RALEIGH, N.C. --- Maurice Gomillion ran for 101 yards and two touchdowns and the Tusculum University defense returned two fumbles for touchdowns as the Pioneers opened the 2021 season with a 58-14 victory at St. Augustine's University Saturday afternoon at the Williams Complex.
The Pioneers (1-0) piled up 540 yards of total offense and scored the game's first 44 points against the Falcons (0-1), who were playing their first contest since the 2019 season. Ivan Corbin and Tre Simmons each threw a touchdown pass for the Pioneers, with Simmons adding a score on the ground, while the Tusculum defense came up with eight sacks and held St. Augustine's to 116 yards of total offense.
The 58 points are the most ever by the Pioneers in a season opener against a Division II opponent, and the 44-point margin of victory is the largest against a DII opponent to open a season since a 44-0 win over North Greenville in 2002. The victory also snaps a five-game losing streak in season openers for the Pioneers.
Tusculum took the opening kickoff and drove 67 yards in 13 plays, with Gomillion scoring from a yard out for a 7-0 Tusculum lead with 8:42 left in the first quarter. The Pioneers got the ball back after a punt and moved inside the Falcons' 10, but missed on a field-goal attempt.
The score remained 7-0 to the end of the first quarter despite the Falcons accumulating just five yards of offense in the period. The Pioneers took their first possession of the second quarter at midfield and used the legs of tailback Cortney Jackson, who carried four times for 40 yards on the drive including a 5-yard run with 12:26 to go in the half for a 14-0 Tusculum lead.
Tusculum tacked on another touchdown just 19 seconds later as St. Augustine's quarterback Donovan Brewington attempted a screen pass that went backwards into the end zone, where it was picked up by Raynell Killian for the score and a 21-0 Pioneer advantage.
St. Augustine's responded with its best drive of the first half, moving 35 yards on eight plays before being forced to punt. The Pioneers drove 56 yards on seven plays, including a 19-yard run and a 29-yard catch by Gomillion, before settling for a 38-yard field goal by Eli Shepherd with 4:19 to play in the half and a 24-0 Tusculum lead. The Pioneers would again drive inside the SAU 10 in the closing minute of the half, but a fumble was recovered by the Falcons at their 8 yard line with 10 seconds left.
The second half began with St. Augustine's in possession, but the second of back-to-back sacks by Nelson Louis resulted in a fumble that was scooped up by Quaheim Glasgow and returned 20 yards for a score and a 31-0 Tusculum lead with 13:20 left in the third quarter. On their first drive of the half, the Pioneers needed just three plays to go 58 yards, with the final 34 from Gomillion for a 38-0 lead with 10:35 to go in the third.
Tusculum tacked on another touchdown with 8:14 left in the third as Corbin connected with Justice Parham for a 46-yard touchdown and a 44-0 Pioneer lead. The Pioneers looked for another red zone score late in the quarter, but Corbin was picked off by Joseph Harris at the St. Augustine's 15 with just over four minutes left in the period.
Aided by a pair of penalties, the Falcons finally dented the scoreboard with 1:06 left in the third quarter as D'Ontre Gilliard scored on a 2-yard keeper to bring St. Augustine's within 44-7. Another turnover resulted in another St. Augustine's touchdown, as Charles Crump scored from four yards out after a 31-yard completion from Gilliard to Deandre Procter on fourth-and-3. Crump's touchdown cut the Tusculum advantage to 44-14 with 9:43 remaining.
With Simmons under center, the Pioneers took advantage of a St. Augustine's penalty on a punt to march 69 yards in 10 plays, highlighted by a 23-yard run from Alvin Barriner. Simmons finished off the drive with a four-yard run and a 51-14 Pioneer lead with 3:53 left. Tusculum got the ball back off a punt with 2:30 left and added a final touchdown with five seconds left, as Simmons hit Tyler Burke from seven yards out.
Corbin finished 11-for-26 passing for 190 yards and a touchdown, with Parham the Pioneers' top receiver with four catches for 98 yards and a score as 10 different receivers caught at least one pass. Gomillion carried the ball 12 times to earn his second career 100-yard game, while Jackson had eight carries for 64 yards and a score and Reggie Kellum added 60 yards on nine attempts. Simmons was 4-for-7 for 37 yards and a score and had five rush attempts for 18 yards and a touchdown.
Tusculum turned the ball over four times, including three lost fumbles, but the Pioneer defense held the Falcons to just 116 total yards and eight first downs. Crump led the Falcons with 51 yards on nine carries, while Gilliard and Brewington combined to go 8-for-20 passing for 62 yards.
Killian led the Pioneers with eight tackles, while Dajavon White had 2 1/2 sacks and Louis added two. For St. Augustine's, Cornelius Booker had a team-best eight stops in the game.
The Pioneers will play their home opener on Saturday, Sept. 11 against Chowan. Kickoff from Pioneer Field will be at 1 p.m.
