Thomas Cook
Junior Thomas Cook finished with 46.8 yards per punt on nine punt attempts in Saturday's loss to Tusculum.
38
Winner Tusculum TU 1-2 , 1-0
10
Limestone LC 0-3 , 0-1
Winner
Tusculum TU
1-2 , 1-0
38
Final
10
Limestone LC
0-3 , 0-1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
TU Tusculum 21 14 3 0 38
LC Limestone 0 0 3 7 10

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

Tusculum Jumps on Saints Early and Often in 38-10 Rout

GAFFNEY, S.C. – The Limestone College football team could not overcome the shock of a 21-point first quarter and a 35-0 halftime deficit as visiting Tusculum University handed it a 15th straight loss with a 38-10 decision in the SAC opener on Saturday, September 21 at The Reservation at Gaffney High School.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Tusculum 38, Limestone 10
Records: Tusculum (1-2, 1-0), Limestone (0-3, 0-1)
Location: The Reservation
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 
  • Sophomore QB Alec Morton (Simpsonville, S.C.) went 6-of-10 for 85 yards and a TD
  • Junior QB DJ Phillips (Fayetteville, N.C.) struggled by going 7-of-27 for 69 yards and two picks
  • Junior WR Cedric Smith (Columbia, S.C.) hauled in three catches for 63 yards and a touchdown
  • Junior WR Quay Brown (Rock Hill, S.C.) finished with three catches for 42 yards
  • Sophomore RB Malik Brooks (Saluda, S.C.) rushed nine times for 32 yards
  • Junior K Thomas Cook (Moore, S.C.) punted nine times for a 46.8 yard per punt average
  • Sophomore LB Tallon Campbell (Cheraw, S.C.) posted a game-high eight tackles
  • Graduate LB Dalton Yates (Easley, S.C.) added six tackles, including one for loss
  • Senior DB DJ Witherspoon (Moncks Corner, S.C.) recorded an interception and two breakups
  • Sophomore DB Ken'Darius Frederick (Rock Hill, S.C.) also finished with a pick
  • Limestone had just 238 yards on offense, including only 84 yards on the ground
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
The Pioneers pulled off a surprise onside kick to start the game, and capitalized a few plays later with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Ajay Belanger in the back of the endzone. Tusculum had little problem moving the ball in the early going, gashing the Saints for 106 yards on the first two drives to make it 14-0.
 
The Limestone offense did not help matters in the first quarter, recording just 27 yards in its first two possessions before Phillips threw a pick-6 on 3rd-and-13 to stake the visitors to a 21-0 lead before the Blue and Gold could get the ball across midfield. Limestone had just 38 yards of offense in the first.
 
Second Quarter
 
Although the defense settled down in the second quarter, forcing a turnover on downs early in the period, the Saints still could not find a way to click on offense. Limestone accounted for just three first downs over the first 25 minutes of play while going 3-of-14 through the air for 22 yards.
 
Tusculum put the game away with 4:13 remaining in the first half, capping a 6-play, 65-yard drive with a 39-yard touchdown pass to Belanger before scoring again in the final minute to take a 35-0 cushion into the break. The Pioneers had more passing yards on the one scoring play than the Saints had combined.
 
Third Quarter
 
The scoring continued in the second half as yet another personal foul by the Saints set Tusculum up on the plus side of the 50, and the Pioneers took advantage with a 45-yard field goal. Following a long punt return, the visitors were looking to add more points but an interception by Frederick ended the drive.
 
Limestone finally found something working on offense as Phillips hit two passes down the middle before scrambling for a 17-yard gain. The Saints would move the ball to the Tusculum 6-yard line, but the drive stalled in the redzone after three straight incompletions and a holding call. Cook hit a 33-yard field goal.
 
Fourth Quarter
 
Following a quarterback change in the fourth, the Saints broke through with their first touchdown of the day as Morton found Smith on a 10-yard slant that he ended up breaking for a 49-yard catch-and-score.
It was the first career touchdown for both Morton and Smith as Limestone cut the margin to 38-10.
 
Witherspoon ended a Tusculum's next drive with his sixth career interception, and the first of his senior campaign, but the Saints would give it right back a few plays later as Morton was picked off over the middle. Both teams then went 3-and-out before the Pioneers ran out the clock on the 28-point win.
 
TURNING POINT
 
The Pioneers shocked the Saints with a successful onside kick to start the game, and would not look back from there as the visitors march out to leads of 21-0 after one and 35-0 at halftime.
 
NOTABLES
 
  • The Saints recorded five personal fouls in the contest, four of which were facemasks calls
  • The Blue and Gold drew 11 flags for 108 yards
  • Tusculum outpaced the Blue and Gold 302-66 in total offense in the opening half
  • Limestone limited the Pioneers to 94 yards of offense over the last 30 minutes
  • The Saints went 2-of-14 on third downs, dropping them to 21-percent on conversions this season
  • The Blue and Gold now has nine sacks on the season as senior DL Wesley Robinson (Spartanburg, S.C.) and freshman Devonte Allen (Cincinnati, Ohio) each recorded one
  • Seniors Christian Shupe (Hull, Ga.) and Timarkus Dawkins (Gaffney, S.C.) combined for a sack
 
UP NEXT
 
Following two straight home games, Limestone is back on the road next weekend as it travels to face UNC Pembroke for the first time since 2015. Game time is set for 7 p.m. on Saturday, September 28.
 
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