WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. — No. 13 Campbellsville University intercepted four passes, received three touchdowns from
Justyce Law, and broke a third-quarter tie with
Ashton Auker's 99-yard kickoff return Saturday to defeat the University of the Cumberlands 33-26 at James H. Taylor II Stadium.
- Four takeaways anchored the road victory. Campbellsville intercepted four passes without committing a turnover. Jerrod Johnson made two interceptions, including one in the end zone before halftime, while TJ Peaks and Josh Labelah ended fourth-quarter possessions with picks.
- Law created three explosive touchdowns. Law rushed for touchdowns of 71 and 18 yards and connected with Troy Oliver for a 40-yard score. He finished with 196 yards of total offense, did not turn the ball over, and punted three times for a 39.7-yard average, placing all three inside the Cumberlands 20.
- Auker supplied the immediate answer. Cumberlands tied the game at 19 with 5:46 remaining in the third quarter, but Auker returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. He finished with 112 yards on two kickoff returns and gave Campbellsville a lead it would not relinquish.
- Campbellsville controlled the ground game. The Tigers rushed for 237 yards on 40 attempts while limiting the Patriots to 97 yards on 28 carries. Archelaus Smith led the attack with 114 yards on 12 attempts, averaging 9.5 yards per carry, while Law added 75 yards and two touchdowns.
- The defense repeatedly answered in scoring territory. Johnson intercepted a pass in the end zone with three seconds left in the first half, and Labelah produced another end-zone interception with 17 seconds remaining in the game. The Tigers also recorded a safety and erased a potential Cumberlands touchdown with pressure and a late sack after a holding penalty nullified the score.
- Campbellsville owned possession and total yardage. The Tigers held the ball for 34:42 and outgained Cumberlands 358-248 despite converting only 3 of 11 third downs. Campbellsville averaged 6.3 yards per play and held the Patriots to 3.8.
- The Tigers closed the game with defense and ball control. Campbellsville held Cumberlands scoreless in the fourth quarter and consumed 8:15 on a 12-play possession after Peaks' interception. Although the drive ended with a blocked field goal, it left the Patriots 2:31 to attempt a tying drive.
Campbellsville moved inside the Cumberlands 10 on its opening possession behind Smith's 39-yard run, but the Tigers missed a 29-yard field-goal attempt. Johnson intercepted Tanner Marsh at the Campbellsville 39 on the Patriots' next series, though another missed field goal kept the game scoreless through the first quarter.
Law broke the tie on the first snap of Campbellsville's opening second-quarter possession, racing 71 yards for a touchdown.
Colin Fratus added the extra point to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead with 13:46 remaining in the half.
Cumberlands answered after a 56-yard kickoff return placed the ball at the Campbellsville 31. Juan Bullard Jr. scored on a 15-yard run, but the Patriots' two-point pass failed, leaving the Tigers ahead 7-6.
The Patriots took advantage of a special-teams miscue on Campbellsville's next possession. A failed punt attempt gave Cumberlands the ball at the Tigers' 1, and quarterback Drew Gregg scored on the following play to put the Patriots in front 13-7.
Campbellsville's defense cut into the deficit when a Cumberlands holding penalty in its own end zone resulted in a safety with 4:36 left in the half. The Tigers then drove 75 yards in six plays, with Law completing consecutive passes of 14 and 40 yards to Oliver. The latter went for a touchdown and restored Campbellsville's lead at 16-13.
Cumberlands threatened to retake the lead before halftime, moving to the Campbellsville 16. Johnson intercepted Gregg in the end zone with three seconds remaining, preserving the Tigers' three-point advantage at the break.
Campbellsville opened the second half with a 62-yard drive sparked by Smith's 24-yard run and
Dionte Jones' 31-yard gain. The Patriots kept the Tigers out of the end zone, but Fratus converted a 29-yard field goal to extend the lead to 19-13.
Cumberlands responded with a 10-play, 64-yard drive. Cade Lamb scored on an 18-yard run, but the missed extra point left the game tied at 19 with 5:46 remaining in the third quarter.
Auker needed 12 seconds to put Campbellsville back in front, fielding the ensuing kickoff at the 1 and returning it 99 yards for a touchdown. Fratus' extra point gave the Tigers a 26-19 advantage.
The Patriots answered with a 10-play drive, converting fourth-and-4 before Gregg found Michael Petty for a 19-yard touchdown. The extra point tied the game at 26 with 22 seconds left in the third quarter.
Jaysean Pritchard returned the ensuing kickoff 34 yards, and a Cumberlands personal foul moved Campbellsville to the Patriots' 36. Smith gained 18 yards on the next snap before Law scored on an 18-yard keeper six seconds into the fourth quarter, putting the Tigers ahead 33-26.
Campbellsville's defense forced a three-and-out before Law pinned Cumberlands at its own 20 with a 45-yard punt. Peaks intercepted Gregg on the Patriots' next play, returning possession to the Tigers with 10:46 remaining.
The Tigers used the takeaway to consume more than eight minutes. Campbellsville ran 12 plays and reached the Cumberlands 3, but an offensive pass-interference penalty erased a touchdown before the Patriots blocked a 49-yard field-goal attempt.
Cumberlands drove to the Campbellsville 6 in the closing minute, but a holding penalty wiped out a potential touchdown. Labelah then sacked Gregg for a 12-yard loss before intercepting the quarterback in the end zone on fourth-and-31, sealing the Tigers' 33-26 victory.
