September 19, 2025

Eagles, No. 19/17 Bears collide in key early SAC clash

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (1-1, 0-1 South Atlantic Conference) faces another stiff test as No. 19/17 Lenoir-Rhyne (2-1, 1-0 SAC) makes its first trek to the banks of Mossy Creek since 2023. Kickoff from Burke-Tarr Stadium is slated for 1 p.m.

#19/17 Lenoir-Rhyne

2-2

RV Carson-Newman

2-1

Final	1	2	3	4	T
#19/17 Lenoir-Rhyne (2-2)	0	0	7	0	7
RV Carson-Newman (2-1)	0	7	7	10	24

C-N Game Notes

LR Game Notes

VIDEO: Ashley Ingram presser

VIDEO: In the Radio Booth – C-N v. LR radio feed

VIDEO: 2023 C-N v. LR highlights

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (1-1, 0-1 South Atlantic Conference) faces another stiff test as No. 19/17 Lenoir-Rhyne (2-1, 1-0 SAC) makes its first trek to the banks of Mossy Creek since 2023. Kickoff from Burke-Tarr Stadium is slated for 1 p.m.

The Eagles are looking for improvement after a slow start and 31-24 overtime loss at Mars Hill in their SAC opener. Lenoir-Rhyne saw Emory & Henry claw back to tie their game at 28 after the Bears led 28-3 at the half. Daniel Deneen booted through a 32-yard field goal as time expired to help the Bears hang on for a win.

"We're excited for the opportunity to play against a very good football team," C-N head football coach Ashley Ingram said. "You know, LR is on probably a 10 or 12 year run of being just a really good team. This team looks no different. Coach Socha's done a great job. They look well coached, they're athletic, they're big. Really big on defense, big on offensive line. They've got an athletic quarterback. So we'll have our work cut out for us."

The game marks the annual reunion of 1980s players, with more than 100 former Eagles scheduled to be on hand for the annual event.

"That's what this place is all about, is tradition," Ingram said. "We've had great teams, we've had great players. This group are huge supporters of the program and it means a lot to us each and every week to put a product on the field that makes them proud. And this week, I think with them being here, you know, be a little extra special as well."

Carson-Newman is looking to break a five-game losing streak to Lenoir-Rhyne on the banks of Mossy Creek. The Eagles beat the Bears twice inside Burke-Tarr Stadium in 2012, winning both regular season and playoff meetings 47-23 and 38-35, respectively. However, the Bears have taken all five meetings since.

The series resumes after a happenstance year off due to SAC scheduling quirks. C-N and LR had met every season from 1969-2013 prior to last year's break in the series.

C-N won 31 straight games in the series from 1978-2009. However, the Bears have taken 11 of the last 12 meetings. Lenoir-Rhyne's six-game win streak is its longest in the series' 66-game history. The Bears have scored at least 30 points five of the six games on their current win streak against C-N.

The Eagles are looking for their first win over a ranked foe in nearly a calendar year. On Sept. 21 last year, Carson-Newman squeaked out a 31-28 overtime win over then #24/23 Wingate. C-N is 3-1 this decade against ranked opposition at home, with the lone blemish coming in 2023 to LR.

Lenoir-Rhyne is in the national rankings for a 33rd consecutive week. Lenoir-Rhyne started the season ranked 17th before suffering a season-opening 48-21 loss to West Florida and slipping to 24th. Since then, LR has climbed back to the spot it occupied in the preseason poll - 17th.

Lenoir-Rhyne QB Khamoni Robinson is the top passer in the SAC in terms of yardage. He averages a league-best 256.7 yards per game. He ranks 13th nationally with 770 yards passing on the season. Robinson has tossed a league-best seven TD passes. Six of those seven TD passes traveled greater than 25 yards. He also has an 83-yard rushing TD under his belt.

"He can do it all," Ingram said. "He's athletic, he can run, obviously he can make the throws and he's a young guy that's just going to keep getting better and better as time goes on. So he's a very talented player."

The Bears have been masterful at hitting big plays this season. Eight of the 11 TD drives LR has put together this year have featured a scoring play longer than 25 yards. Similarly, of the Bears' 11 TD drives, eight came as the result of a drive lasting five plays or fewer.

The Bears kickoff coverage teams are the best in the nation. LR has not allowed a kickoff return yard this season, in part because the Bears have not allowed a kickoff return. The Bears have booted 13 touchbacks.

Carson-Newman has kept the defensive pressure dialed up. With a sack in every week of the 2023 and 2024 seasons, the last two years' teams are the fourth and fifth this century to tally a sack in every week of the season. C-N has registered a sack in 25 straight weeks and 33 of the last 34.

Mekhi Brown has 16.5 career sacks, good for eighth among active players in NCAA Division II. Brown is 13th all-time in school history for career sacks. He needs 1.5 more sacks to move into the top-10 all-time in school history - 18 for a career to be tied with Eric Rice and David Roberts.

C-N has won six consecutive home games. The Eagles look for their first seven-game home win streak since winning 10 straight home games from the 2008-09 seasons. C-N won its final three home games of 2008 before going 7-0 at home in 2009. C-N has 12 all-time home winning streaks of seven games or longer, including seven that have hit double digits. Carson-Newman is unbeaten at home under second-year head coach Ashley Ingram.

Carson-Newman has the top passing efficiency tally in the country at 216.51. The SAC has been effective throwing the ball. Four of the top 10 and five of the top 20 for the stat nationally are from the league. C-N has thrown three TD passes in its 19 pass attempts on the season.

Carson-Newman and Lenoir-Rhyne kick at 1 p.m. Saturday. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins 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. A video stream is available with a subscription to FloCollege at cneagles.com/FloFB, while fans can watch a live feed of the radio booth with the radio call at the Carson-Newman YouTube channel at cneagles.com/YouTube.