Strong second quarter helps No. 18 Eagles to 35-23 triumph over UVA Wise
October 19, 2024

Strong second quarter helps No. 18 Eagles to 35-23 triumph over UVA Wise

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — It was an ugly start for Carson-Newman that got significantly prettier as the first half wore on. After opening the game with a fumble and a three-and-out, the No. 18-ranked Eagles scored touchdowns on five of their next six possessions to stay perfect on the season, defeating the University of Virginia-Wise, 35-23, at Burke-Tarr Stadium Saturday.

VIDEO: Ashley Ingram Interview

VIDEO: Highlights

VIDEO: Jayden Sullins Interview

VIDEO: Zane Whitson Interview

VIDEO: Major Williams Interview

VIDEO: Jackson Ward Interview

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — It was an ugly start for Carson-Newman that got significantly prettier as the first half wore on. After opening the game with a fumble and a three-and-out, the No. 18-ranked Eagles scored touchdowns on five of their next six possessions to stay perfect on the season, defeating the University of Virginia-Wise, 35-23, at Burke-Tarr Stadium Saturday.

The victory gives C-N (7-0, 5-0 South Atlantic Conference) its first 7-0 start since 2003 and eighth in school history. It's Carson-Newman's first seven-game win streak since 2012 and its third consecutive victory over the Highland Cavaliers (2-4, 1-3).

"We'll make no apologies for being 7-0," C-N coach Ashley Ingram said. "We're super excited about that. If you take away the turnover on the first possession, that's probably the best first half we've played all season. Defensively we played well, we ran it up and down the field on them and scored touchdowns on every other drive we had."

That turnover would be costly early. On the Eagles' first snap of the game, a fumbled hand-off on the exchange would end up in the hands of Wise linebacker DaCorian Jones-Montgomery, setting his team up at the Carson-Newman 30 yard-line. Four plays later, the Cavaliers would take a 7-0 lead after a 21-yard QB keep from Jake Corkren.

Two possessions later, the Eagles offense would come to life. Jayden Sullins opened a scoring drive with a 6-yard run. Quarterback Zane Whitson and running backs Cam Furguson and Tyler Curtis would do the rest of the work to get the ball down to the UVA-Wise one yard-line. Whitson called his own number on a one-yard touchdown dive to even the score at 7-7.

It was one of two touchdowns on the ground for Whitson, who rushed for 56 yards and finished 6-of-10 passing for 98 yards and a TD.

"I try to do whatever's best for my team," Whitson said. "Whether it's running the ball or passing the ball. I put it on the line. …It's the front five (that make it happen). They're firing off the ball. Everybody's starting to click and understand their role in the offense."

The role for Sullins over the last three weeks has been "work horse" and he strapped the plow on again Saturday on C-N's next possession. Sullins reeled off 22 yards right up the gut of the Cavs defense to start the drive, then followed that with nine more yards to enter Wise territory. Whitson would wrap the drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Cade Meeks to give the Eagles the lead for good.

Sullins would do most of the work on Carson-Newman's next offensive drive. With the score 14-10 after a 33-yard field goal from UVA-Wise kicker Jordan Crabtree, Sullins again tore through the Cavaliers' defense for a 24-yard gain right between the hashes. Four more rushes from the C-N fullback put the ball on the Wise eight yard-line and Whitson would again walk it into paydirt.

Sullins finally found his way into the paint on C-N's next chance with the ball, punching it in from the five yards out to put Carson-Newman up 28-10. The teams would take that score into the locker room at the half.

Sullins finished his day with 25 carries for 235 yards and a touchdown. It was Sullins' second 200-plus rushing yard performance of the season, which puts him in rare company. He's the ninth rusher to record multiple 200-yard performances in Carson-Newman history, joining the likes for Kenneth Tyson (who had seven), Larry Smith (4), Buck Wakefield (3), Alex Good, Robert Thomas, Troy Dendy, Nate Inman and Robert Hardy. It was the 40th 200-yard rushing day in school history and his 235 yards the 13th highest rushing total.

For Sullins, who had a quiet start to the season, the sudden explosion in performance is no accident.

"You've got to know why you're doing something, why the offensive line is blocking a certain way," Sullins said. "This week I feel like I paid more attention. Coach (offensive coordinator Chuck Peterson) kept telling me to trust it, trust your path, trust your track and just run hard and that's what I did this week."

His head coach knew that Sullins had this in him when he first saw the former slot receiver from Cullman, Ala. take the field in the team's first practices.

"When I got here, I thought that he (Sullins) could be this kind of player," Ingram said. "I thought he had the skillset. I thought he had the mindset. Early on, we just weren't good enough up front to run the fullback. We're getting better and he's getting a better feel for things. Where he should hit things, blocks he should hug. He's starting to do a really nice job."

The Eagles picked up right where they left off at the beginning of the second half, with a quick, 58-yard scoring drive ended by a Don Bradley 3-yard scamper. C-N enjoyed a shorter field on nearly every possession thanks to a stellar return game and stout defense. Carson-Newman's average drive start was its own 35 yard-line and only one possession began inside their own 25.

UVA-Wise kept its hopes alive thanks to a 13-play, 88-yard scoring drive that ate up most of the third quarter. On a fourth and goal, Corkren found Dorien Goddard in the left corner of the end zone to make the score 35-17.

C-N had a chance to all but wrap up the contest as the fourth quarter began but failed on a fourth and goal attempt to turn the ball over on downs at the Cavalier six yard-line.

Wise would drive the length of the field with the new life, with Corkren again hitting Goddard for a 5-yard TD pass to pull within two scores, 35-23.

A missed field goal on Carson-Newman's next possession would leave the door cracked for the Cavs, but the defense shut it with a fourth down stop of their own.

"Give our defense credit," Ingram said. "They had the opportunity to make it a one-score game, but we stopped them down in the red zone. Kudos to our guys there."

Linebacker Christian Hicks led the way once again with 10 tackles, a sack and 1.5 tackles for a loss on the day. His sack on UVA Wise's final drive ended the Cavs' last gasp. Major Williams had nine tackles and a tackle for a loss. Jackson Ward ended his afternoon with seven tackles, and two pass break ups. It was a busy day for a depleted Eagles secondary due to injuries, as they forced Wise to be one-dimensional by shutting down their rushing attack. The Cavs managed just 41 yards on the ground in the game.

"We just played fast and did what we were supposed to do," Ward said. "We played a lot of cover-1, so we had to play with our technique and keep playing ball. …We were gassed in that last drive, but we made it happen. We didn't fold."

C-N's offense had another banner day at home, with its second 500-plus yard performance of the season, piling up 503 yards of total offense. It was also their second 400-plus yard rushing day on the year, with 405 yards on the ground. Coming into Saturday's game. UVA-Wise had not allowed any team to convert more than 50 percent of its third down attempts. Saturday, the Eagles had a nice time blowing up that stat, converting 69 percent of their third downs, going 9-of-13 on the day.

The math is simple for the Eagles as they face Emory & Henry next week. A win secures Carson-Newman no worse than a share of the Mountain Division title and a likely spot in the SAC title game. A loss doesn't end that chance, but it would mean that C-N would probably need some help to play for a conference title. For Ingram, in his first season at Mossy Creek, this is no time for the team to take its foot off the gas.

"If you look from where we came in January to today, we've come a long way, made a lot of progress," Ingram said. "You just can't be content in this business and rest on your laurels."

The Eagles hit the road next Saturday, Oct. 26, to face off against Emory & Henry (6-1, 4-1) inside Fred Selfe Stadium in Emory, Va. with a SAC Mountain Division title on the line. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network will begin at noon. with the AEC Tailgate Show on Joy 620 (WRJZ-AM Knoxville), Mix 105.5 (WSEV-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.

Game Notes Highlights Photos Audio Video Live stats Box Score Box Score (PDF) Preview