Week 7 in the Big South-OVC

Dakota Hawxwell / Gardner Webb Athletics

The Runnin’ Bulldogs put on a first half beatdown on EIU to put them in second place of the Big Sout-OVC standings. RB Carson Gresock had an electric second quarter, running in 64 and 55-yard touchdowns. He finished with 137 yards on just six carries. GWEB scored on the opening drive as well, with QB Nate Hampton finding RB Quasean Holmes in the endzone for a 14-yard touchdown pass. Hampton went 14 for 22 with 195 yards and the one score. Holmes led the team in carries with 19, racking up 74 yards. Panthers kicker Drew Schiller drilled a 42-yard field goal before halftime, and QB Cole LaCrue ran in a 19-yard touchdown late in the third, but EIU’s offense was otherwise quiet, with six punts and only one play longer than 20 yards. LaCrue went 11 for 23 with 95 yards. The Runnin’ Bulldogs put up 446 total yards to the Panthers 229.

Western Illinois Athletics

UT Martin (2-5) beats Western Illinois (1-6) 32-31

The Skyhawks capped off their 11-point comeback with a blocked field goal to secure their second straight win. Entering the fourth quarter, UT Martin was down 31- 20. The Skyhawks marched down the field on a 15-play, 75-yard drive capped off with QB Jase Bauer running it in two yards to score, cutting their deficit to 5. After trading punts, the Skyhawks soared 65-yards downfield on just four plays, with Bauer once again running in a two yard touchdown, giving them the lead. The Leathernecks got the ball back with 1:57 left to go, getting down to UT Martin’s 30-yard line. Kicker Antonio Chadha tried to kick the game winner, but it was blocked by DE Chris Wilson, securing the win for the Skyhawks. Jase Bauer went 19 for 28 with 235 yards and 3 total touchdowns, earning him Big South-OVC Offensive Player of the Week honors. RB Thomas Ainsley had 13 carries for 66 yards and a touchdown, but John Gentry led the team in rushing with 104 yards from 15 carries. Leatherneck QB Carson Carswell went 21 for 30 with 327 yards and two touchdowns, earning him Freshman of the Week

honors. RB Markell Holman had 59 yards off 16 carries, running in two touchdowns. UT Martin had 445 total yards to Western Illinois’ 403.

Tennessee Tech (6-0) beats Charleston Southern (1-6) 27-13

Carolynn Leman / Tennessee Tech Athletics

The Golden Eagles stay undefeated and stay at no. 7 in FCS Nation’s top 25 after their victory over Charleston Southern. The Buccaneers defense slowed down TN Tech slightly, picking off QB Kekoa Visperas twice. CHSO had a 17-play 70-yard drive in the second quarter, eating up 9:51 from the clock. QB Zolten Osborne capped off the drive with a nine-yard touchdown pass to WR Rashawn Cunningham. The Golden Eagles answered back with a nine-play, 75-yard drive of their own, ending with RB Q’Daryius Jennings running in a 1-yard touchdown, putting them ahead 20-10 at halftime. RB Aiden Littles ran in a 16-yard touchdown in the third quarter to extend their lead further. Visperas went 17 for 27 with 157 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. Osborne went 11 for 24 with 80 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. TN Tech had 397 total yards while CHSO had 209.

SEMO (2-4) beats Tennessee State (1-5) 28-12

SEMO snapped their three-game losing streak with a win over Tennessee State on Saturday. Both teams turned the ball over on their opening drives, with SEMO QB Johnny Weber fumbling and TNST QB Devaughn Slaughter getting picked off by SEMO DB Slade Dollar. The Skyhawks capitalized on the interception, marching 90 yards down the field in 13 plays, finishing with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Weber to WR Donnie Cheers. SEMO would extend the lead to 14-0 at the end of the first quarter when RB Brandon Epton Jr. ran in a 34-yard touchdown. In the second quarter, SEMO would once again make their way across the length of the field in a 10-play, 99-yard drive, capped off with Epton Jr. running it in from two yards to score, putting the Skyhawks ahead by 21. The Tigers scored a field goal before halftime. Kicker Freddy Perez would sink another field goal early in the third. Early in the fourth quarter, Tiger RB Zack Simmons-Brown ran in a 50-yard touchdown, but the two-point conversion failed, bringing the score to 21-12. SEMO answered back on their next possession, with Weber finding WR Kalvin Gilber in the endzone for a 10-yard touchdown. Weber went 24 for 39 with 283 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Tiger QB Byron McNair went 15 for 32 with 175 yards. SEMO had 459 total yards and TNST had 282.