UVA WISE HEADS TO CARSON-NEWMAN SATURDAY
Two teams looking to end the season on a high note meet Saturday when UVA Wise travels to Jefferson City, Tenn. to face Carson-Newman in South Atlantic Conference football action.
The host Eagles (4-5, 3-4 SAC) can finish with a winning record by picking up wins in their final two games. The prospect of a winning season seemed far-fetched for Head Coach Mike Clowney's team after starting the season 1-3.
Since then, Carson-Newman has won 3-of-5, including a 21-7 win over Emory & Henry last Saturday. The turnaround has been predicated on the team's defense. The Eagles held then No. 7 Newberry to 14 points in a 24-14 win before shutting out Erskine 37-0 over the stretch of good play.
UVA Wise (2-7, 1-6 SAC) is 1-2 in its last three games but, Dane Damron's squad has shown improvement. The Cavaliers fell 10-9 to Mountain Division co-leader Tusculum before taking out Erskine 28-13. Last week, UVA Wise was in another tight affair, falling 20-16 to Mountain Division co-leader Mars Hill.
This will mark the fourth all-time meeting between the two programs. A year ago, UVA Wise scored its first win in the series 33-7 by outgaining Carson-Newman 446-to-228. The Cavs' defense flourished in stopping the run that day, limiting the Eagles to 75 rushing yards on 44 attempts.
If Damron's team is to defeat the Eagles again, stopping the run has to be at the forefront of the game plan. Carson-Newman leads the league in rushing offense at 205.7 yards per game. A diverse attack, Clowney's team has four players that have tallied over 270 rushing yards this season. Quarterback Ivan Corbin leads the effort as he has amassed 494 rushing yards and four touchdowns while guiding the veer offense. Running backs TJ King (477 yards), Tyree Nelson (337 yards) and Tyler Curtis (271 yards) have also had big seasons out of the backfield.
When Carson-Newman has thrown the ball, Braxton Westfield has been the primary target. Westfield is averaging a league-best 5.1 catches per game while also leading the conference with five touchdown grabs. His 605 receiving yards ranks second in the SAC.
Injuries have forced several players to step up for UVA Wise in the running game. Jakoby Johnson has rushed for 151 yards over the last two games while Julian Edwards has rushed for 333 yards and a pair of touchdowns this season.
Kicker Kellan Dalton and defensive backs Robert Carter and Markel Dailey continue to have standout seasons for UVA Wise. Dalton leads the league with nine made field goals while Carter leads the league in combined kick return yardage at 647 while having tied the single-season NCAA Division II era program record with five interceptions, Dailey's 49 total tackles leads the team.
UVA Wise does not yet know its opponent for the season finale. The Cavs will play the loser of this week's Wingate vs. Newberry game on the road next Saturday.
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