the SAC in punting averaging 41.7 yards per punt which is also 18th in the country.
Andrew has also shined off the field where he is a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American and is a national nominee this year for the prestigious AFCA Good Works Team.
Sophomore John Aiden Pittman has been handling the kickoff duties on special teams and took over on extra points in last week's game with Emory & Henry where he went a perfect 5-for-5 and is 9-for-9 on the year. Last season, he finished fourth on the team in scoring with his 33 points.
Cumberland University transfer and sophomore kicker Juan Villasenor has been TU's starting kicker for a majority of the season. He leads the team in scoring with 39 points including a career-high 14 at Catawba. He went 3-of-4 on field goals and was perfect 5-of-5 on his extra point tries to earn SAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. He connected on a 23-yard field goal in the third quarter which proved to be the game-winner in TU's 23-21 win at Chowan. He has gone 21-of-23 on his extra point tries including a perfect 6-of-6 against St. Augustine's in his TU debut. He is also 6-of-11 on field goals.
Tyler Burke and Mekhai Johnson have been manning the kickoff return duties, while freshman sensation Eddie Watson has emerged as one of the top punt returns in the conference.
Burke has returned 14 kickoffs in his career for an average of 25.2 yards per return including a school-record 100-yarder for a touchdown last season against Carson-Newman.
Johnson, who was one of the top return men in NCAA-FCS while at Marist, has continued that trend with Tusculum, averaging 33.7 yards on his three returns this season.
Watson made an impression in his collegiate debut with St. Augustine's which included a 61-yard punt return for a touchdown. He has returned 24 punts for an average of 9.5 yards per return (3rd in SAC / 24th in NCAA II).
TICKETS
Fans may purchase tickets on-line through HomeTown Ticketing on the Tusculum Athletic web site at: www.TusculumPioneers.com/information/tickets.
All ticket purchases (on-line and in-person) are CREDIT CARD ONLY. Cash WILL NOT be accepted at the gate. Gates open this Saturday at 12:00 p.m. ET.
Admission for Tusculum home football games is $15 for all entrants. Admission is $10 for adults 65 and older and for children ages 6-12. Children 5 and under will be admitted free. Tusculum students will be admitted free and valid Tusculum ID is required.
Spectators using HomeTown Ticketing can choose to print tickets at home or use mobile entry tickets at the gate.
PARKING
Parking for Tusculum football games is FREE and on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Tusculum fans are asked to utilize the main stadium parking lot behind Pioneer Field and Pioneer Park as well as other available parking lots on campus.
VISITING FANS are asked to utilize the South parking lot by the Indoor Practice Facility. Visiting fans will have easier access to the South Entrance and the visiting grandstand area.
Fans are asked to utilize the clearly marked spots in the parking lot. Parking is not permitted at curbside or in grass areas.
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 FloSports.com, the official video stream provider of the South Atlantic Conference.
The radio call of the game will be available locally on WSMG Radio on 95.5 FM and 1450 AM, as well as online at https://jewel955.com/listenlive.
