BLUEFIELD, Va. – Campbellsville University Fighting Tiger Football hit the road to take on the Bluefield Rams this Saturday. Despite the Tigers matching the (RV) Rams in several significant statistical categories, the Rams managed to maintain their grip on the lead with their run game and third-down conversions, earning a 34-21 victory.
The Tigers' offensive drive out of the gate was a three-play affair. When the action switched sides, the Rams' offense exploded onto the field with an aggressive game plan. They notched the opening touchdown of the game on their very first drive, capping it off with a successful extra point. Campbellsville's second possession saw Jagger Gillis gaining crucial yards, setting up their first touchdown. Gillis connected with Luke Sheperson on a picture-perfect pass, and Colin Fratus nailed the point-after attempt. Despite the Tigers' tenacious defense, the Rams managed to find the end zone again just three minutes before the end of the first quarter, leaving the Tigers playing catch-up as the second quarter began.
The second quarter unfolded as a defensive battle, with neither team able to penetrate the opposition's end zone. Both sides remained scoreless until the final 20 seconds when the Rams called a timeout and then successfully converted a field goal, ending the first half with a 17-7 lead over the Tigers.
As the third quarter commenced, Campbellsville's defense stepped up, successfully thwarting the Rams' attempts to score. However, the Tigers' offensive efforts couldn't crack the Rams' sturdy defense either. With only four minutes left in the third quarter, Bluefield finally broke through, registering their third touchdown of the contest. In quick response, the Tigers launched a remarkable 62-yard rushing play courtesy of Tre Bass, resulting in Campbellsville's second touchdown. Heading into the fourth quarter, the Tigers still trailed the Rams, with the score standing at 24-14.
The fourth quarter kicked off with the Rams in possession, and the opening minutes saw a stalemate. Soon after, Bluefield found the end zone once more, extending their lead to 17 points. The Tigers' offense fought back relentlessly against the Rams' defense, and midway through the final quarter, Gillis connected with Luke Sheperson on a ten-yard touchdown pass, narrowing the gap on the scoreboard. With just three minutes left in the game, the Rams capped things off with a successful 31-yard field goal attempt. The contest concluded with a 34-21 defeat for the Tigers. Bluefield had secured the first down on six of their 13 third-down tries compared to Campbellsville's two of ten.
At the final whistle, the Rams had racked up 139 net rushing yards compared to the Tigers' 63. Bluefield had made 39 rushing attempts compared to Campbellsville's 15, staying committed to the ground-and-pound style. That lent itself to Bluefield dominating time of possession (35:10 to 24:50). On the defensive side of the ball, Jeremiah Pauling and Kale Hagan led the way in tackles for the Tigers. Gillis threw for two touchdowns, with Sheperson leading the receiving corps with four receptions for 61 yards, closely followed by Patrick Oden with four receptions for 48 yards.
The Tigers will be back in action, hitting the road to Grayson, Kentucky, to face off against the Christian Kentucky University Knights on September 9th, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. ET.
