JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. --- For the first time in almost 89 years, the Tusculum football team has defeated arch-rival Carson-Newman in Jefferson City as the Pioneers posted a hard-fought 27-21 South Atlantic Conference road win at Burke-Tarr Stadium.
Tusculum (3-3, 3-1 SAC) snaps a 16-game road losing streak at Carson-Newman (2-4, 1-3 SAC) which dates back to Oct. 20, 1934, exactly 88 years, 11 months and 13 days ago. It was also TU's first-ever win at Burke-Tarr Stadium in 12 tries dating back to 1998 when the teams first met as NCAA Division II opponents.
The Pioneers have won three in a row over the Eagles for the first time since between posting three straight victories from 1918-1920 in the second oldest college football rivalry in the State of Tennessee (1904).
Tusculum quarterback Matthew Palazzo passed for a career-high 370 yards and four touchdowns including two each to wideout Joe Robustelli and running back Jalen Hunt. Palazzo went 26-for-39 while completing passes to nine different receivers.
TU receiver Tyler Burke led all players with seven receptions for a career-best 151 yards including a 64-yard completion from Palazzo.
C-N starting quarterback Jaylen Myers was held to 50 yards passing in the opening half. Zane Whitson took over at halftime as he went 8-of-19 for 171 yards with a touchdown while rushing for a score as well.
Tusculum outgained Carson-Newman in total yardage 448-283 and held a significant advantage in time of possession (33:04-to-26:56) for the first time this season.
It was not a pretty game as both teams committed four turnovers apiece in the contest including three by each club in the first half alone and five times combined in the opening quarter.
Tusculum would punt on its opening possession, but Nicholas Pope's kick was fumbled and recovered by Marquel Pittman at the C-N 35. The Pioneers would move the ball to the C-N 22 but Palazzo's pass was intercepted by Mekhi Brown and returned to the C-N 9. The teams would exchange punts on the next two possessions.
The Eagles would commit their second miscue of the afternoon as C-N quarterback Jaylen Myers would be intercepted by Ty'Korian Brown and returned the pick 13 yards to midfield. For Brown, it was his fourth consecutive game he has recorded an interception.
Two plays later, Palazzo would be intercepted for a second time in the quarter as Carson-Newman took over at the C-N 46. The Eagles converted a first down and moved into Tusculum territory, but the defense held and forced a C-N punt as TU took over at its 14.
Palazzo opened with a seven-yard rush up the middle and completed a pass to the side to Burke who rambled 64-yards down the sideline to the C-N 15. After a six-yard gain by Kareem Carswell, Palazzo completed a pass to Kemani Brown who ran for the end zone. But as Brown lunged for the end zone, the ball was fumbled and recovered in the end zone by Mekhi Brown for the touchback.
The Tusculum defense came through again allowing just two yards on the next three plays to force another C-N punt. Sybert's kick was fielded by Eddie Watson who returned the punt 14 yards to the TU 42. TU moved into C-N territory and got a 21-yard rush by Hunt on the final play of the quarter as the Pioneers were in business again at the C-N 11.
After a three-yard loss on the first place of the second period, Palazzo found Robustelli in the back corner of the end zone for the game's first score at the 14:26 mark of the quarter. John Aiden Pittman's extra point went wide right as Tusculum led 6-0.
The Pioneers would force a C-N punt for a fourth time in the game when Travis Jean accounted for a 23-yard return to the TU 46.
Tusculum would sustain a 14-play drive which included a pair of fourth-down conversions. Once at the C-N 42 as Palazzo completed a four-yard pass to tight end Reginald Hunter to the C-N 42. The other came when Palazzo plunged for one yard and got the mark by inches to extend the drive. Hunt would ramble for a 13-yard gain and later ended the drive with six-yard TD catch. Pope's extra-point would extend the Tusculum lead to 13-0 with 6:46 left before halftime.
The Pioneers would avert disaster on special teams with under two minutes remaining in the half. Pope fielded a low snap on his punt attempt and would have to scramble to his right. He would get off a rugby style kick on the run which traveled 45 yards and was downed at the C-N 14 and flipped the field for the TU defense.
Tusculum would get the ball back with 50 seconds remaining at the C-N 43. The Pioneers would get to the 31 but on fourth down and seven, Palazzo would be sacked with two seconds remaining at the C-N 41. The Eagles tried a long pass but Jermaine Witherspoon would haul in the interception to end the half.
Tusculum outgained Carson-Newman 253-91 in the first half including 114-7 in the second quarter alone but still only led 13-0.
The Eagles made a change at quarterback with Whitson coming off the bench as he orchestrated a six-play, 80-yard drive which was started by a 32-yard completion to Bryce Bevins and culminated with Whitson's 20-yard sprint to the end zone. Sybert's kick made it 13-7 Tusculum with 11:50 left in the third quarter.
Later in the period, Carson-Newman would take its first lead of the game as Whitson completed a 45-yard pass to Cade Meeks to the TU 3. Tyler Curtis would run it in from there as the Eagles led 14-13 with 5:57 left in the quarter.
With the momentum leaning towards Carson-Newman and on third down, Palazzo posted a 30-yard completion to Burke at the C-N 39. On the next play, Palazzo and Robustelli connected again, this time on a 39-yard touchdown grab as Tusculum regained the lead at 20-14 at the 4:01 mark of the quarter.
Back came the Eagles as Whitson completed a third-down pass to Meeks to the TU 49. Curtis mounted three rushing plays to get to the 38 but Whitson would be sacked by Earnest Johnson III on the next play to the TU 43. On third down and long, Whitson would be intercepted by Jordan Taylor at the TU 24 on the final play of the quarter.
On the third play of the final stanza, Palazzo completed a 21-yard pass to Eddie Watson but the ball was fumbled and recovered by Carson-Newman's Jeterryous Jones at the TU 41 with 14:21 left in the game.
But a false start penalty put the Eagles behind the chains and a tackle for loss by Jamichael Wilson on third down forced C-N to punt with 12:17 remaining as Tusculum took over at its own 17.
The Pioneers mounted an 11-play, 83-yard drive on its ensuing possession which was capped off by a four-yard TD catch by Hunt for his second score as TU extended its lead to 27-14 with 7:31 left on the clock. The Tusculum drive was aided by a C-N face mask penalty on third down and a pair of defensive pass interference flags to extend the drive.
Carson-Newman answered on the following possession as Whitson completed 13-yard pass to Curtis and a TU pass interference call moved the ball to the TU 45. A 12-yard completion to Meeks moved the ball to the TU 33. After three incomplete passes and an illegal block call on Carson-Newman set up fourth-down and 20 from the TU 43. Whitson's desperation heave to the end zone was hauled in by Meeks in the end zone for the touchdown and trim the deficit to 27-21 with 5:40 remaining.
Taking over at its own 25 after the kickoff, Palazzo would convert a third down with a 15-yard completion to Burke to the TU 43. A pair of runs by Hunt forced C-N to call its first timeout with 2:42 left. Palazzo would scramble for six yards on third down to the TU 48 to force the Eagles to call its second timeout with 2:31 to go. Pope's punt would travel 52 yards into the end zone as Carson-Newman took over at the 20 with 2:21 on the clock.
On the first play of the drive, Whitson would be called for intentional grounding, moving the ball back to the C-N 10. Whitson would throw and incomplete pass and on third down completed a seven-yard toss to Meeks to the C-N 17 with 1:36 remaining. But Whitson's pass on fourth down fell incomplete as Tusculum took over on downs and ran out the clock to secure the victory.
C-N was called for nine penalties for 88 yards and Tusculum was flagged eight times for 67 yards. TU went 6-of-17 on third down and 2-of-3 on fourth down. The Eagles went 3-of-14 on third down and was successful on one of its fourth down conversion attempts.
Pope finished the game averaging 44.2 yards on his six punts including two inside the 20. He was also perfect on his three extra point tries. Sybert finished averaging 41 yards per punt on his eight attempts including three inside the 20 and was perfect on his three PAT attempts.
Defensively, Wesley Scott led the Pioneers seven tackles including two for loss, one sack and a quarterback hurry. Ryan Dolce added six tackles including a career-best six pass break-ups which are the second-most in a Tusculum game. Dajavon White accounted for six hits including three for loss, one sack and accounted for two QB hurries. Earnest Johnson also made five tackles including two for loss, a sack and a game-high four QB hurries.
Jermaine Witherspoon and Ty'Korian Brown each accounted for the eighth career interceptions for Tusculum, which ties them for sixth in the TU record book. Taylor's pick is the sixth of his career.
Carson-Newman's Jacorey Long led all players with his 13 tackles including three for loss, two sacks and forced a fumble. Mekhi Brown had nine tackles including a sack, recovered a fumble and posted an interception.
Tusculum will host UVA Wise next Saturday for Homecoming at Pioneer Field beginning at 2 p.m.
