CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — For the fourth straight year, Fighting Tiger football came away with a homecoming victory. Campbellsville defeated University of Pikeville, 42-34, in Tiger Town on Saturday afternoon.
BOX SCORE
The win is the fourth straight win for CU on the season after dropping its first two. The Tigers improve to 4-2 overall and Pikeville drops to 2-5 overall.
It was another shootout after both teams combined for 1,099 yards of total offense. Campbellsville's nemesis all season has been stopping the run and the Tigers were struggled today. Pikeville picked up 353 of its 519 yards on the ground with Quan Weaver leading the Bears with a career-high 230.
The Bears came in ranked No. 6 in the nation only allowing 143 yards passing on the defensive side of the ball but Jacob Russell picked a part the secondary and set the tone for another handful of records to be broken. Russell finished with a new single-game record, throwing for 426 yards.
After trailing 20-14 at half time, Campbellsville shut the Bears out in the third quarter and scored 28 unanswered points to take a 42-20 lead. Russell hit Tyus Alcorn for a 55-yard touchdown reception to start the rally just 39 seconds into the second half. Alcorn finished with two touchdowns to bring his single-season mark to nine – just three away from tying Trevon Chatman and Demytreus Gipson's 12 set last year.
Russell then ran from 1-yard out to put Campbellsville's lead at 28-20. It looked as the Bears were still going to run all over the Tigers in the ensuing drive, as Weaver ran in for another TD from 15 yards out but a holding penalty negated that score. CU's defense came up big after the flag and forced the Bears to attempt a 21-yard field goal but Damir Karapandzic hit the upright.
On CU's next drive, the Tigers started to add to their lead. Russell hit Harrington for a 25-yard TD catch to break another record. That reception by Harrington broke offensive coordinator Rick Gehres' career receptions mark of 153. Harrington finished with seven catches, 66 yards and two touchdowns to set the career receptions mark at 154.
On their next drive, the Tigers struck again with a 54-yard bomb to Tyus Alcorn. Alcorn also had a big day catching seven passes for a career-high 165 yards and two touchdowns.
But the Bears awoke in the fourth quarter scoring twice and bringing the Tiger lead back to eight, 42-34. Weaver ran in from 15 yards out for his third touchdown of the afternoon and two drives later Austin Pray hauled in a 15-yard TD catch from third-string QB Russell Gordon.
Campbellsville's ensuing drive started at the 40-yard line after an onside kick went out of bounds but the Bears stopped the Tigers on downs. Erik Krivitsky boomed the best punt of the afternoon – pinning UPIKE inside the 10 yard line with a 46-yarder.
The Tigers defense held and Rosemond overthrew Jamon Langford on 4th and 10 to turn the ball over on downs and allow CU in run the clock out in victory formation.
Stephon Tanga led the defensive charge with 13 tackles. Fontez Hill also had a big day defensively with 10 tackles - three for loss. Keith Foster recorder three pass breakups in the secondary with TO Smith and Marquis Cain both finishing with two.
In addition to Harrington's receptions and Russell's passing yards, Russell also ran for 51 yards to finish with a total of 468 to break the most offensive yards gained in a single game.
First half scoring:
Both teams scored twice in the first quarter. Russell hit Harrington on an 11-yard pass to cap the longest drive for CU all season – a 16-play 91-yard drive. Will Ward's PAT was good and gave CU a 7-0 lead. Pikeville answered on its next drive with a 32-yard rush up the middle by Weaver. Kicker Damir Karapandzic tied it up at seven with 4:49 remaining.
Weaver started the second quarter and gave UPIKE its first lead on another long run – this time 25 yards up the middle. The Bears' PAT try was no good after a bad snap. Campbellsville answered and regained the lead on its next drive with a 2-yard TD rush by Chantz Goodman, 14-13.
UPIKE had another long run – this time by backup quarterback Rodney Rosemond. He started the game after Sani Warren did not dress due to an injury. Rosemond ran 40-yard on a QB draw and Karapandzic put the Bears ahead, 20-14.
Campbellsville got the ball back with one minute remaining on the clock in the first half but Russell was intercepted after his arm was hit in the throwing motion. UPIKE was unable to capitalize on that turnover but took a 20-14 lead at half time.
Second half scoring:
Russell hit Tyus Alcorn for a 31-yard pass to start Campbellsville's 28-0 run. Russell ran in for a 1-yard TD rush up the middle for his second rushing score of the season. Ward made both PAT's to push CU ahead, 28-20.
Harrington broke Rick Gehres' career receptions record with a 25-yard TD catch to put CU ahead, 35-20. Alcorn caught another long pass from Russell for their second TD hookup of the afternoon and put the Tigers ahead, 42-20.
Weaver ran for his third TD on a 13-yard rush and Austin Pray gave the Bears life with 2:53 remaining on a 13-yard TD catch, cutting the CU lead to 42-34.
Up Next:
Campbellsville gets back into MSC West divisisonal play and travels to Bethel (Tenn.) on Saturday, Oct. 17. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET and fans can get ready for the opening kick with the Tiger Tailgate Show on 88.7 The Tiger at 2 p.m.
Pikeville has 14 days off before it travels to Cumberlands (Ky.) on Saturday Oct. 24. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
