Williamsburg, KY – The Patriots football team went up against their toughest test and Lindsey Wilson showed why they were the defending NAIA national champion as they defeated the Patriots 49-0 Saturday afternoon at James H. Taylor, II Stadium. Cumberlands closes out their regular with a 6-4 record, which marks the fifth straight season that the Patriots posted a winning record.
Adam Caudle led the way for the Patriots recording a career-high 14 tackles, including a 0.5 tackle for loss in the game.
Damon Byrnes-Mitchell finished with a career-high 13 tackles as
Jamar Roberts tallied third interception of the game, which he returned 26 yards.
Brandon Stuckey led the Patriots receivers with three catches for 50 yards. Those three receptions gives the senior 37 for the season, which ranks him sixth all-time, and 72 for his career tying him with Joe Daniel for fourth in program history. Stuckey also closes out his career fourth all-time in yards with 1,444.
The Patriots looked to strike first as
Ben Nixon completed a pass to
Chase Overstreet for 22 yards on the first play from scrimmage. UC continued to move the ball into Lindsey Wilson territory, however, a turnover halted that drive. The Blue Raiders took advantage of the turnover and went on a nine play, 79 yards drive to take a 7-0 lead. Cumberlands defense cracked down as they denied a fourth-and-one on Lindsey next possession to give the offense back the possession. The offense struggled to find their rhythm as Lindsey Wilson used an 11 play drive to score and extend their lead to 14-0 six seconds into the second quarter. The two teams traded possession throughout the second quarter with the Patriots defense preventing their second fourth and one conversion. The Blue Raiders added a score late to take a 21-0 lead into the break.
The Blue Raiders scored in each of their first two possessions of the second half to extend their lead to 35-0. After a three-and-out from UC, Roberts stepped up an intercepted a pass and returned it into Lindsey Wilson territory to flip the field. On the second play of the ensuing drive,
Gavin Wilkinson found Stuckey for a nine yard reception and a UC first down, however, the Patriots couldn't convert on fourth down as the ball went back to the Blue Raiders, who quickly extended their advantage to 42-0.
Both teams continue to trade possession as the game moved to the fourth quarter. On Cumberlands second possession of the quarter,
Harlin Brown, who averaged 46.0 yards per punt, put a spiral on a 35-yard punt which was muffed and recovered by Byrnes-Mitchell to allow UC to keep possession. The Patriots couldn't take advantage of the opportunity as Lindsey Wilson added a late score for the 49-0 final.
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