Deondre Baskett
Senior Deondre Baskett finished with 48 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's loss to Carson-Newman.
31
Winner Carson-Newman C-N 4-2 , 2-2
20
Limestone LC 3-3 , 2-1
Winner
Carson-Newman C-N
4-2 , 2-2
31
Final
20
Limestone LC
3-3 , 2-1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
C-N Carson-Newman 14 7 0 10 31
LC Limestone 7 10 3 0 20

Game Recap: Football | | Ernest Meyers, Assistant A.D. for Media Relations

Limestone Falls to Carson-Newman for First Conference Loss

GAFFNEY, S.C. – The Limestone College football team could not overcome a four-turnover night as Carson-Newman University spoiled Homecoming Saturday by handing the Blue and Gold its first conference loss of the season with a 31-20 decision at The Reservation at Gaffney High School.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Carson-Newman 31, Limestone 20
Records: Carson-Newman (4-2, 2-2), Limestone (3-3, 2-1)
Location: The Reservation
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 
  • Freshman RB Jerko'ya Patton (Charlotte, N.C.) rushed for 135 yards and a TD on 22 carries
  • Sophomore QB Ivan Corbin, Jr. (Warner Robins, Ga.) went 18-of-27 for 170 yards and a touchdown, but threw a pair of interceptions
  • Senior Deondre Baskett (North Augusta, S.C.) finished with five catches for 48 yards and a TD
  • Senior Vyncint Smith (Columbia, S.C.) added four catches for 46 yards while senior D'Anta Fleming (Greer, S.C.) hauled in five catches for 44 yards
  • Junior Kelvin Atkins (Columbia, S.C.) led the defense with 11 tackles and a quarterback hurry
  • Freshman DeShawn Thompson (Jonesville, S.C.) added 10 tackles
  • Senior Evan Patrick (Charlotte, N.C.) chipped in nine tackles
  • Senior K Nick Smith (Plain City, Ohio) connected on field goals of 42 and 37 yards
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
Following a pair of punts, Carson-Newman grabbed an early lead on its second possession of the game as Jared Dillingham found a hole on a 38-yard touchdown run. The Saints responded with a 12-play, 75-yard drive when Corbin found Baskett in the back of the end zone for a 4-yard TD catch with 3:42 left.
 
With less than a minute remaining in the first quarter, the Eagles regained the lead, 14-7, as Derrick Evans hit Darvia DuBose for a touchdown on a 54-yard catch-and-run.
 
Second Quarter
 
Limestone trimmed the margin to 14-10 early in the second as Nick Smith capped a 9-play, 59-yard scoring drive with a 42-yard field goal. Patton highlighted the drive after breaking off a 46-yard run down the visiting sideline to put the Blue and Gold in field goal range.
 
The Saints would then force a three-and-out on defense, giving the offense great starting field position at the C-N 38-yard line. Corbin hit Fleming in stride for a 21-yard gain before Patton took a direct snap for a 1-yard touchdown run a few plays later to give the Blue and Gold a 17-14 advantage with 7:53 remaining.
 
The lead would not last long, however, as the Eagles regained the upper hand as a 3-yard TD run by Evans capped a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive. Limestone moved the ball on its next possession, but an interception in the end zone with 26 seconds left allowed the visitors to take a 21-17 lead into the break.
 
Third Quarter
 
A botched snap by the Saints on the first play in the second half gave Carson-Newman the ball at the 23-yard line, but the defense held up as Elijah Holbert was wide left on a 47-yard field goal attempt.
 
Limestone countered with another long field goal by Smith midway through the quarter as his 37-yard attempt split the uprights with 6:26 on the clock, trimming the margin to 21-20.
 
Fourth Quarter
 
The Blue and Gold made a goal-line stand as Atkins and junior Raymond Hall (Columbia, S.C.) combined to make a stop on 4th-and-goal at the 2-yard line. However, the offense was unable to get out from the shadow of its own end zone, giving the ball back to Carson-Newman with great field position.
 
The Eagles capitalized on the short field as Evans rushed around right tackle for an 8-yard touchdown run to make it 28-20 with 8:43 left to play. Diantae Thomas set up the TD with a 34-yard run on 2nd-and-7.
 
With less than two minutes left in regulation, Patton picked up 11 yards but was stripped of the ball by Carson-Newman's Desmond Fairell who then returned it to the Limestone 5-yard line. The Eagles would put the game away with a 24-yard field goal by Holbert with 72 seconds remaining on the clock.  
 
TURNING POINT
 
With the score 21-17 at halftime, a botched snap on Limestone first play of the second half would set the tone for the rest of the half as the Blue and Gold turned the ball over three times over the last 30 minutes.
 
NOTABLES
 
  • Limestone's defense has allowed 400+ yards for a third straight game
  • The Saints fall to 0-4 all-time on Homecoming
  • Facing the league's top defense, Limestone rushed for 178 yards and put up 348 yards of total offense – both are season-highs allowed by the Carson-Newman defense
  • It was the first time this season the Limestone defense did not force a turnover
 
UP NEXT
 
The Saints will be back home next weekend when they host Lenoir-Rhyne University on Saturday, October 14 at 6 p.m.
 
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