GREENEVILLE, TN - The #24 Lenoir-Rhyne Football Team hits the road to Tusculum for their first South Atlantic Conference game of the season. This will be the 30th all-time meeting between these two clubs, with the Bears holding a 17-11 lead in the series. 

Lenoir-Rhyne is looking to rebound following last week's 48-21 loss at #6 West Florida. 

Notes:

Matchup History: The Bears have won 12 of the last 13 matchups, with the lone setback coming in the 2020-21 SAC Championship game. Last season the Bears and Pioneers played in a rare Sunday contest due to the effects of Hurricane Helene. The game was played at Catawba College with the Bears winning 37-23. Jalen Ferguson finished 23-for-34 with 351 yards and a touchdown, while Adonis McDaniel had five catches for 134 yards. Jaelin Willis and Andre Jefferson led the Bears with seven tackles each. The 2023 contest doubled as the SAC Championship, which LR won 48-7. 

Opponent Profile: The Pioneers won their opening game last week 49-23 at Bluefield State, making it their first season opening victory since a 70-13 win vs. St. Augstine's in 2022. Tusculum got it done on the ground, rushing for 468 yards while passing for just 94. Lex Dinwiddle (145), John Celestin (121), and Buddy Taylor (105) each rushed for over 100 yards, with Taylor leading the way with two touchdowns on the day. They were efficient on third downs, converting them at a rate of 67% (8-12). Rashad Watson and Dylan Horne each had seven tackles while Watson and Malachi Jim-Lawson combined for three sacks. Head Coach Billy Taylor is in his second year with the Pioneers, being hired as the school's 17th coach in December of 2023. He came to Greeneville following a nine-year stint as East Tennessee State's (DI) Associate Head Coach & Defensive Coordinator. 

Lenoir-Rhyne Profile: The Bears are looking to bounce back after a loss to #6 West Florida in their opener. Despite the setback, the Bears showed promise. Quarterback Khamoni Robinson threw for 310 yards and two touchdowns, the first 300 yard opening day game since 2018. Zion Agnew caught four passes for 112 yards while Songa Yates caught four for 91 yards and a touchdown. LJ Turner broke out for a 26-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter, the Bears' only touchdown on the ground. Defensively Tre'von Cooper led both teams with 10 tackles. Head Coach Doug Socha is in his second year with the Bears and led them to a NCAA Tournament opening round victory in his first year at the helm. Prior to his time at LR he won the 2023 NAIA National Championship at Keiser. 

Rankings: The Bears stayed in the AFCA Coaches' Poll this week, coming in at #24. This makes 31 straight weeks the Bears have appeared in the poll. Fellow SAC schools Carson-Newman and Wingate were the first two teams out. West Florida jumped from #8 to #6 while the top-five of Ferris State, Harding, Grand Valley State, Slippery Rock, and CSU-Pueblo, all stayed the same. Bemidji State, Central Missouri, and Miles College all dropped out after opening week losses.