Lebanon, TN – The #21 UC Patriots football team should once again why the have one of the strongest defenses in the country, however, it wasn't enough as the dropped a road contest to Cumberland 14-10, Saturday night. With the win the Phoenix improve to 2-3 on the season, while the Patriots move to 4-1 overall.
Walker Dunn and
Adam Chaney led UC's defense with nine tackles apiece, while Chandler Kayler and Dequavion Haper each finishes with six tackles.
Tae Hammond recorded a team-high 2.0 tackles for loss as
Kendall Adams-Young adds to his career-high sacks as he picked up another one tonight.
Making his first career start,
Devin Jones paced the Patriots offense with 79 yards and a touchdown.
Ben Nixon went 10-23 for 116 yards, while
Brandon Stuckey made three grabs for 44 yards.
Harlin Brown, the reigning MSC Special Teams Player of the Week, averaged 44.2 yards on five punts pinning the Phoenix inside their 20 twice and even recorded a 12-yard run in the game.
On their opening possession, the Phoenix moved up the field on a 14 play, 73-yard drive which was capped off by a Jaylen Taylor 19-yard rushing touchdown on a fourth and three. The Patriots responded with a scoring drive of their own. Nixon began with a 19-yard completion to
Elijah Howard and the duo connected to for ten more yards on a fourth-and-four giving UC a first down. Nixon found Stuckey and Overstreet for completions, before UC settled for field goal, which
Trip Holloway converted cutting the deficit to 7-3.
From that point both defenses stepped up their pressure. Cumberlands forced a Phoenix punt as the offense retook the field to start the second quarter. It looked like UC was stop and going to give it back, however, a low snapped forced Brown to tuck the ball and race up field for a 12-yard run giving Cumberlands a first down.
Devin Jones followed that up with a 25-yard run, his longest of the game, to move the ball to Cumberland 45. The drive showed promise, however, the Phoenix force an interception thwarting the Patriots offense.
After UC forced a three-and-out the two teams traded possessions with the Patriots taking over at their 36 yard-line. Nixon and Jones led Cumberlands on a seven-play, 64-yard drive capped off by a
Devin Jones five-yard run to put the Patriots in front 10-7 with 2:12 remaining. On that drive, Jones tallied 44-yards, including a 10-yard pass to Nixon on a third and 12. The Phoenix looked to retake the lead, however
Zavian Solomon sacked Dylan Carpenter to force a punt as the Patriots took a 10-7 lead into the break.
Both offense moved the ball in the third quarter, however, neither were able to find the endzone. The two teams each were forced to punt on their opening possession of the second half. As Cumberland punted,
Damon Byrnes-Mitchell came around the edge and blocked the punt, UC's third blocked punt of the season, putting the Patriots inside their redzone. Cumberlands drove the ball down to the Phoenix 10 and hit a field goal, however, a roughing the kicker call give the Patriots another set of downs, which resulted in a missed field goal as the score remained 10-7 heading into the final quarter.
The fourth quarter saw six punts as neither offense was able to get things going. With 2:03 remaining Cumberland got the ball at their own 46-yard line. The Phoenix put together an eight play drive as Carpenter connected with Jaylen Taylor in the corner of the endzone for an eight-yard touchdown reception giving the Phoenix a 14-10 lead with 10 seconds left. Cumberlands had one final chance but Nixon's pass was incomplete for the 14-10 final.
The Patriots will remain on the road next Saturday as they make the trip up I75 to face Thomas More. Kickoff is slated for 1:30 p.m.
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