WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. – A few individual highs and records were the bright spots Saturday, as Campbellsville University fell on the road at No. 10 University of the Cumberlands, 62-19.

The loss is the second this season for the Fighting Tigers against NAIA Top 10 teams.

 

"Playing up against the 10^th ranked team in the country, we knew it could possibly be ugly. Our hope was to storm up and create opportunities. We were able to do that some late in the first half, but they were just too good for us," said CU Head Coach Perry Thomas. "I think they're the best team in the conference hands down."

Cumberlands scored on four of its first five possessions of the game to take a 20-6 lead early in the second quarter.

Both place-kickers had extra points blocked in the first quarter, including one by Blake Young, who broke the CU single-season record for kick blocks (4) and now has six in his career.

Jay Bright threw for two touchdowns in the first quarter, connecting with Willie Gibson and D'Angelo Jordan once, while Terrance Cobb passed the 20 touchdown mark for the season with his first of three touchdowns in the game.  

Campbellsville first got on the board on its third possession after falling behind, 14-0.  Bryan Parnes found Demytreus Gipson on a 15-yard pass that turned into a 75-yard scoring play as Gipson sprinted down the sideline for his first of two touchdowns in the game. Casey Clarke's extra point try was blocked, leaving the Tigers down by eight, 14-6, with 7:20 left in the first quarter.

Both teams combined for five touchdowns in the second quarter to go into halftime with the Patriots leading, 49-19.

Cumberlands extended its lead with another TD connection from Bright to Gipson and then a 5-yard run by Cobb. Just after going up 41-6, Dewaun Harrison recovered a fumbled handoff by Parnes in the end zone for Cumberlands' final score of the half.

Parnes rebounded to lead the Fighting Tigers down the field in 13 plays for their next score. The junior quarterback completed three passed for 43 yards, while junior tailback Seth McFerrin moved the ball 32 yards on six carries. His last carry was a 5-yard touchdown on fourth-and-3. McFerrin went on to collect a career-high 83 yards in the game.

The Tigers fought back to close the first half as Percy Minor recovered a fumble, his fourth forced turnover in three weeks, to set up the CU offense on Cumberlands' 18. Parnes then found Gipson on a 17-yard, fourth-down touchdown. Clarke hit the PAT to go 1-for-3 on the day.

Cumberlands added a touchdown in the third quarter and two in the fourth to close the day.

Cobb finished the game with 327 yards rushing of Cumberlands' 619 yards in the game.

Parnes was 12-of-36 passing for the Tigers with 170 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Gipson's two catches combined for 92 yards, while Jared Harrington had six catches for 55 yards.

CU's linebackers led the defense, starting with Young's 11, followed by 10 from Nick Reed and Beau Biller had eight.

Campbellsville (2-7, 1-3 MSC West) will return home Saturday, Nov. 3 for a Mid-South Conference West Division battle against Faulkner University (5-4, 3-2 MSC) at 1:30 p.m. EST on Senior Day. CU's Senior Day festivities will begin around 1:10 at Finley Stadium and Citizens Bank Field.


Photos by Sarah Ames