🏈 FINAL: Campbell 49, East Tennessee State 37
Campbell football, which struggled to close out games in the fourth quarter last season, flipped the script in its 2026 opener, knocking off East Tennessee State 49-37 behind a huge performance from quarterback Kamden Sixkiller.
The Camels piled up 514 yards of offense and seven touchdowns, winning at an ETSU program that went 7-5 last season and was picked third in the SoCon preseason poll. Campbell led 28-24 at halftime, stretched the advantage to 42-24 early in the fourth quarter and then delivered one final answer after the Bucs rallied within five points.
⭐ Sixkiller puts on a show
Quarterback Kamden Sixkiller, a transfer from McNeese State who earned the starting job in 2025, was the engine behind nearly everything Campbell did offensively.
The junior completed 29 of 42 passes for a career-high 343 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He also added 95 rushing yards and two more scores on 10 carries. That’s 438 yards of total offense and four touchdowns in the season opener.
And this wasn’t simply a bunch of empty yardage in a shootout.
After ETSU scored 13 consecutive fourth-quarter points to cut Campbell’s lead from 42-24 to 42-37 with 5:34 remaining, the Camels needed an answer.
They got one.
Campbell marched 82 yards in six plays, and Sixkiller finished the drive himself with a 14-yard touchdown run with 1:53 remaining to put the game away, getting a solid block from Brady Ambrose on the edge.
🎯 Plenty of help around the quarterback
Campbell’s offense wasn’t a one-man operation, however.
Evan Austin caught four passes for 93 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown on Campbell’s opening possession. Jon Gullette, a noted transfer from Mars Hill transfer, contributed 79 yards from scrimmage with seven catches for 43 yards and five carries for 36.
The distribution might be the sneakiest impressive number: six different Camels had at least 40 receiving yards.
De’Von Thomas, a former Rolesville High standout, scored twice on the ground, including a one-yard touchdown after Justin Garza recovered an ETSU fumble and returned it 29 yards to the 1. That gave Campbell its largest lead, 42-24, early in the fourth quarter.
🎯 Key Moments
- Fast start: Sixkiller found Austin for a 30-yard touchdown to complete a 75-yard opening drive.
- Answer before halftime: After ETSU took a 21-14 lead, Campbell scored twice to regain a 28-21 advantage before the Bucs kicked a field goal as time expired.
- Third-quarter stop: Campbell kept ETSU scoreless in the third quarter while extending its lead to 35-24.
- Turnover becomes seven: Garza’s 29-yard fumble return set up Thomas’ one-yard TD and an 18-point Campbell advantage.
- The response: ETSU pulled within 42-37, but Campbell answered with an 82-yard touchdown drive capped by Sixkiller’s 14-yard run, a wonderful flip from last season when nearly every game against an FCS opponent slipped away late.
📊 By the Numbers
- 514 — Campbell total yards
- 438 — Sixkiller’s total offense
- 343 — Sixkiller passing yards
- 95 — Sixkiller rushing yards
- 4 — Sixkiller touchdowns
- 7 — Campbell touchdowns
- 0 — Campbell turnovers
- 2 — ETSU turnovers
- 3-for-4 — Campbell on fourth down
- 32:53 — Campbell time of possession
📌 Why It Matters
This feels like more than simply starting 1-0.
ETSU was a seven-win team last season and entered 2026 picked near the top of the SoCon. Campbell went into Johnson City, scored 49 points (most for the team since 2023), didn’t turn the ball over and found a way to finish when the Bucs made their fourth-quarter charge.
There are certainly things to clean up. ETSU produced 528 yards, including 373 through the air, and Campbell committed 10 penalties for 93 yards.
But the Camels didn’t need everything to go perfectly to win a difficult road opener.
And they may have something pretty interesting at quarterback.
⏭️ What’s Next: Here Come the Catamounts
Campbell returns home Saturday, Sept. 5, for a 3:30 p.m. showdown against Western Carolina at Barker-Lane Stadium. This looks like one of the marquee small-college showdowns in our state. WCU won its opener 45-21 over Eastern Kentucky, also getting strong quarterback play.
After one week:
Campbell QB Kamden Sixkiller: 438 total yards, 4 TDs
WCU QB Lex Thomas: 389 total yards, 4 TDs
Western Carolina just put up 45.
Campbell just put up 49.
See you in Buies Creek. 😁
🔄 Last Updated: August 30, 2026 1:02 am
🏟️ Pregame Center
Campbell Camels (2-10 in 2025) at ETSU Buccaneers (7-5 in 2025)
Date: Saturday, August 29, 2026
Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
Location: William B. Greene Jr. Stadium (Johnson City, TN)
TV/Stream: ESPN+
🔍 What to Watch
Campbell won just two games a year ago, but led nearly every FCS opponent at some point in the fourth quarter. The Camels have been picked to finish eighth in the CAA for 2026.
East Tennessee is one of the top teams in the Southern Conference, being picked to finish third in the league by SoCon coaches.
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