WINGATE- Wingate's defense left little room for Tusculum to operate Saturday afternoon, holding the Pioneers to just five first downs and 122 yards of total offense as the Bulldogs claimed a 31-14 South Atlantic Conference victory at Irwin Belk Stadium.

The Bulldogs (3-4, 3-2 SAC) controlled the game statistically, outgaining Tusculum 384-122 while holding possession for more than 37 minutes. Wingate allowed just 50 rushing yards on 34 attempts and limited the Pioneers to three completions in nine passing attempts.

Tusculum (3-4, 2-3 SAC) managed only 2.8 yards per offensive play and failed to score an offensive touchdown in the second half.

The defensive performance helped Wingate overcome three turnovers, including a third-quarter fumble returned for a touchdown that briefly reduced the Bulldogs' lead to three points.

Wingate's offense was led by Jayshawn Appling, who rushed for 109 yards on 16 carries. Quarterback Brooks Brien completed 15 of 25 passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns, connecting with Aaron Griffin and Xavier Jackson for scores.

The Bulldogs established an early advantage after Geviaunta Walker forced and recovered a fumble on Tusculum's opening possession, giving Wingate the ball at the Pioneers' 42-yard line.

Photo Credit: Wingate Athletics

Five plays later, Brien connected with Griffin for a 28-yard touchdown, putting Wingate ahead 7-0 with 9:25 remaining in the first quarter.

The Bulldogs extended their lead early in the second quarter when Brien found Jackson for a 21-yard touchdown, completing a 12-play, 85-yard drive that consumed more than seven minutes.

Tusculum answered with its most productive offensive possession of the afternoon. Quarterback Tedros Gleaton connected with Ashton Hagans for a 54-yard touchdown with 1:49 remaining before halftime, cutting the deficit to 14-7.

Wingate responded with a 10-play, 53-yard drive, including a 21-yard fourth-down completion from Brien to Tanner Mays. Gunnar Hilsinger converted a 33-yard field goal as time expired, sending the Bulldogs into halftime ahead 17-7.

The Pioneers threatened to reverse the game's momentum early in the third quarter.

After intercepting Brien on Wingate's opening second-half possession, Tusculum recovered a Bulldogs fumble on the next drive. Judah Knight returned the loose ball 20 yards for a touchdown, narrowing the margin to 17-14 with 11:49 remaining in the period.

Despite the sudden shift, Wingate's defense prevented Tusculum from capitalizing further.

The Bulldogs eventually answered with a nine-play, 85-yard touchdown drive late in the third quarter. Brien connected with Griffin for 38 yards and Kelson Tate for 16 yards before Ethan Wallace scored on a two-yard run with 20 seconds remaining, extending the lead to 24-14.

Wingate's defense continued to dominate in the fourth quarter. Chris Harris recorded a third-down sack that forced another Tusculum punt, and the Bulldogs added their final touchdown with 2:55 remaining.

Appling broke loose for a 49-yard run but fumbled near the goal line. Teammate Zymill Patterson recovered the ball in the end zone, pushing Wingate's advantage to 31-14.

Griffin finished with five receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown, while Jackson added four catches for 71 yards and a score. Wallace contributed 49 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Harris and Elijah Manning led Wingate with eight tackles apiece. Harris added two tackles for loss and a sack, while Tyson Brown and GW Clemmer recorded seven tackles each.

Tusculum's offense finished with only five first downs, compared with 20 for Wingate, and converted just four of 14 third-down opportunities.

The Bulldogs' ability to control possession and limit Tusculum's offensive production proved decisive, allowing Wingate to withstand its turnover problems and secure its third conference victory.

GREENSBORO – North Carolina A&T freshman kicker Asher Holland had already missed two opportunities Saturday afternoon. When the Aggies needed him one final time, he delivered.

Holland connected on a 34-yard field goal in overtime to lift A&T past New Hampshire, 30-27, at a rainy Truist Stadium, completing a remarkable comeback that included three fourth-down conversions and a touchdown as regulation expired.

The victory improved A&T to 2-5 overall and 2-2 in Coastal Athletic Association play, giving the Aggies consecutive home victories for the first time since 2022.

Trailing 27-21 with 1:40 remaining, A&T took possession at its own 25-yard line. Quarterback Kevin White directed a 16-play, 75-yard drive, repeatedly keeping the Aggies alive on fourth down.

White first connected with Michael Carlock-Williams for 12 yards on fourth-and-eight, then found Elijah Kennedy for five yards on fourth-and-four. Facing another fourth down as time expired, White delivered a 19-yard touchdown pass to Kennedy, tying the game at 27.

Holland missed the potential winning extra point to the right, sending the contest into overtime.

New Hampshire received the opening possession of the extra period and advanced to the A&T 13-yard line before Kamari Blankumsee sacked quarterback Brooks Bentley on third down. Lucas Glassburn subsequently missed a 29-yard field goal, giving the Aggies an opportunity to win.

A&T advanced to the Wildcats' 16-yard line before Holland returned to the field and converted the decisive kick.

"I'm glad I was able to do it for my team," Holland said afterward.

The dramatic finish followed a back-and-forth afternoon in which neither team led by more than seven points.

New Hampshire struck first after a blocked A&T punt, with Joquez Smith scoring on a two-yard run. The Aggies answered on White's nine-yard touchdown pass to Amonte Jones, tying the game at 7-7.

A&T took a 14-7 lead in the second quarter on J.T. Smith's one-yard touchdown run, but Bentley immediately responded with a 75-yard scoring pass to Logan Perez.

White connected with Carlock-Williams for a 32-yard touchdown later in the quarter, sending the Aggies into halftime ahead 21-17 after a late New Hampshire field goal.

The Wildcats took control in the second half. Holland missed a 31-yard field goal in the third quarter, and Bentley subsequently found Perez for a 21-yard touchdown to put New Hampshire ahead 24-21.

Glassburn extended the advantage to 27-21 with a 26-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter, setting up A&T's improbable final drive.

White finished 18-of-35 passing for 230 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. His performance moved him into eighth place on A&T's career passing list with 3,531 yards and 10th in career touchdown passes with 21.

Carlock-Williams recorded his first career 100-yard receiving game, finishing with five catches for 129 yards and a touchdown. Kennedy added six receptions for 55 yards and the tying score, while Shimique Blizzard led the rushing attack with 72 yards on six carries.

Defensively, Terry Radford registered 17 tackles, the most by an Aggie since BJ Turner's 19-tackle performance against Norfolk State in 2023. A&T recorded five sacks and limited New Hampshire to 93 rushing yards.

Bentley finished with 267 passing yards and two touchdowns, while Perez caught eight passes for 136 yards and both scores.

The victory continued A&T's improved play following its September 19 loss at Campbell. The Aggies have since defeated nationally ranked Rhode Island, suffered a one-point loss at Bryant and now secured another conference victory.

A&T returns to Truist Stadium next Saturday to host Chicago State at noon.

RALEIGH – For 30 minutes Saturday afternoon, NC State appeared positioned to defend its home field against one of its oldest rivals. By the time the fourth quarter arrived, Wake Forest had turned a four-point halftime deficit into a 17-point advantage and taken complete control of the game.

Behind quarterback Gio Lopez and a defense that shut out the Wolfpack in the second half, Wake Forest scored 31 unanswered points to defeat NC State 38-14 at Carter-Finley Stadium in this week's Carolina Gridiron Old North State Showdown.

The Demon Deacons (5-1, 3-1 ACC) trailed 14-10 at halftime before scoring touchdowns on their first four possessions of the second half. Wake Forest outgained NC State 265-63 over the final two quarters, turning what had been a competitive rivalry matchup into a decisive road victory.

Lopez completed 26 of 33 passes for 303 yards and three touchdowns while adding a one-yard scoring run. He finished the game with 13 consecutive completions, accounting for 184 passing yards during that stretch.

His primary targets were Jack Foley and Carlos Hernandez, who combined for 20 receptions, 273 yards and two touchdowns. Foley established a career high with 156 yards on eight catches, while Hernandez set a career high with 12 receptions for 117 yards.

It marked the first time Wake Forest had two receivers surpass 100 yards in the same game since A.T. Perry and Jaquarii Roberson accomplished the feat against North Carolina on November 6, 2021.

A Rivalry Game That Changed After Halftime

NC State (3-3, 1-2 ACC) recovered from a disastrous opening possession to control much of the first half.

The Wolfpack lost a fumble on their third offensive play when Wake Forest linebacker Vincent Firenze stripped quarterback CJ Bailey. Defensive back Braylon Johnson recovered the ball and returned it 28 yards to the NC State two-yard line.

Two plays later, Lopez connected with tight end Matthew Lusardi for a one-yard touchdown, giving the Demon Deacons a 7-0 lead just 1:57 into the game. It was Lusardi's first career reception and touchdown.

NC State responded with a nine-play, 75-yard drive, tying the game on Bailey's 24-yard touchdown pass to Chance Robinson with 8:17 remaining in the first quarter.

The Wolfpack then produced their longest scoring possession of the afternoon, marching 96 yards in 13 plays after taking over at their own four-yard line. Will Wilson capped the drive with a two-yard jump pass to Hunter Provience, whose one-handed touchdown reception gave NC State a 14-7 advantage with 9:42 remaining in the second quarter.

Wake Forest threatened late in the half, moving 89 yards in 16 plays, but the Wolfpack defense held near the goal line. Connor Calvert converted a 23-yard field goal as time expired, sending NC State into halftime with a 14-10 lead.

The Wolfpack had limited Wake Forest to 122 total yards in the opening half, while Bailey had completed his first 16 passes.

Those advantages disappeared quickly after intermission.

Wake Forest opened the third quarter with an 11-play, 73-yard touchdown drive. Hernandez caught four passes for 54 yards during the possession, including a six-yard touchdown reception that put the Demon Deacons ahead 17-14 with 10:44 remaining in the period.

After forcing NC State's first three-and-out of the afternoon, Wake Forest needed only four plays to travel 64 yards. Foley accounted for 63 yards on the possession, finishing it with a 10-yard touchdown reception from Lopez to extend the lead to 24-14.

The Wolfpack subsequently advanced to the Wake Forest 32-yard line but failed to convert on fourth down. The Demon Deacons capitalized again, driving 68 yards before Lopez scored from one yard out on fourth-and-goal.

Wake Forest had scored 21 unanswered points in the third quarter alone, transforming a 14-10 halftime deficit into a 31-14 advantage.

The Demon Deacons added another touchdown early in the fourth quarter when Deuce Lawrence scored on a 17-yard run, completing a seven-play, 66-yard possession and pushing the lead to 38-14 with 11:24 remaining.

NC State never answered.

Wake Forest's Defense Takes Over

While Lopez and his receivers provided the offensive production, Wake Forest's second-half defense was equally decisive.

NC State managed just 63 yards after halftime and finished the game with only 15 net rushing yards on 24 attempts. The Wolfpack averaged 0.6 yards per carry and surrendered three sacks for 37 yards in losses.

Wake Forest defensive lineman Langston Hardy recorded eight tackles, including two tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Firenze also finished with eight tackles to accompany his first-quarter forced fumble.

The Demon Deacons held NC State to two conversions on nine third-down attempts in the second half after the Wolfpack had converted four of six before halftime.

Bailey finished 28-of-39 passing for 241 yards and a touchdown, but NC State's inability to establish a rushing attack left the offense increasingly dependent on the passing game.

The Wolfpack entered the matchup without three starting offensive linemen and leading running back Duke Scott because of injuries.

Keenan Jackson led NC State with five receptions for 61 yards, while Robinson caught three passes for 53 yards and a touchdown. Preston Douglas added five receptions for 45 yards.

Linebacker Popo Aguirre led all defenders with 12 tackles, including one for loss. Freshman Ziggy Moore contributed nine tackles, while fellow freshman Elijah Satchell recorded NC State's lone sack.

Bailey also reached a career milestone, increasing his passing total to 7,025 yards and moving past Devin Leary into sixth place on NC State's all-time list.

Road Success Continues for the Demon Deacons

Saturday's victory was Wake Forest's third road win over a Power Four opponent this season, following a 38-36 double-overtime victory at Purdue on September 12 and a 30-27 win at No. 16 Louisville on September 26.

The Demon Deacons have scored at least 30 points in all three victories, strengthening their position in the ACC race under second-year head coach Jake Dickert.

For NC State, the defeat marked its first home loss of the season and its second loss in three conference games. The Wolfpack still lead the all-time series 70-44-6, but Saturday's result belonged emphatically to the visitors.

Wake Forest will travel to California next Saturday for its first meeting with Cal, while NC State will return to action Friday, October 23, at Stanford.

PITTSBURGH, PA – North Carolina needed just 11 seconds to erase a fourth-quarter deficit Saturday, but it was the Tar Heels' defense that made sure the lead would stand.

Billy Edwards Jr. connected with Shamar Easter on a 75-yard touchdown pass with 12:36 remaining, and North Carolina turned away Pitt's final four possessions to knock off the 25th-ranked Panthers, 21-17, at Acrisure Stadium.

The victory marked North Carolina's first win over a ranked opponent in three seasons and its first road triumph against a Top 25 team since defeating No. 9 Miami in 2020. It was also the first victory over a ranked opponent for head coach Bill Belichick, whose Tar Heels improved to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

Pitt (5-1, 2-1) suffered its first defeat despite controlling much of the game statistically. The Panthers outgained North Carolina 369-269, held a 150-20 advantage in rushing yards and possessed the football for more than 36 minutes.

North Carolina, however, made the most of its opportunities, scoring three touchdowns while holding Pitt to just one touchdown over the final three quarters.

The Panthers appeared to have regained control early in the fourth quarter when La'Vell Wright capped a seven-play, 75-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run. The score put Pitt ahead 17-14 with 12:47 remaining.

That advantage lasted exactly 11 seconds.

On the first play of North Carolina's ensuing possession, Edwards found Easter for a 75-yard touchdown that put the Tar Heels back in front for good. It was Easter's only reception of the afternoon.

The North Carolina defense handled the rest.

After forcing a punt on Pitt's next possession, the Tar Heels faced another challenge when Edwards was intercepted by Shadarian Harrison with 6:21 remaining. The turnover gave Pitt possession at the North Carolina 41-yard line, but the Panthers advanced only to the 21 before turning the ball over on downs.

Pitt received two more opportunities in the closing minutes, but both possessions ended with failed fourth-down attempts. The Panthers finished 0-for-4 on fourth down, with three of those failures coming in the final quarter.

The defensive stand completed a second-half turnaround for a North Carolina unit that had struggled to contain Pitt's rushing attack before halftime.

The Panthers rushed for 114 yards in the opening two quarters but managed just 36 yards on the ground after the break. Pitt also converted six of nine third downs in the first half before going just 1-for-7 in the second.

Derek McDonald and Xavier Lewis led the Tar Heels with 12 tackles apiece, while Gregory Smith III added eight tackles and an interception. Tre Miller also intercepted a pass and recorded four tackles.

North Carolina's offense had difficulty establishing a running game throughout the afternoon. The Tar Heels managed only 20 yards on 25 rushing attempts, including three sacks of Edwards for 23 yards in losses.

Edwards nevertheless provided the necessary production through the air, completing 18 of 26 passes for 249 yards and two touchdowns, although he was intercepted twice.

Jordan Shipp led North Carolina with six receptions for 93 yards, while Jelani Thurman added six catches for 29 yards and a touchdown.

Pitt established an early advantage behind its running game, marching 75 yards in 12 plays on the opening possession. Wright finished the drive with a two-yard touchdown run to give the Panthers a 7-0 lead.

Antonio Chadha extended the margin to 10-0 with a 41-yard field goal midway through the second quarter.

North Carolina answered on its next possession, needing only five plays to cover 75 yards. Edwards opened the drive with a 49-yard completion to Shipp before connecting with Thurman for a seven-yard touchdown that cut the deficit to 10-7.

Pitt had an opportunity to add to its lead before halftime, but Chadha's 56-yard field goal attempt fell short with 17 seconds remaining.

The third quarter featured a series of turnovers as neither offense could establish much rhythm early in the half.

Cole Woodson intercepted Edwards on North Carolina's opening possession, setting Pitt up at the Tar Heel 31-yard line. Smith III answered with an interception in the end zone, preventing the Panthers from capitalizing on the favorable field position.

Miller later added another interception for North Carolina, but the Tar Heels were unable to turn that takeaway into points.

North Carolina finally broke through late in the third quarter with a 10-play, 51-yard touchdown drive. Demon June scored from one yard out with 22 seconds remaining in the period, giving the Tar Heels their first lead at 14-10.

Pitt responded with Wright's second touchdown on the ensuing possession, setting up Easter's decisive scoring play.

Wright finished with 45 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries. Damon Ferguson Jr. led Pitt's rushing attack with 49 yards on 15 attempts.

Making his first collegiate start, Pitt quarterback Holden Geriner completed 27 of 44 passes for 219 yards with two interceptions. Carson Kent led the Panthers with seven receptions for 61 yards, while Malik Knight contributed three catches for 62 yards.

Despite its substantial advantages in yardage, first downs and possession time, Pitt was unable to turn those numbers into a victory. The Panthers reached the red zone twice and scored touchdowns on both trips, but their final three possessions ended without points.

North Carolina will remain on the road next Saturday when it visits Duke on October 17. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on ESPN2.

BREVARD – Three Brevard running backs surpassed 100 yards Saturday afternoon.

Belhaven's entire offense finished with two rushing yards.

That disparity told much of the story as Brevard opened USA South play with a dominant 51-8 victory over the Blazers at Ives-Lemel Family Field, keeping the Tornados unbeaten at 4-0.

Brevard rushed for 336 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 9.3 yards per carry. On the other side, a swarming Tornado defense recorded eight sacks and 13 tackles for loss while limiting Belhaven to 155 total yards.

Marvin Reed Jr. set the tone.

After a penalty backed Brevard up on its opening possession, the Tornados drove 94 yards in eight plays. Reed finished it by breaking loose for a 38-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

Belhaven twice threatened to answer in the first quarter, but came away empty both times. Brevard stopped the Blazers on fourth-and-one at the Tornado 28, then DJ Stevenson intercepted Ian Burleson inside the Brevard red zone later in the period.

The game remained 7-0 until late in the second quarter, when Brevard began to pull away.

Reed scored on a 33-yard run with 3:31 remaining, and the defense quickly forced Belhaven to punt from its own end zone. Brevard took over at the Blazers' 49 and needed only five plays to score again, with Reed punching it in from five yards out with 37 seconds left.

His third touchdown sent the Tornados into halftime ahead 21-0.

Brevard's defense had allowed just 56 yards in the half.

The Tornados continued to separate themselves after the break. Christian Conley capped an 11-play drive with a six-yard touchdown pass to Herbert Pringle IV, pushing the lead to 28-0.

Belhaven then drove into Brevard territory, but consecutive sacks by the Tornado defense ended the threat on downs.

Two plays later, Zion Fauntleroy-McDaniel raced 58 yards for another touchdown.

Belhaven finally broke through when Matthew Dial connected with Wyatt Locastro for an 18-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Johnathan Lampkin caught the two-point conversion to make it 35-8.

Any momentum lasted 20 seconds.

On Brevard's next offensive snap, King Faison broke an 83-yard touchdown run.

Then the Tornado defense joined the scoring.

Azian-Antonio Simpson-Santiago tackled Julien Tabor in the end zone for a safety less than a minute later. On Belhaven's next punt, Cruz Wilson muffed the ball near his own goal line and DeShawn Allen recovered it in the end zone for another Brevard touchdown.

In less than three-and-a-half minutes of the fourth quarter, the score had gone from 35-8 to 51-8.

The rushing numbers were remarkable.

Fauntleroy-McDaniel led Brevard with 118 yards on seven carries, Reed finished with 103 yards and three touchdowns on 11 attempts, and Faison added 101 yards on nine carries. Together, the trio averaged more than 11 yards per attempt. Conley complemented the ground game by completing 17-of-24 passes for 177 yards and a touchdown.

Brevard's defense was just as disruptive. The Tornados produced 13 tackles for loss totaling 101 yards and eight sacks for 83 yards. Simpson-Santiago recorded three tackles for loss, while Stevenson added his interception.

The result sent Brevard to 4-0 overall and 1-0 in USA South play.

More importantly, the Tornados opened conference play by demonstrating they could dominate a game on both sides of the line of scrimmage.

DURHAM – Campbell spent much of Saturday night building a lead at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium. North Carolina Central spent the third quarter erasing it.

Then, with the game tied and the rain continuing to fall, the Fighting Camels found one final answer.

Kamden Sixkiller connected with Jyron Waiters for a nine-yard touchdown with 7:28 remaining, breaking a 31-31 tie and lifting No. 18/24 Campbell to a 38-31 victory over NC Central.

The win improved Campbell to 5-1, while Central fell to 2-4.

The night began about as well as the Eagles could have hoped.

On Campbell's opening possession, Sixkiller was intercepted by Cameron Williams, who returned the ball 19 yards. One play later, Nelson Layne raced 16 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 Central lead.

Campbell answered with Sixkiller's one-yard touchdown run, but Layne struck again, scoring from three yards out to put NCCU back ahead 14-7.

From there, the first quarter belonged to Campbell.

DeJuan Thomas broke loose for a 32-yard touchdown to tie the game, Alex Crabb connected on a 41-yard field goal and JJ Cowan scored from three yards out with 38 seconds remaining. The Camels emerged from a frantic opening quarter with a 24-14 advantage.

Thomas added his second touchdown, a four-yard run, early in the second quarter to stretch Campbell's run to 24 unanswered points and the lead to 31-14.

Central found a spark before halftime after turning to Cobey Thompkins at quarterback. Thompkins completed all four of his passes for 70 yards on the drive, including a 23-yard touchdown to Tristan Stitt with 2:28 remaining, sending the Eagles to the locker room trailing 31-21.

Then the game changed again.

Central controlled the third quarter while Campbell's offense went scoreless. Riley Daniels' 47-yard field goal cut the deficit to seven before Zion Dobson ripped off a 62-yard touchdown run with 6:31 remaining in the quarter.

In less than nine minutes, the Eagles had erased Campbell's 10-point halftime advantage and tied the game at 31.

Campbell finally regained control in the fourth.

Sixkiller directed an 11-play, 56-yard drive before finding Waiters for the nine-yard go-ahead touchdown with 7:28 remaining. The Camels' defense made the lead stand, including a fourth-down stop of Layne on a quarterback keeper during Central's fourth-quarter attempt to regain the advantage.

For a Campbell offense that entered the game with Sixkiller among the nation's most productive passers, it was the ground game that did much of the damage.

The Camels rushed for 262 yards and four touchdowns. Cowan carried 14 times for 139 yards, including a 66-yard run, while Thomas added 89 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries. Sixkiller finished 18-of-35 for 226 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

Central countered with 160 rushing yards, led by Dobson's 80 yards on 13 carries and Layne's 59 yards and two touchdowns. Chance Peterson caught 10 passes for 84 yards, while Stitt finished with three receptions for 58 yards and a score.

Campbell finished with 488 yards of offense to Central's 359 and held a 262-160 advantage on the ground. The Camels also possessed the ball for 32:02. Both teams converted 7-of-14 third downs.

The Eagles had done the difficult part, wiping away a 17-point deficit and turning what had threatened to become a Campbell runaway into a fourth-quarter tie.

But after Central scored 17 unanswered points, Campbell produced the game's final answer.

Sixkiller found Waiters, the defense held, and the nationally ranked Camels left Durham with their fifth victory of the season.

MARS HILL – Mars Hill needed a late comeback, a 52-yard field goal, a defensive stand at the end of regulation and four overtimes Saturday afternoon.

In the end, the Lions remained unbeaten.

Lukas Kachilo connected with Rayvon Durant on the decisive two-point conversion in the fourth overtime as No. 21 Mars Hill outlasted Tusculum 42-40 at Meares Stadium, improving to 5-0 overall and 4-0 in South Atlantic Conference play.

The victory left Mars Hill alone atop the SAC standings, but getting there required the Lions to erase a 31-21 deficit in the final 3:09 of regulation.

Kachilo started the comeback with a 61-yard touchdown pass to Greyson Council, cutting Tusculum's lead to 31-28. After the Mars Hill defense got the ball back, Matthias Newsome drilled a 52-yard field goal with 1:12 remaining to tie the game at 31.

Tusculum still had an opportunity to win in regulation.

The Pioneers moved to the Mars Hill 36 before quarterback Tedros Gleaton took a shot at the end zone. Ashton Hagans had a chance at the catch, but Jah'Mere La'Sane broke up the pass and sent the game to overtime.

That was when an already dramatic finish became chaotic.

Mars Hill got the ball first in overtime, and after two incompletions Kachilo found Brayden Marvel for a 25-yard touchdown. Newsome's extra point put the Lions ahead 38-31.

Tusculum answered immediately, scoring on its first play when Gleaton connected with Cam Ferguson for a 25-yard touchdown. The Pioneers then elected to go for two and appeared to have won when Gleaton found Brady Rinkus in the end zone.

An offensive pass interference penalty erased the conversion.

Backed up by the penalty, Tusculum settled for Max Turan's extra point and a 38-38 tie.

Neither team scored in the second overtime. Mars Hill stopped Gleaton inches short on fourth-and-two, giving the Lions an opportunity to win with any score. The Lions moved to the Tusculum 18, but Newsome's field-goal attempt went wide right.

Under the NCAA overtime format, the teams moved to alternating two-point attempts from there.

Kachilo found Jaden Watkins to give Mars Hill a 40-38 advantage in the third overtime. Tusculum answered on a broken play, with Gleaton recovering his own fumble before finding Zion Job in the end zone to extend the game.

In the fourth overtime, the Mars Hill defense finally created the opening it needed. Gleaton's pass fell incomplete on Tusculum's attempt.

Kachilo then ended it, finding Durant for the winning conversion and setting off a celebration for an unbeaten Mars Hill team that had been three minutes from its first loss.

The dramatic finish capped a big afternoon for Kachilo, who completed 23 of 44 passes for 324 yards and four touchdowns. He was intercepted once and sacked four times, but delivered when Mars Hill needed him most.

The Lions needed that production on an afternoon when Tusculum did something few opponents had managed against the Mars Hill defense.

The Pioneers accumulated 478 yards, including 285 on the ground, against a Lions unit that entered the afternoon allowing just 7.3 points per game and had not surrendered a rushing touchdown this season. Gleaton accounted for 299 yards of offense and four touchdowns, while Javon McMahan rushed for 123 yards.

Tusculum also controlled the football for nearly 40 minutes and forced three Mars Hill turnovers. The Pioneers finished with 21 first downs to Mars Hill's 17, while the Lions converted 7-of-15 third-down opportunities.

But Mars Hill made the plays it needed when the game was on the line.

Jamarion Farrior led the defense with 14 tackles, including two for loss, and recovered a fumble. La'Sane's breakup kept the Lions alive at the end of regulation. Newsome's 52-yarder got them to overtime.

And after nearly everything that could happen in overtime did, Kachilo and Durant finished it.

Mars Hill left Meares Stadium 5-0, alone atop the SAC and still unbeaten, by the narrowest of margins.