September 29, 2023

Two-time defending SAC Champion Wolves await Eagles in The Graveyard

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (1-3, 0-2 South Atlantic Conference) will look to pump the breaks on a three-game losing streak when it takes on two-time defending South Atlantic Conference Champion Newberry (3-1, 2-0 SAC) Saturday at 6 p.m. at Setzler Field.

Carson-Newman

2-3

Newberry

3-2

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Carson-Newman (2-3)	6	0	6	22	34
Newberry (3-2)	14	0	0	7	21

VIDEO: Mike Clowney Presser

VIDEO: 2022 Newberry Cinematic Highlights

VIDEO: 2022 Full Newberry Broadcast Replay

C-N Game Notes

Newberry Game Notes

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (1-3, 0-2 South Atlantic Conference) will look to pump the breaks on a three-game losing streak when it takes on two-time defending South Atlantic Conference Champion Newberry (3-1, 2-0 SAC) Saturday at 6 p.m. at Setzler Field.

A win for Carson-Newman would be the 100th in South Atlantic Conference play to have featured Mike Clowney as a player, assistant or head coach.

The home team is 13-3 in the series over the last 15 years. Carson-Newman's only win at Setzer Field in that span came in 2010 when the Eagles downed the Wolves 35-12. Meanwhile, Newberry has won twice at Cason-Newman in the last decade and a half, winning in 2011 and 2017.

"It's always a fun game and a cool environment," Clowney said. "It's always a place that's exciting to play. I think for us the big thing that we're doing is we're looking forward to getting back on the field today and continuing to work, grow, develop and continuing to get better and pushing the needle forward."

The Eagles upset then No. 7 Newberry last year in Burke-Tarr Stadium 24-14. Carson-Newman has only taken back-to-back meetings from Newberry once in the last decade - in 2013 when the Eagles beat the Wolves in the regular season and the playoffs.

Carson-Newman has lost five straight at Setzler Field and seven of their last eight at the field adjacent a graveyard. What's more, those meetings haven't been close. Carson-Newman hasn't scored an offensive touchdown at Newberry since 2016 (a string of 10 quarters of football). Newberry's average margin of victory in the seven home wins since 2006 is 19.42 points. The Eagles have been within a TD once, (a 27-21 OT loss in 2008).

Carson-Newman won seven consecutive games at Newberry from 1989 through 2005 (the series halted for a half decade during that stretch when Newberry left the SAC).

It's historically been tough sledding against Newberry. Newberry had limited Carson-Newman to under 300 yards rushing in six straight games prior to the Eagles rushing for 311 yards in last season's 24-14 upset win at Burke-Tarr Stadium. Prior to last year, the Eagles' last 300-yard day against the Wolves was in a 48-21 win for Newberry in 2014; the Eagles were limited to 301 yards rushing. In fact, With the exception of last year, Newberry has held Carson-Newman below its season average for rushing in every game since 2010 when the Eagles racked up 451 yards in that 35-12 win at Setzer Field.

"They always have big, athletic defensive linemen," Clowney said. "If you're going to beat Newberry, you've got to win some of those battles up front. They do a really good job up front of controlling gaps and running to the football."

Through four weeks of football, Carson-Newman has yet to make a field goal. C-N last went five weeks without putting through a three pointer in 2018 when it closed the final five weeks of the year missing a 40 and a 37 yarder.

Carson-Newman is tops in the SAC in time of possession and 15th in the country. Six SAC schools rank in the top 40 for the stat, including Newberry.

Newberry has struggled to convert trips inside its opponents' 20 into points. The Wolves are bottom five nationally in red zone offense, scoring just 38 percent of the time they crack an opponent's 20. In 13 red zone trips, the Wolves have scored five times. They have missed three field goals, turned it over on downs twice, fumbled once and been picked off once. Newberry had three trips inside Erskine's 20 last week where it failed to score in a 24-17 win over the Fleet.

The Wolves have been hard to handle on third downs defensively. Newberry allows opponents to convert just 28.6 percent of the time in third down. A figure that ranks 22nd nationally and third in the SAC.

Newberry defensive back Kevon Gregory leads the SAC and ranks second nationally in interceptions. He's picked off a pass in all three games in which he has played this season.

Quarterback Brayden Phillips is fourth in the SAC averaging 13.09 yards per completed pass.

"You can just see that he's a lot more commanding of the offense," Clowney said. "He's the starter now, so you can see that he's gotten a lot more reps at doing things. So, naturally he's done a good job of picking up and understanding what they're doing and being able to execute it."

Kickoff between the Eagles and Wolves is set for 6 p.m. Saturday. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 5 p.m. with the AEC Tailgate Show on Joy 620 (WRJZ-AM, Knoxville), Mountain Talk 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.