November 8, 2024

No. 21/22 Eagles prepped for second-oldest rivalry game in the State of Tennessee

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – No. 21/22 Carson-Newman (8-1, 6-1 South Atlantic Conference) takes on Tusculum (1-7, 1-6 SAC) in what is the second-oldest rivalry game in the State of Tennessee Saturday at 1 p.m. at Pioneer Field.

Carson-Newman

9-1

Tusculum

1-8

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Carson-Newman (9-1)	0	28	7	21	56
Tusculum (1-8)	7	0	0	7	14

C-N Game Notes

Tusculum Game Notes

VIDEO: Ashley Ingram Presser

VIDEO: C-N v. Anderson Cinematic Highlights

VIDEO: 2023 C-N v. Tusculum Highlights

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – No. 21/22 Carson-Newman (8-1, 6-1 South Atlantic Conference) takes on Tusculum (1-7, 1-6 SAC) in what is the second-oldest rivalry game in the State of Tennessee Saturday at 1 p.m. at Pioneer Field.

The stakes are elevated for Carson-Newman as the Pioneers look to play the role of spoiler on their Homecoming and Senior Day. With a win, Carson-Newman would clinch the Mountain Division title outright and head to Irwin Belk Stadium on Nov. 16 for the SAC title game at Wingate. Additionally, a win would keep Carson-Newman firmly in the mix for an NCAA playoff berth. Carson-Newman could still play for the SAC title game with a loss to Tusculum, but would need Mars Hill to lose to Anderson on the road and Emory & Henry to lose to UVA Wise at home.

"We've got another great opportunity Saturday to go play our oldest rivalry game against Tusculum, which is a very talented team," Ingram said. "Do not let the records fool you. They're talented, they have great coaching and I've been in a few of these rivalry games with the academies. You can throw out the records and you know we're going to play really well to have an opportunity to win on the road in a place that we just haven't played well in recently."

The Pioneers and Eagles first met in 1904. (The Tennessee/Vanderbilt series is the oldest by eight years- 1896).

The Eagles won 10 straight contests from 1935-1950, missing a handful of years because of World War II. Carson-Newman outscored Tusculum 359-20 over that stretch. The Eagles shutout TU in eight of those meetings.

Carson-Newman hasn't won in Greeneville in a decade. Tusculum has taken the last four meetings at Pioneer Field since winning 31-30 in overtime in Ken Sparks last game as a head coach in 2016. TU has won the last three in Greeneville by an average of 25.33 points.

The contest is Tusculum's Homecoming. Carson-Newman has done well playing the role of spoiler on other teams' Homecomings. Carson-Newman has beaten opponents nine of the last 11 times that it has represented their foes' homecoming opponent. Newberry was the last team to schedule C-N for Homecoming and win (2021, a 34-3 Newberry win). The Eagles defeated Erskine last year on the Flying Fleet's Homecoming.

Tusculum has the most challenging in NCAA Division II. Tusculum's past and future opponents are a combined 48-28 on the year. The .632 winning percentage leads the country. The Pioneers have taken on three SAC teams that have been ranked this season in Lenoir-Rhyne, Emory & Henry and Carson-Newman. TU also has a game against nationally-ranked West Alabama under its belt.

Longtime East Tennessee football fixture Billy Taylor is in his first year as Tusculum's mentor, but he has coached in two games featuring Carson-Newman. The ETSU Bucs beat the Eagles last year 42-0 with Taylor helming the ETSU defense. In 2007, C-N got the better of UT Chattanooga with Taylor leading the defense and linebackers. Carson-Newman picked up a 29-17 win over the Mocs.

This will be the first matchup between two triple option teams in the SAC since 2016. C-N, running the veer, beat Brevard, running the flexbone, 47-0 that year.

"I'd rather they were not running option," Ingram said. "I'd rather Coach Taylor not hired Coach Lang. No, they're good coaches and it'll be a challenge. You know, when you play these games, every, every possession is of the great importance. The clock runs when you're running the football, so mistakes will be very costly. So we've got to take care of the football and then when we have an opportunity, offensively, we've got to make plays and then on the other side of the ball, we can't give up big plays and we need to get a turnover or two."

Carson-Newman has kept the defensive pressure dialed up. With a sack in every week of the 2023 season, last year's team became the fourth this century to tally a sack in every week of the season. C-N has registered a sack in 20 straight weeks and 28 of the last 29. The Eagles' seven sacks against Wingate in week three are tied for the second most in a NCAA Division II game this season and are the sixth-most in school history. C-N is 38th nationally in sacks this season and second in the SAC.

Carson-Newman fullback Jayden Sullins was on a tear since the month of October. Sullins has rushed 104 times for 747 yards with six TDs. That's good for 7.0 yards per carry and 149.4 yards per game. In comparison, through his first four games this season, he was averaging 30.5 yards per game and 2.77 yards per carry. He is 14th nationally and third in the South Atlantic Conference this season. Sullins is on pace to become Carson-Newman's 29th all-time 1,000-yard rusher for a season, needing 101 yards to get to that mark. C-N hasn't had a 1,000-yard rusher since Antonio Wimbush in 2019.

Kickoff between the Eagles and Pioneers is set for 1 p.m. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at noon with the AEC Tailgate Show on Joy 620 (WRJZ-AM, Knoxville) and online at cneagles.com/live.