CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – Homecoming Saturday was looking to be a day for the Campbellsville University football team as they exited the first quarter up 5-0 but they were outscored 35-10 from the second quarter on as University of Pikeville went home with a 35-15 win Saturday afternoon.
 
It was a game where every offensive score either coming from the defensive side of the ball or off of a turnover or special teams' mishap. In total there were seven turnovers in the game as well as a blocked punt for Pikeville.
 
The Tigers got the first score of the game on defense via a safety in the first quarter as Anthony Sams Jr. tackled UPike running back Derius Gibson for a loss after the Bears were backed up to their own goal line after a few penalties.
 
The drive started after a Noah Bicksler punt bounced out of bounds at the four yard line, one of two Bicksler boots to be pinned inside of the UPike 20 yard line. After a first down, it appeared that the Bears may have had a long touchdown pass, but it was called back on a holding penalty, three plays later Sams Jr. took Gibson down in the backfield as the Tigers took an early lead by the rare score of 2-0.
 
Another big play from the CU defense led to the second Tiger score of the game as DyRon Williams forced a fumble around midfield with Andrew Bennett diving on the loose ball for the recovery. After five completed passes to either Ziyon Kenner or Kendon Young, Talaileva Sufia was sacked on a first down from the UPike 13 yard line push Campbellsville back and eventually forcing them to attempt a field goal.
 
Bicksler's first attempt at the field goal was missed after a mishandled snap and hold but Pikeville was called for running into the kicker. So a 35-yard kick turned into a 30-yard attempt that the junior knocked through to make the game 5-0.
 
The next score of the game came off of another fumble but this time it was a CU fumble on another sack of Sufia as Johran Broadnax came in free off the right edge to force the sack/fumble with Ivan Sledge recovering the fumble on the Campbellsville 15 yard line late in the first quarter.
 
Broadnax was all over the field for the Bears, finishing as their leading tackler in the game with nine tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss, three sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception in the game.
 
Five plays later, Gibson ran the ball in from four yards out as UPike took a 7-5 lead and never looked back from there. The Bears scored a touchdown on their next drive after a blocked punt, but CU was able to add another Bicksler field goal to go into the half only down six at 14-8.
 
To start the third quarter, it was Pikeville's turn to get a defensive score but instead of CU's two-point safety in the first, the Bears returned a fumbled to the house for a touchdown to take a 21-8 lead with about 10 minutes left in the third quarter. Nyshun Bell was able to snag a bouncing ball after Sufia lost the ball as he pulled the ball back to throw with Bell rumbling 46 yards for a touchdown.
 
It was then time for the Tiger defense to step up, as they did with the second interception of the season by safety Marcus McCants, as he returned the ball to the Bears' 30 yard line. Four plays later, Sufia hit Young on a slant route, with Young breaking three tackles on his way to the end zone to make it a one-score game once again at 21-15.
 
Young had another outstanding game with 13 receptions, just one shy of the single-game record at CU. He also finished with that touchdown, 84 receiving yards and 39 yards on kick returns in the game, a week after becoming the all-time leader in Campbellsville history in receiving yards in a career.
 
Unfortunately for the Tigers, that was their last score of the game as Pikeville scored on a 36-yard run by Gibson just one play after Sufia threw an interception made by Broadnax. The final score of the game came on a flea flicker from UPike with quarterback Bowen Smith hit Arties Clark on a 52-yard pass after a Campbellsville turnover on downs.
 
Campbellsville football will be on the road next week as they travel to Williamsburg, Ky. to face undefeated University of the Cumberlands next Saturday for a 7 p.m. ET kickoff.