The University of the Cumberlands (UC) Football Patriots came into Saturday’s game with hopes of ending a 4 game losing skid. Early, the Patriots looked solid and poised to try and make a statement, but Reinhardt would get into a groove that UC couldn’t stop as they fell to Reinhardt 49-23. With the loss, the Patriots move to 1-6 on the season.
UC would get on the board first after forcing a fumble on the opening kickoff with a 38 yard field goal by Joe Rose (Lawrenceburg, Ky.), giving UC an early 3-0 lead. After trading series, it was Reinhardt getting on the board with a 4 yard pass for a touchdown, giving the Eagles a 7-3 lead. UC would immediately answer yet again on special teams as Wendall Williams (Syracuse, N.Y.) would return the ensuing kickoff 83 yards for a TD, the third straight game UC has returned a kick for a TD. After Rose’s PAT, the Patriots would retake the lead 10-7. Reinhardt would score on their next possession on a 19 yard run by Sam Jones, giving the Eagles the lead back 14-10. LJ Stegall would also score late in the 1st quarter on an 86 yard run, putting Reinhardt up 21-10 after the opening 15 minutes.
Rose would score again in the 2nd quarter for the Patriots capping off a 12 play, 53 yard drive with a 40 yard field goal, making it 21-13 Eagles. The Eagles would then score two more TDs in the quarter, extending their lead to 35-13 before Rose would hit his 3rd field goal of the game from 34 yards, making it 35-16 at the half. Reinhardt would score 14 unanswered points in the 3rd quarter including another 81 yard run by LJ Stegall to make it 49-16 Eagles entering the 4th quarter. UC would chip into the lead one last time with a 5 yard TD run by Cole Russell (Rogersville, Tenn.), making it 49-23 Eagles, the final score.
BY THE NUMBERS
· Randy Maynard (Pikeville, Ky.) went 9-21 through the air for 79 yards with two interceptions.
· Cole Russell was the leading rusher for UC with 79 yards and a TD on 17 carries.
· DJ Rozier (Wrightsville, Ga.) caught 5 passes for the Patriots for 52 yards.
· Defensively, Corey Washington (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Brandon Ford (Winston Salem, N.C.) led the Patriots with 7 total tackles. The Patriots forced 5 turnovers in the game including 3 fumble recoveries and 2 interceptions.
· UC gave up 595 yards of total offense in the game, the most in any game this season.
