Williamsburg, KY – The 2-1 Cumberlands football program look to get back to their winning ways this weekend as they take on cross-town rival Union Commonwealth for the Battle for the Brass Lantern. UC has taken the last five contests with the Bulldogs, outscoring their opponent 238-50 over the five-game span. UCU will come to Williamsburg, KY 1-2 on the season, with a recent victory over Thomas (GA).
Battle for the Brass Lantern
Coach Shan Housekeeper knows what this game means to not only his team, but the community as well saying "This game always has a lot of emotion involved … You want to perform well against teams, especially when they are right in your backyard."
The two squads will compete to raise the brass lantern, a trophy that was introduced in 1995 giving the winner not only bragging rights, but a piece of hardware to show off for the next year.
Respond to Adversity
UC is coming off a close loss on the road that saw them erase a 28-0 deficit and take a lead in the fourth quarter before falling on the last drive of the game. Coach Housekeeper was proud of the way his guys handled themselves in the second half of that game against Reinhardt saying "It showed the true character of our players … I didn't hear any complaints, through the entire second half there was nothing but positive support for each other."
Control the Line of Scrimmage
Cumberlands enters the contest averaging over 225 rushing yards per game and will look to continue this success against the Bulldogs who allow 139.3 yards rushing per game. JB Carlisle and Trent Davis have been a dynamic duo in the backfield for UC early this season, both averaging over 100 total yards per game. The two transfers are running behind an experienced offensive line that have continued to make their presence known this year.
"We want to be able to run the football effectively … on the other side we also have to stop our opponents at the line of scrimmage and eliminate the running game," said Coach Housekeeper.
UC's defense has done a good job of halting the run, allowing just 111.3 yards per game to their opponents. Solomon Dupree is coming off his best game on the defensive line, making seven tackles, 1.5 TFL and forcing a fumble. Reagan Cherry and Adam Caudle lead the team in tackles. The linebacker duo has a combined 4.5 tackles for loss and have each intercepted a pass as well.
Gain an Edge
UC's special teams unit made an impact on Saturday, blocking a pair of kicks, recovering one in the endzone for a touchdown. Malik Thornton blocked the first field goal to keep RU off the board while Brandon Burke blocked a punt that Ritt Tankersley came away with in the endzone for a Patriot score. Jahmal Hutsell was also a huge spark in the return game, finishing with 188 return yards, earning MSC Special Teams Player of the Week honors for his performance.
"Special teams are always a big factor in the outcome of a game," said Housekeeper. "I feel like we have to be able to use it to gain an edge."
UC's special teams have now earned MSC Player of the Week honors for all three weeks that have competed, as Job Matossian earned the award in weeks one and two. He has played a huge factor in the kicking and punting game for UC, going 5-6 on field goals with his only miss coming from a 55-yarder that hit the cross bar, as well as remaining a perfect 13-13 on extra points.
Cumberlands and Union will kickoff at 7 PM ET at James H. Taylor, II Stadium. UC will also be celebrating homecoming on Saturday, as they welcome back alumni of all ages to come out and support the football program. Live stats for the contest can be found here with live video here.
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