Football falls in heartbreaker in home opener to Carson-Newman

Salisbury, N.C. —- The Catawba College football team led by six points late in the fourth quarter versus undefeated Carson-Newman, but the Eagles drove 84 yards in 13 plays and punched in a game-tying touchdown with 25 seconds left and the point-after gave the visitors the one-point win at Shuford Stadium Saturday night. Carson-Newman improves to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the SAC, 

TEAM STATISTICS

- Carson-Newman recorded 24 first downs to Catawba's 23

- The Catawba Indians were 8-for-12 (67 percent) on third downs; C-N was 7-of-14 (50 percent) and 3-for-3 (100 percent) on fourth down

- Catawba out-gained the Eagles 384-296

- The Catawba Indians threw for 239 passing yards to 90 pass yards for Carson-Newman

- The Eagles rushed for 206 yards, while Catawba ran for 145 yards

- C-N was flagged eight times for 55 yards, while five Catawba penalties resulted in 62 yards

- Catawba recorded a season-high five sacks on the night; Carson-Newman sacked Catawba quarterbacks twice

- The Catawba Indians won the time-of-possession battle 31:37 to 28:23

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

- Preston Brown was 15-for-21 for 239 passing yards and three touchdowns before leaving the game due to injury

- LJ Turner took 17 carries for 88 rush yards and a touchdown

- Deuce Linder caught four passes for 85 yards and a touchdown

- Kobe Christian also hauled in four passes for 74 yards and a score

- Jordan Mitchell caught his third touchdown pass of the season

- Dru Dotter led the defense with 10 tackles

- Khalil Stimpson had seven tackles with a sack; Kyiev Bennermon recorded two sacks on the night

- Jamal Boyd and Evan Simons both added seven stops

- Bryson Sims was 2-for-2 on field goal attempts; Kylan Odean averaged 41 yards on his two punts

HOW IT HAPPENED

FIRST QUARTER

- Carson-Newman forced a punt and scored on its first offensive drive, as Zane Whitson's pass to Cam Ferguson went 53 yards for a touchdown on 3rd & 10 to take the early lead

- Catawba responded, converting two third downs before capping off the 11-play drive with Brown's 11-yard touchdown strike to Mitchell to tie the game with four minutes left in the opening period

SECOND QUARTER

- After Catawba thought it stopped Carson-Newman on 4th down, a successful challenge extended the Eagles' drive and they took advantage, punching it in on Ferguson's 5-yard touchdown run

- Brown found Christian for two conversions on 3rd & Long on the ensuing drive; Christian's 19-yard touchdown grab tied the game at 14 with over 10 minutes left in the half

- C-N scored a touchdown on its third straight offensive drive as Whiton's 11-yard touchdown pass to Jerron Newsom on 3rd & 7 returned their lead

- A 29-yard Turner rush was followed by Linder's 29-yard touchdown grab to tie the game for a third time in the first half

- Catawba forced an Eagles' punt, as the teams entered the locker room deadlocked at 21

THIRD QUARTER

- Carson-Newman took their opening drive of the second half 65 yards in just nine plays, capped by Jeremiah Carroll's 9-yard touchdown grab to take a 28-21 lead

- Linder's 36-yard catch on third down helped set up Turner's two-yard touchdown plunge to square things at 28 with 6:29 left in the third quarter

- Catawba forced a three-and-out and drove the ball into the C-N red zone; Carson-Newman sacked Brown with 12 men on the field and Brown was injured in the final plays of the second quarter

FOURTH QUARTER

- Catawba settled for Sims' 26-yard field goal to take a 31-28 lead early in the fourth quarter

- The Catawba Indians forced the Carson-Newman offense behind the sticks and forced another punt; the Eagles responded with forcing a three-and-out

- A Carson-Newman fumble and a sack forced Carson-Newman to punt again

- The Catawba Indians ran the ball six straight times, but the drive stalled and Sims converted the 40-yard field goal to go up 34-28 with just over three minutes left

- The Eagles converted a 4th & 1 en route to a 13-play, 84-yard drive, capped by Jayden Sullins' two-yard touchdown; Bennett Smith's point-after gave Carson-Newman the lead with 25 seconds remaining

- Catawba's try fell short, as Carson-Newman improved to 4-0 

UP NEXT

- Catawba returns to the road next week, facing Anderson on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 2 p.m.