VIDEO: Mike Clowney Interview
VIDEO: Highlights
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (1-9, 1-7 South Atlantic Conference) coughed up three fumbles and Tusculum (5-6, 3-5 SAC) threw the ball late to seal a 48-13 win over the Eagles in the season finale for both teams Saturday at Pioneer Field.
With the win, Tusculum stays unbeaten at home since 2016 against the Eagles while putting up their most points in the series since a 49-48 loss to Carson-Newman in 2010.
"From a mentality standpoint, these guys have been great encouraging one another and standing behind one another," Carson-Newman head football coach Mike Clowney said. "The problem is that we continue to make a lot of mistakes that make it difficult to win a game."
Tusculum turned Carson-Newman's first two fumbles into 13 points before the Eagles stiffened and forced a turnover on downs on the final give away of the day.
"Those turnovers were detrimental," Clowney said. "It took opportunities away from us and gave them short fields. You can't win football games like that."
Tusculum dominated the early portions of the game.
While C-N went three and out on its first three possessions and fumbled its fourth, Tusculum built a 21-0 lead. Maurice Gomillion scored the first touchdown of the game to cap a 10-play, 75-yard drive with a three-yard score.
Tusculum made it a two-score game after a muffed punt snap and an illegal kick set up a short field on the fourth possession of the contest for the Pioneers. Tusculum took advantage of the 41-yard field with a six-play drive. Tre Simmons found Bryce Moore for a 21-yard touchdown catch along the right side of the end zone with 12:10 to play in the second quarter.
The Pioneers took advantage of a Carson-Newman fumble on the ensuing possession with a 12-play, 54-yard drive featuring a wildcat run from a yard out from Darion Anderson for a 21-0 Pioneer lead with 6:07 to play before halftime.
However, Carson-Newman did fire the final salvo of the first half with a one-yard touchdown run by Lamarcus Brown (Mobile, Ala.) with 1:56 to play before the first half finished.
The Pioneers played add on with 21 straight after halftime.
Simmons found the end zone on a three-yard naked QB bootleg before hitting Derrick Wright on TD passes of 54 and 65 yards to go up 41-7 with 10:33 to play in the fourth quarter.
C-N tallied it's final touchdown following an eight-play, 65-yard drive when Brown rolled on an 18-yard option keeper around the right side of the line.
Tusculum concluded the scoring with a 100-yard kickoff return on the following boot.
Tusculum outgained the Eagles 516-166. The Pioneers ran 34 more plays than Carson-Newman and averaged 6.1 yards a touch. Tusculum dominated the time of possession, holding the ball for 3:45. The Pioneers were 9-for-16 on third downs.
"There's somethings we have to do differently as we move to next year," Carson-Newman head coach Mike Clowney said. "We have to be a better football team. We have to develop some things from a mentality standpoint. We have to be better fundamentally. We have to do a better job executing and be more disciplined. There's a lot of things we have to fix."
Tre Simmons completed 22-of-35 passes for 362 yards and three touchdowns. Wright was his top target, catching six passes for 150 yards and two scores. Tyler Burke also caught six passes for 58 yards.
Brown led the Eagles through the air and on the ground, completing six-of-nine passes for 49 yards. He carried it 11 times for 30 yards and two scores.
JJ Lewis (Pensacola, Fla.) was his top target, catching four passes for 56 yards.
"The positive is that we worked with a great group of kids who made strides both on and off the field," Clowney said. "That's a positive we take from this season, especially with a loving energy from the locker room."
For the latest news and information in the offseason on Carson-Newman football, check cneagles.com and follow @cn_eagles and @cnfootball on Twitter.
