CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – Fifteen million homes had access to tune into Homecoming 2012 Saturday, and Campbellsville University gave their first-ever national television audience an exciting game to watch.

After falling behind 10-0 in the first quarter to rival Lindsey Wilson College, the Fighting Tigers responded with 14 points in the final two minutes of the first half and then added big defensive stops in the second half en route to a 28-23 victory in front of a large Homecoming crowd to keep possession of the "Battle of Highway 55" trophy.

While Campbellsville took a 21-10 lead early in the second half, the Blue Raiders rallied late. LWC drove 70 yards in the final two minutes to move into the red zone. CU came close to picking off quarterback Branden Cresap multiple times in the game, but the only interception came when it was needed most. Senior saber Earl McCann won a tip-drill play at the Tiger 5 with 23 seconds left in the game to seal the Fighting Tigers' first home victory of the season.

More important, it was the first win in Mid-South Conference West Division play, keeping CU in the hunt for a conference title.

"It's huge to get a conference victory. It's huge to get a win for our guys in front of the home crowd on Homecoming weekend. And it's big to get a win over Lindsey Wilson, because they're so close and it's become a good rivalry," said Perry Thomas, CU head coach. "Our guys have fought hard and lost a couple of close games early, so to have two wins in close games is good for our guys."

The win coming in front of a national television audience on FOX College Sports Atlantic was icing on the cake.

"Everyone benefited from this game being on national TV – the community, the university and obviously the football program. I talked to (play-by-play broadcaster) Mr. (Jim) Tirey after we were done and told them they could come back every week and get us on that national stage. Our guys really enjoy playing in that arena," said Thomas.

For the second straight year, LWC jumped on top quick and early. Cresap marched the Blue Raiders down the field on the opening drive for a 31-yard touchdown pass to Matt Powers. It was the first of three touchdown connections for the duo in the game. Powers finished the day with 150 yards on 11 catches, while Cresap had 301 yards passing on a school record 29 completions and record 51 attempts.

LWC took advantage of two Bryan Parnes turnovers to move into field goal range on the next two drives. Mark Corbett hit the left upright on his first try, from 38 yards out, before splitting the uprights from 20 yards out for a 10-0 LWC lead. 

Trailing 2-0 in the turnover battle, Campbellsville's first big defensive play in the game came with 6:20 remaining in the first half. Freshman defensive end Dekwain Tarrance, playing in his first collegiate game, stripped Tommy Smith at the Lindsey Wilson 35. Percy Minor fell on the ball, giving CU prime real estate to work with. Chris Cook and Will Warf moved the ball down field, as Cook picked up 23 yards on six carries and Warf added two runs and an 11-yard catch to put the Tigers at the goal line. Cook punched the ball in for the first Tiger touchdown, 10-7.

After holding LWC three-and-out and using two time outs, Campbellsville got the ball back on the Blue Raiders' 40 yard line with 14 seconds remaining in the half. Parnes hit Demytreus Gipson in stride down the Tigers' sideline for a go-ahead touchdown, 14-10, with three seconds left in the first half.

CU never trailed again.

"It kind of reminded me of last year over there where things went real well for them early, but our guys persevered and stayed strong and we were able to get on the board," said Thomas. "The big score before half was huge, because those are points you don't expect to give up or get that close to the half."

Campbellsville and Lindsey both went three-and-out to start the second half, but CU's main defensive play-maker, Blake Young, broke through the line to block Corbett's punt at the Blue Raider 34. Momentum carried the ball back to the LWC 3, where Stetson Pendergrass dove on it for the Tiger first down. Cook punched the ball in from a yard out for his second of three touchdowns in the game.

Young's punt block was his third blocked kick of the season (one PAT, one field goal and one punt), tying the single-season record for blocks. He now has five blocks in his career, a CU record.

Cresap led his offense back down field on a 75-yard drive that ate up 7:48 of clock to get back on the board with an 8-yard pass to Powers, pulling within four, 21-17.

One possession later, Cresap and the Blue Raiders were driving again, picking up two first downs before fumbling on the Tigers' half of midfield. Minor once again scooped up the loose ball, this time forced by Brendan Walker.

The Tiger defense posted a red zone stop on fourth down on LWC's next drive. The stop sparked the offense, as Parnes aired out a 76-yard pass play to Steph'Von Haynes, who was tackled at the 1. Cook topped the drive with his sixth touchdown of the season.

"I'd messed up the play all week," Parnes said. "I was looking for the tight end, but he wasn't there. I got hit when I threw it, and all I heard was the crowd go crazy. I thought I may have thrown an interception. I was pretty excited to see that he caught it and ran all the way down there."

Parnes finished the day 11-of-23 passing for 162 yards. He added 23 yards rushing for a career-high 185 yards of total offense – the most this season of any CU offensive player.

The Blue Raiders pulled within one score again when Cresap connected with Powers for their third TD of the day. With five minutes remaining, LWC elected to go for 2, but Rico Dickerson broke up the pass at the goal line, keeping LWC needing a touchdown.

Lindsey had one last rally attempt after the Tigers' final drive stalled at the 50. Cresap completed 5-of-8 passes to move the Blue Raiders into the red zone with 30 seconds remaining. On first-and-10 at the Tiger 17, Cresap hit Ben Madon in the hands, but Madon tipped the ball up. After about four bobbles by multiple players, McCann secured the game-ending interception.

"I was only thinking, 'Don't let them in.' Our whole mentality in the second half was don't let them in (the end zone). All we need is one stop, and we have it," said McCann. "Lindsey Wilson has never beat us, so it was nice to keep it going at home and keep the 55 here, especially at Homecoming."

Young led CU's defense in tackles for the sixth-straight week, as he had his fourth double-digit tackle game. His 12 tackles (five solo, seven assisted) give him 74 for the season and a conference-leading 10.6 per game.

Eric Krivitsky helped CU in the field position battle, punting six times for 210 yards. No punt returns were allowed in the game, as Krivitsky's punts placed LWC with on average on its own 22. Also, none of the six drives resulted in a scoring drive for the Blue Raiders. Senior place kicker Casey Clarke was 4-for-4 on PAT attempts, while averaging 58.6 yards per kickoff. Three of his five kickoffs traveled into end zone, including one touchback.

Campbellsville (2-5, 1-2 MSC West) will travel to No. 16 Cumberland University (5-2, 1-1 MSC) Saturday, Oct. 20 for a 7 p.m. EDT kickoff in Lebanon, Tenn.


STATS

NOTES & RECORDS
- Emily Shultz, a senior from Mt. Sterling, Ky., was crowned Homecoming Queen -- STORY
- CU is 12-13 on Homecoming since varsity football was reinstated in 1988.
- Campbellsville is now 2-3 when holding opponents below 28 points.
- Lindsey Wilson is now 0-3 when being held to 28 points or less.
- Lindsey Wilson is now 0-5 when trailing at halftime
- The turnover battle in the series is now even, 8-8, in three games.
- Chris Cook and Casey Clarke are now tied for team's lead in scoring with 36 points each.
- Blake Young tied William Mulder (2002) and Dwight Houston (2011) for the single-season record for blocked kicks (3). Young now owns the CU Career record for blocked kicks (5).
- Darius Skinner moved into third-place on the Tigers' career list for total punt returns (42) and fifth in total kickoff returns (48).
- Skinner moved into fourth-place on the CU career list for punt return yards (336) and kickoff return yards (945).