Lenoir-Rhyne keeps chugging, improves to 4-0 with Sunday win

Lenoir-Rhyne continued its recent mastery of conference rival Tusculum, winning for the 10th time in 11 tries in a Sunday afternoon contest moved to Catawba College due to the effects of Hurricane Helene.

Jalen Ferguson threw for 351 yards and a touchdown, while Alex Boyd rushed for a pair of scores in the Bears’ 37-23 triumph. Lenoir-Rhyne will enter October with an unbeaten record — one of only four undefeated teams left in North Carolina — improving to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the South Atlantic Conference.

Tusculum cracked the scoreboard first in Sunday’s rescheduled contest, with John Aiden Pittman hitting a 36-yard field goal with 2:41 left in the opening quarter. But the Bears answered with a trio of second-period touchdowns to pull away.

DeAree Rogers caught a 7-yard TD pass from Ferguson. Boyd found the end zone on a 7-yard rush. Christian Santana returned an interception 16 yards to the house, lifting Lenoir-Rhyne to a 21-3 advantage at the break.

Tusculum got as close as 21-10 with an Otasowie Dion 5-yard touchdown run midway through the third period. But again, the Bears had answers.

Jake Brown booted a 30-yard field goal, and Boyd earned his second touchdown on a 4-yard run as the lead ballooned to 30-10. A 32-yard Tye Roberson touchdown jaunt completed the Bears’ scoring with 4:30 left.

Tusculum’s scored twice more, with its last touchdown on the final play of the game.

Ferguson finished 23-of-34 passing and had no interceptions. He completed a 75-yard strike to Adonis McDaniel, part of his 134-yard receiving day. Nine different Bears caught passes. Boyd finished with 77 rushing yards, while Roberson added 35.

Lenoir-Rhyne’s stopping unit held Tusculum to 76 rushing yards on 36 attempts. The Bears recorded eight tackles-for-loss. Andre Jefferson had another monster day, recording seven stops, two tackles-for-loss and a sack. Jaelin Willis also added seven tackles.

Sunday’s game was a rematch of last year’s SAC championship, won by the Bears 48-7. Lenoir-Rhyne has now won four in a row over the Pioneers (0-3, 0-2 SAC).

Lenoir-Rhyne will face one more crossover opponent from the Mountain Division — this Saturday at Emory & Henry — before starting Piedmont Division play. Emory & Henry (3-1, 1-1) suffered its first loss this past weekend at Limestone, 37-24. The Wasps beat Glenville State 38-7, Bluefield State 40-13 and Barton 41-0 to start the season.

—> READ MORE: Recapping Week 5 of College Football In North Carolina

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