Williamsburg, KY – The Patriots football team ran the table in its non-conference portion of the 2018 schedule, moving to 5-0 overall on the season with a 40-10 win over Kentucky Christian University on Saturday. UC's run has them gathering a lot of attention throughout the country as they are now ranked #13 in the NAIA Top 25. Now, Cumberlands opens up Mid-South Conference Appalachian Division play this week against NAIA #7 ranked Reinhardt University. Kickoff is set for 7 pm with live video available here. As UC looks to go to 1-0 in conference play this weekend, here are six things to watch for in the game.
 

1. Must limit the ground-and-pound game.

Reinhardt currently leads the NAIA in rushing offense per game, averaging just under 330 yards on the ground each contest. The Eagles will use a plethora of players to rush the ball, so UC must be ready for all comers. Defensively, UC must seal off the edges and keep the running game filtered to the center of the field where help is available to slow down the rushing attack.
 

2. Turnovers will be costly in this contest.

The Patriots are still way ahead at +7 in turnover margin on the season while the Eagles are actually at -3 in the same category. UC must limit giveaways in the contest while taking advantage of each turnover that the Eagles commit.
 

3. Patriots must come out strong early.

In the last two contests, UC has been somewhat flat in the first half. UC trailed 14-7 entering the second half against Campbellsville before outscoring the Tigers 28-14 for the 35-21 win. Last week, Cumberlands garnered 32 yards of rushing in the first half before finishing the game with 287 yards on the ground. The Patriots must start the game strong and keep that momentum throughout the contest to be successful this weekend against Reinhardt.
 

4. Don't penalize yourself with penalty yards.

The Patriots have struggled this season with penalties. Through five games, UC averages just over 99 yards in penalties per contest. Last week, Cumberlands accumulated 85 yards of penalties in just the first half. This could be detrimental if you are looking to succeed against a team the caliber of the Eagles.
 

5. Force the Eagles to go to the air.

Reinhardt's offense is very much run-based. There is no hiding it. UC however must do what they can to force the Eagles and starting quarterback Billy Hall to air it out more in this game. On average, Reinhardt only attempts 14 passes per contest, so UC's defensive line and linebackers must give a variety of looks to push the Eagles into situations they are not comfortable with.
 

6. Patriots looking for the signature win.

UC has not defeated a NAIA Top 10 team since Carroll College in the NAIA Football Championship Series Semifinals in 2013. A win on Saturday would give UC that signature victory as well as the first win over a top 10 team in the Matt Rhymer era. Since the beginning of the 2014 season, the Patriots are 4-7 against NAIA Top 25 opponents, but are 0-4 against those inside the Top 10.
 
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