Presbyterian Wins Third Straight Over Carson-Newman
CLINTON, S.C. – Presbyterian scored 21 points in the first quarter and never looked back, defeating No. 20 Carson-Newman 28-7 before 3,421 at Bailey Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Blue Hose have now picked up three straight victories over the Eagles and five in the last seven seasons.
The only other team to defeat Carson-Newman in three consecutive games under head coach Ken Sparks’ 27-years at the helm is North Alabama.
Presbyterian (6-3, 4-1 SAC) is the only team in the SAC to accomplish the feat. Newberry came close in 1988 and 1989, but could not obtain three straight wins over Sparks and the Eagles.
Presbyterian’s S.J. Worrell for the third consecutive week had his best performance in a PC uniform. The Blue Hose redshirt freshman running back finished the win over Carson-Newman with a career-best 100 yards on the ground and one touchdown. The 100-yard rushing performance was the first of the year for the Blue Hose.
The Blue Hose almost had two players achieve or surpass the 100-yard plateau, as Clinton native Chetyuane Reeder finished with 99 total yards, including a game-high 51-yard run.
In total, the Blue Hose rushing attack concluded the afternoon with 285 net yards rushing.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Presbyterian’s defensive unit held the Carson-Newman veer option attack to just 104 yards on the ground.
Antwan Thomas continued to rack up tackles, registering a double-digit total of 10 sacks to lead the Blue Hose. Thomas, who now has a team-best 68 total stops on the 2006 campaign, also had 1.5 tackles-for-loss and a quarterback sack.
Sophomore defensive back Anthony McKnight had one of the better days of his career in the victory, finishing with nine tackles and one quarterback hurry.
Presbyterian wasted little time putting their first points on the scoreboard when Grayson Mullins found Chris Pope for a 10-yard touchdown with 7:57 left in the first stanza. It was Pope’s only catch of the afternoon.
A little over three minutes later, Grayson Mullins acquired the first rushing touchdown of his career when he rushed up the middle from one-yard out to score the eventual game-winning touchdown and place the Blue Hose on top 14-0.
PC went ahead 21-0 when Worrell found the end zone from three yards out with 0:52 left in the first quarter.
Carson-Newman (6-3, 2-3 SAC) was able to get on the scoreboard in the second quarter when C-N starting quarterback Alex Rouse connected with Reggie Hubbard for a 19-yard touchdown.
Presbyterian
found the end zone for the final time in the victory in
the third quarter when Grayson Mullins found Justin
Durant (pictured) for a 17-yard touchdown and his
second touchdown pass of the afternoon.
The two touchdown passes by Mullins marked the first time this season that a Presbyterian quarterback has hurled more than one in a contest.
Coupled with the rushing touchdown, Mullins – starting for his third consecutive game – had one of his better days as the Blue Hose signal caller, throwing for 107 yards (11-for-19).
Presbyterian continues its drive to repeat as SAC champions next week when they travel to Catawba to square off against the Indians. Kickoff during the SAC week six matchup is set for 1:30 p.m.