September 20, 2025

Worth the wait - Eagles withstand lightning delay, No. 19/17 Bears for 24-7 dub

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — It took nearly three extra hours thanks to lightning delays, but Carson-Newman snapped multiple losing streaks to No. 19/17 Lenoir-Rhyne in a dominating 24-7 win at Burke-Tarr Stadium Saturday.

#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

VIDEO: Ashley Ingram Interview

VIDEO: Highlights

VIDEO: Zane Whitson Interview

VIDEO: Richemard Mellien Interview

VIDEO: Cruz Temple Interview

VIDEO: Cade Meeks Interview

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — It took nearly three extra hours thanks to lightning delays, but Carson-Newman snapped multiple losing streaks to No. 19/17 Lenoir-Rhyne in a dominating 24-7 win at Burke-Tarr Stadium Saturday.

For the Eagles (2-1, 1-1 South Atlantic Conference), the victory ends a six-game losing skid to LR (2-2, 2-1) and a five-game losing streak to the Bears at Burke-Tarr. C-N hadn't enjoyed a win over LR since 2018 in Hickory and 2012 in Mossy Creek.

In all, from the opening kickoff to the final whistle, more than five and a half hours elapsed, with much of it putting both teams in their locker rooms. The Eagles, holding a 17-7 lead, but with 10:26 to go in the contest, had to keep their heads in the game, while they waited for the literal storm to pass.

"We sat them down and talked to them," C-N head coach Ashley Ingram said of the delay. "We broke up offensively and defensively. We just told them basically we had to finish. What a great job our defense did. What a great job Coach (Tyler) Almond and our defensive staff did all week. We'd lost to them six in a row. I've been nudging them with the (combined) score, 242-85. As we told them after the game, 'Not today.'"

The seven points surrendered to Lenoir-Rhyne is the lowest allowed by C-N to a nationally-ranked foe since it's 1999 NCAA Division II playoff semifinal victory over then 20th-ranked Northeastern State, a game Carson-Newman won 42-7. Carson-Newman is 4-1 against ranked teams at home this decade with its only loss coming to Lenoir-Rhyne back in 2023. It was the seventh consecutive win for C-N at home – its longest home winning streak since tallying 10 straight at home from 2008-09. C-N has a 13^th all-time seven-game home win streak.

☑️ First 150-yard rushing performance by a C-N QB since Oct. 12, 2019 @ZaneWhitson

☑️ Fewest points allowed to a ranked foe since 1999.

☑️ Seven straight home wins @cnfootball x #TalonsUp x #Brotherhood pic.twitter.com/ZonMWRJayt
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) September 21, 2025

While Carson-Newman held a 10-point lead going into the lengthy weather break, they had to build it first. LR showed up short-handed on offense, with quarterback Khamoni Robinson, wide receiver Songa Yates and Catawba transfer running back LJ Turner sidelined with injuries. For its part, the Eagles were equally hampered, with starting QB Tedros Gleaton banged up from last week's loss to Mars Hill and starting offensive lineman Jay'Den Williams out with an injury. Two more offensive lineman would go down before the game ended for C-N.

"We ended up playing with three backup offensive linemen," Ingram said. "Two guys were getting their first meaningful reps and for Lewis Baker and Laney Best to be able to help us beat Lenoir-Rhyne like this says a lot about those young men."

Still, it took a while for Carson-Newman's offense to finally strike against LR's formidable defense. With nothing planned for the game working, Ingram and offensive coordinator Chuck Peterson literally went back to the drawing board.

On a second-and-nine midway through the second quarter backup quarterback Zane Whitson found wideout Cade Meeks down the left sideline. Meeks juked a Bears tackler and raced 45 yards into the paint to put the Eagles up 7-0. Meeks would finish the game with two catches for 64 yards and the score.

"The touchdown, we kind of drew it up on the sidelines," Meeks said. "We were watching how they were playing the flow on our jet motion. We drew it up, said be ready if he crashes down and look to the fade. Our seam on the hash was open too. It was exactly how we drew it up. We were just playing off their flow and figuring things out on the sidelines on the fly."

C-N would take that touchdown lead into the locker room having shut out LR the entire first half.

"They (the defense) have been great," Ingram said. "We'd love to have that one back last week, especially in the first half. They gave up three points in the second half last week. Seven here today. …Give our guys a lot of credit for finding a way."

The teams traded punts to open the third quarter, but Whitson broke the game open on C-N's second possession. The senior quarterback called his own number for a 37-yard touchdown run down the right side to give Carson-Newman a two-touchdown lead.

Took awhile, but C-N is back in the win column��

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��#19/17 Lenoir-Rhyne 7
FINAL pic.twitter.com/37jaS4BVKt
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) September 20, 2025

"It starts with the guys up front," Whitson said. "If you look back to that first touchdown (run) that we had, a hole opens up you could run a truck through. I can't thank them enough. I'm proud of them. …I'm proud of us as an offense to find that unity and win."

The Bears would not be shut out any longer. Down 14-0, Lenoir-Rhyne uncorked a quick, four-play scoring drive ending with a 40-yard touchdown pass from third-string QB Max Blanc to Dominique Marshall.

C-N would push its lead back to two scores with a 19-yard Bennett Smith field goal before the first lightning delay. The teams would come out for two plays after a 30-minute safety break, but another strike would send them to the locker room for next two hours and 27 minutes.

"It was a long time sitting in there (in the locker room)," Meeks said. "We got tired, but we had to remain focused. This was a big game for them (Lenoir-Rhyne) too, and they were going to have some energy. We had to match it or have more. We came out and had to get the ball in the end zone. That's what we did."

After the defense forced a missed 54-yard Bear field goal, the Eagles put the game out of reach on the first play from scrimmage. Whitson broke tackles and pushed into the clear for a 63-yard touchdown run. The Eagles led 24-7 and with 9:40 to go, there just wasn't enough time for the Bears to mount any kind of comeback.

"This is my fifth year playing football (at C-N)," Whitson said. "I've had the chance to stay around this program and work out with the strength staff. Our strength staff is amazing. I've gained 20 pounds since I've been here. My 40's went up by 0.04. They've propelled me to where I am now. It's all God-given because I'm able to sit here and play with my brothers."

Whitson finished with 22 carries for 177 yards and two rushing touchdowns. He was 7-of-9 passing for 123 yards and a score. It was good for the 383^rd 100-yard rushing performance in Carson-Newman history and the 46^th by a quarterback. It was the 118^th 150-plus yard game for a C-N runner. The last by a signal caller came on Oct. 12, 2019 by Derrick Evans against Catawba.

HAVE A DAY @ZaneWhitson

63-yard TD run extends the lead

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��#19/17 Lenoir-Rhyne 7
4th | 9:40

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— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) September 20, 2025

"He (Whitson) was awesome," Ingram said. "He's been so resilient. We came in with a new system and early on it was kind of tough for him. It didn't click. He stayed the course. He keeps working. Teddy beats him out, but got banged up last week. He was questionable at gametime so we put Zane in and, man, did he just play his tail off. What a fun kid to coach. What a great leader. He's got great energy about him. I'm super proud that Zane is a Carson-Newman Eagle."

The defense held LR to just 266 total yards and completely shut them out in the second half. With two sacks, one by Storm Livesay and another from Martavis Mason, the Eagles kept their 26-game sack streak alive and have sacked an opposing team's QB in 34 of their last 35 contests. Lenoir-Rhyne's seven points were its lowest output against Carson-Newman since a 21-3 loss on Oct. 21, 2006. The Bears had scored at least two touchdowns in every game against C-N since then.

Cruz Temple led the Eagles with nine tackles. Champ Baker had seven tackles, and one for a loss. Terry Lemon wrapped his day with five tackles and 1.5 for a loss. Richemard Mellien had three tackles and picked off a pass.

QB KEEPERRRR TO DA HOUSEEEE

2⃣nd TD for @ZaneWhitson

�� @cnfootball 14
��19/17 Lenoir-Rhyne 0
3rd | 5:13

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— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) September 20, 2025

"We were on a mission before this game to get a win," Temple said. "We weren't going to let a delay or anything get in between that."

Carson-Newman begins a lengthy road stretch with a SAC showdown with the Wingate Bulldogs next Saturday, Sep. 27, at Irwin Belk Stadium in Wingate, N.C. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. Coverage on the Eagles Sports Radio Network begins at 5 p.m. with the AEC Countdown to kickoff on Joy 620 (WRJZ-AM, Knoxville), Mix 105.5 (WSEV-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.