PIKEVILLE, Ky. — Fighting Tiger Football notched a win in their second consecutive season-opener against the University of Pikeville Thursday night. Tre' Bass could not be stopped, gaining 300 yards on the night as Jagger Gillis found Ashton Auker for the move-ahead score in the winding seconds, 34-33.

Campbellsville's defense stood resolute against the Bears' burgeoning offense following a first-play-of-the-game 12-yard catch, forcing a punt on the next set of downs. The Tigers' inaugural offensive possession saw them advance from their own 28 into Bass' 16-yard rushing touchdown.

Later in the first quarter, a crucial overturned fumble call kept Pikeville from getting on the board with the defense, although their eventual six-minute drive knotted the score at 7's. Campbellsville's initial possession in the second quarter saw their opportunity extended with a too-many-players-on-the-field call on an attempted punt, but it stalled at midfield. The Bears connected for yet another passing first down, but the Tiger defense locked their run game down and forced incompletions.

Back with the ball at midfield, the Tigers chipped away at Pikeville's prevention, gaining three first downs to the five-yard line. Then, just before the two-minute warning, Gillis floated a fade over to Andre Siler, who got both feet in bounds for the Tigers' first airborne touchdown of the year.

In retaliation, the Bears marched too, lifted by a circus catch on a third down, and quickly found themselves deep within Campbellsville's territory. Then, Pikeville continued their efficient passing game, hitting the Tigers with a fader in the back of the endzone. However, the Tigers held the 14-13 lead following an unsuccessful point-after attempt. The spunky Campbellsville offense had a chance to tack on more points just before the half, but the field goal attempt bounced off the uprights from 33 yards out.

Bass stayed on the gas, rattling off a 60-yard scoring sprint for the opening second-half play. That was followed by each team mustering short, unfruitful drives before the Bears hit the Tigers with a quick pass for a 49-yard touchdown. The referees spent a bit of time checking the replay of a potential strip by the Tigers right at the goal line of the play, but the call stood. Going for two, Pikeville's pass was broken up as Campbellsville maintained the two-point cushion, 21-19.

Deeper into the third, Gillis found Mid-South Conference Offensive Freshman of the Year Auker for a 34-yard strike, getting the Tigers into a threatening position. However, Gillis' throw to Luke Sheperson on a post route inside was knocked into the air and intercepted. The defense didn't allow Pikeville to push forward and forced a punt. A penalty reversed a potential Bears turnover, and Tigers scored on the play, and a 53-yard boot put Campbellsville just past midfield, starting their new drive.

That possession reached into the fourth quarter as the Tigers kept feeding Bass. At Pikeville's 40, On 3rd-and-23 after a penalty, Gillis launched a ball to a wide-open Nate Monroe down the left sideline, extending the Campbellsville advantage to 28-19 and making the contest a two-possession game late. Pikeville returned to their effective airball, completing throws five consecutive times before a forced incompletion. The Bears rebounded from it, scoring within four minutes of Monroe's touchdown and bringing things back to two points, 28-26. 

A Campbellsville fumble quickly brought Pikeville's offense back on the field, but it was three-and-out for the Bears. The Tigers kept handing off to Bass; they reached the Bears' 32-yard-line before facing a 4th-and-one, which they could not convert. The Bears then made the most of their opportunity, completing a 56-yard pass down to the Campbellsville 12. With just 1:31 left in the game, Pikeville went into clock-management mode and ran it down to 39 before sneaking in to score. Campbellsville got possession with 25 seconds to go, and Auker made up a lot of yards on the squib kick: 37 total with an extra 15 from a Pikeville flag. Gillis found Siler for 20 yards on their first play down to the 12-yard line. Gillis followed that up with a dime to Auker, who sprinted to the sideline endzone, wheeling into the perfect spot for the game-winner, 34-33.

The triumphant Tigers will be back in action next Saturday, September 7th, at 1:30 p.m. ET in Babson Park, Florida, against Webber International University.

• Gillis was 8-18 in the opening half with 118 yards and a touchdown, while Tre Bass ran for just under 100 yards with 99 and a score himself. Gillis and Bass upped their game further in the second half. Gillis passed for 11-16 for 165 yards and threw two touchdowns, while Bass rushed for 140 yards and broke past the goal line to add another touchdown to his total. 
• Bass added two receptions for 61 yards to get his total yards accumulated to the 300 mark. In 2023, he had 70 rush attempts for 321 yards total.
• Campbellsville had nine players catch a ball, while Pikeville had nearly 500 receiving yards (441) to Campbellsville's 283. The Bears had 32(!) passes at halftime.
• Seven Tigers had at least three tackles: Nigel Nerese with three, Jayden Cray, Josiah Harris, DQ Brown, and Paul Maxwell with four, and Obie Wilson and Ellis Reed leading the way with five apiece.
• This game was the second year in a row that the Tigers faced the Bears in their season-opening contest. In 2023, Campbellsville fell at home by one (28-27), allowing 21 Pikeville points in the final quarter.