GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – The UNC Pembroke football team racked up 338 yards of offense, including nearly 200 in the second half alone, but Tusculum scored 13 points off of a trio of turnovers and stuffed a potential game-winning drive in the final minute of the fourth quarter, to key a 23-20 win over the Braves on Saturday.
It was the fourth road loss of the season for the Braves (3-5) who will continue a four-game road swing next weekend at Newberry. It was the second-straight win for Tusculum (3-5) who successfully opened up a three-game home stand with the triumph.
| THE BASICS |
SCORE: Tusculum 23, UNC Pembroke 20
RECORDS: UNC Pembroke (3-5); Tusculum (3-5)
LOCATION: Greeneville, Tenn. (Pioneer Field) |
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| HOW IT HAPPENED |
| 1ST QUARTER |
Tusculum drove 76 yards on just four plays with their second possession of the contest, and capped off the scoring drive with a 59-yard touchdown run by Thurlow Wilkins. Jordon Shippy opened the drive with 9- and 8-yard runs. Tusculum 7, UNCP 0
The Braves answered the challenge on the ensuing possession with a productive 14-play, 77-yard touchdown drive that spanned more than seven minutes. Josh Jones completed eight of his nine pass attempts on the possession for 66 yards on the possession, including a 9-yard scoring strike to Tyshawn Carter. The extra point attempt was missed. Tusculum 7, UNCP 6 |
| 2ND QUARTER |
The Braves forced consecutive 3-and-outs, but Alex Alteus stepped in front of the punt attempt on the latter and Eric Price scooped up the loose ball and scored to give UNCP the lead. UNCP 13, Tusculum 7
The Pioneers got payback on the next UNCP possession when Jackson Cauthen stepped in front of a pass attempt by Josh Jones and raced 31 yards to give the lead back to the Pioneers. Tusculum 14, UNCP 13
A fumble by the Braves late in the opening half set Tusculum up deep in UNCP territory. The Pioneers mustered just seven yards on four plays, but a 35-yard field goal from Eli Shepherd extended the lead heading into the break. Tusculum 17, UNCP 13 |
| 3RD QUARTER |
The Pioneers drove 52 yards on six plays with their opening possession of the second half, but managed just a field goal out of the promising drive thanks to a stuff by the UNCP defense. Tusculum pushed the ball all the way down to the UNCP 20-yard line thanks to a 59-yard run by Jordon Shippy but, ultimately, had to settle for a 45-yard field goal from Eli Shepherd. Tusculum 20, UNCP 13
The Braves knotted the score back up on the ensuing possession, driving 74 yards on eight plays before capping the drive with a 7-yard touchdown run by Josh Sheridan. Sheridan ran three times for 20 yards on the possession, while also hauling in a 24-yard reception on a key third-down situation. Tusculum 20, UNCP 20 |
| 4TH QUARTER |
Another fumble by the Braves deep in their own territory ultimately led to the final points of the game for either team. The Pioneers set themselves up with a 1st-and-Goal situation at the 3-yard line, but could not cross the goal line, however. Eli Shepherd's 18-yard field goal capped the 10-play, 26-yard drive. Tusculum 23, UNCP 20
The Braves took over possession at their own 8-yard line with just less than five minutes left to play. A 13-yard pass from Josh Jones to Faheem Diaab gave UNCP 1st-and-10 at the Tusculum 26-yard line, but the drive ultimately stalled when the hosts stopped Josh Sheridan on a 3rd-and-1 situation at the 17-yard line, and then snuffed out a trick play by the Black & Gold on the next play. |
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| INSIDE THE BOX SCORE |
+ Sophomore Josh Jones threw for 277 yards and a touchdown on 24-of-36 passing, while also finishing with 12 rushing yards on six carries.
+ Senior Quay Threatt finished the game with a career-high 12 catches for a career-best 118 yards. The 12 receptions is the second-most catches in school history, and matches two other 12-catch games turned in by former all-American B.J. Bunn. It is the third-career 100-yard receiving game for Threatt, and the second this season.
+ Senior Josh Sheridan ran for 43 yards on 18 carries, while also catching four passes for 43 yards. It is the third time this season that the Lumber has registered 18 or more carries, while the four pass receptions matched a career high.
+ Junior Isaac Parks averaged 49.8 yards on four punts against the Pioneers, including a 59-yard boot in the first quarter. Parks has now registered 11 punts of 50 or more yards this season
+ Junior Jordan Howard led the Braves in tackles (7) for the second-straight week, and also tacked up a career-best two tackles for loss (-5 yards) as well. |
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| NOTABLES |
+ The Braves registered 300 or more offensive yards for the fifth time this season, and have now accomplished that task in three-straight contests.
+ Saturday's setback marked the 13th-straight road loss for the Braves. UNCP's last road win was a 66-14 rout of Elizabeth City State on Sept. 9, 2017.
+ UNCP's final drive of the game stalled inside the 20-yard line, marking the first time this season that the Braves have failed to convert on a red zone opportunity. UNCP is now 25-for-26 inside the red zone this season. |
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| UP NEXT |
| UNCP will move on to the third leg of their four-game road trip on November 2 when it makes the short trip to central South Carolina to battle Newberry (3-4). Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Setzler Field. |
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| STAY CONNECTED |
| Follow UNCP Football on Twitter and Instagram and "Like" UNCP Football on Facebook. |
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| JOIN THE BRAVES CLUB |
| Fans can help support the UNC Pembroke Football program by joining the Braves Club. To find out more information about the Braves Club, visit UNCPBraves.com/BravesClub or email braves.club@uncp.edu. |
