BARBOURVILLE, Ky. – The Campbellsville University football team went into their third game of 2019 with a lot of questions, especially on the offensive side of the ball and came out of Williamson Stadium with their first victory of 2019 by a final of 52-14.
The Tigers exploding for 28 third quarter points after heading into halftime up 17-14 as they were led by quarterback
Talaileva Sufia. Sufia didn't get the start but was able to go off in the third quarter, as he was responsible for all four CU touchdown drives as he threw three TD passes and ran for another.
Two of his three touchdowns in the third quarter went to
Kendon Young for 34 and 24 yards as the senior wide receiver finished the game with a season-high three touchdowns and 157 total receiving yards. Sufia's two touchdowns to Young sandwiched a 17-yard pass to
Zachary Cole and a nine-yard rushing touchdown for the sophomore quarterback from Pago Pago, American Samoa.
After exiting the third quarter with a 45-14 lead, the Tigers were able to cruise to victory adding another score on a
Malik Richards 29-yard touchdown reception from
Chase Wilson to bring the score to its eventual final of 52-14.
Wilson was the signal caller that got the call to start for CU as he opened the game with a touchdown drive that finished with Young's first touchdown reception of the game on a 25-yard pass. Wilson was removed from the game after a first quarter interception led to Union taking a 7-6 lead in the first quarter.
Wilson and Sufia combined to finish the game 17-for-31 for 283 yards and five touchdown passes and an interception. Sufia went 12-for-22 for 171 yards, and Wilson went 5-for-9 for 112 yards in limited action early and late in the game.
The Bulldogs were able to answer that game opening TD drive by the Tigers by scoring two unanswered touchdowns on a 49-yard pass from Kendrick Furness to Immanuel Dawsey followed by a 30-yard strike from Furness to Earl Wells.
From that point on, Campbellsville was able to outscore UC 46-0 to finish the game, including 11 unanswered in the remainder of the first half to take a three-point lead into the break at 17-14.
Running back
David Richardson was able to punch a touchdown in on the ground with a nine-yard rush late in the first quarter then
Noah Bicksler scored the only points of the second quarter with a 35-yard field goal.
Richardson led a deep rushing attack that totaled
Of course, it wasn't all offense to get the Tigers to that 52-14 win as the defense took the 11 possessions after the second Union touchdown and only allowed the Bulldogs to gain 136 total yards of offense for the rest of the game.
Forcing nine punts, a fumble and one turnover on downs, the CU defense never allowed the Bulldogs to gain any sense of momentum after Union appeared to have something working up 14-6.
Led by a career effort from senior linebacker
Darius Moore, the Tiger defense held Union to only 242 total yards in the game, 29 rushing yards, and a 3-15 (20%) third down conversion rate. Moore finished the game with career highs in tackles (15), solo tackles (9), and tackles for a loss (7.5) as he also finished with a sack in the ball game.
The Tigers will look to take the momentum of their first win of the year as they get ready to play the rescheduled game against Southeastern University. That game was moved to Sept. 28 in Lakeland, Fla. after Hurricane Dorian threatened the originally scheduled game on Sept. 7.
