HICKORY, N.C. – A late comeback attempt fell short as Lenoir-Rhyne lost to a South Atlantic Conference opponent for the first time in 20 games on Saturday, falling to Tusculum in the SAC Championship. The Bears had two possessions inside Tusculum's 35-yard line in the fourth quarter but couldn't capitalize in a 5-point loss.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Tusculum 28, Lenoir-Rhyne 23
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (3-1), Tusculum (4-1)
Location: Hickory, N.C. | Moretz Stadium
STATS OF THE GAME:
• QB
Grayson Willingham threw for a career-high 353 yards and three touchdowns and moved into second place in program history in passing yards for his career.
• Willingham hit three different receivers for touchdowns, connecting with
Dareke Young,
Hakeem Meggett and
Dwayne McGee.
• Young exploded for nine catches and 166 yards to go with his touchdown. The 166 yards is the most in a game since
T.J. Smith had 142 against Tusculum in September of 2018 and ranks as the fourth-most receiving yards in a game during the NCAA Era.
• Tusculum's Rogan Wells threw for 438 yards, including 287 in the first half.
• The Pioneers had a pair of 100-yard receivers on the day as Tory Ponder had seven grabs for 123 yards and Justice Parham had six catches for 114 yards.
• The Pioneers put up 28 points in the span of 17:31 of game action but the LR defense would hold the powerful TU offense scoreless for the final 28:03 of the game.
• Down 28-14, the Bears answered with a 32-yard field goal and then an 11-yard TD pass on the first play of the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 28-23 after a two-point conversion failed.
• The Bears had a turnover inside the five with 7:51 to play and Tusculum marched all the way to the LR 12 with 1:50 to play. However, a
Percy King interception and return to the LR 45 gave the Bears a chance to score and win the game.
• LR drove to the Tusculum 31 but a fourth and 10 pass fell incomplete and gave the Pioneers the 2020-21 SAC Championship.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
• Willingham's 355 yards were the fifth-most in a game in the 101 years of Lenoir-Rhyne Football.
• Young's 166 yards receiving is the 10th-best total in a single game in LR Football history.
• LR had an eight-game winning streak over Tusculum coming into today.
• The Bears had a chance to complete the 3-peat with a win today.
