GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — The Tusculum Pioneers will face their toughest challenge to date as they make the short trip over Sam’s Gap to take on nationally-ranked and undefeated Mars Hill (#21 AFCA/#22 D2Football.com) at Meares Stadium this Saturday. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m.
Tusculum (3-2, 2-1 SAC) is locked in a three-way tie for third place in the South Atlantic Conference and are one game behind SAC co-leaders Mars Hill and Anderson.
The Pioneers are coming off a wild 27-22 home win over Catawba last Saturday. Quarterback Tedros Gleaton accounted for three touchdowns (2 rush, 1 pass), running back Cam Ferguson rushed for a career-high 114 yards, while TU overcame three blocked kicks in the second half to secure the victory.
Mars Hill is off to a 4-0 start (3-0 SAC) to 2026 with three of those victories coming on the road including back-to-back wins at Lenoir-Rhyne (15-7) and Carson-Newman (10-6). The Lions are one of only 19 undefeated teams remaining in NCAA Division II.
This week’s contest will feature Tusculum’s potent option run game which is averaging 214.0 rushing yards per game (2nd in SAC / 22nd in NCAA II), while Mars Hill with counter with the nation’s top scoring defense which is allowing only 7.3 points per contest. The Lions haven’t allowed a rushing TD this year and three offensive TDs overall.
THE SERIES
The 43rd renewal of the Tusculum / Mars Hill football series will be held this week as the Pioneers travel to their cross-mountain rival. Tusculum leads the series 23-17-2.
Since 2000, the Pioneers have won 16 of the last 26 meetings with the Lions. MHU captured a thrilling 23-20 overtime win in the 2012 meeting. In 2010, the Lions outlasted TU in a shootout, 45-39. Prior to that, TU rattled off seven consecutive wins in the series, including three times at Mars Hill.
Tusculum won seven of the first eight games in the series that started in 1922. The Lions posted eight consecutive victories from 1936 to 1999 (Teams did not meet on the gridiron from 1939-1993).
From 2000-2009, Tusculum went 9-1 against the Lions, including a stretch of seven in a row from 2003-2009. MHU won three straight games in the series from 2010-2012.
Twenty-two (22) of the 42 previous meetings have been decided by seven points or less including a 29-27 double-overtime victory by Tusculum to win the 2023 SAC Mountain Division title.
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
Head coach Billy Taylor, who is in his third season at Tusculum, has the Pioneers clicking on both sides of the ball following last week’s thrilling home win over Catawba.
After back-to-back 1-9 campaigns over the last two seasons, Tusculum enters this week’s action 3-2 overall and is tied for third place in the South Atlantic Conference.
The Pioneers have recorded victories over Bluefield State (42-7), Emory & Henry (23-21) and Catawba (27-25). TU’s two losses have been to NCAA-FCS East Tennessee State University (48-14) and SAC co-leader Anderson (14-7).
Senior quarterback Tedros Gleaton is pacing the Tusculum offense where he is rushing for a team-best 63.4 yards per contest which is best amongst SAC signal callers and fifth overall in the league. He has totaled 497 passing yards (9th in SAC) while completing 49.1 percent of his pass attempts with three touchdowns. His 317 rushing yards are the seventh-most by a NCAA Division II quarterback so far this season.
Gleaton has rushed for team-leading four touchdowns this season which are fourth-most in the conference and 47th in NCAA II.
Gleaton began his collegiate career with the U.S. Naval Academy, before transferring to Carson-Newman where he played the 2024 and 2025 campaigns.
Former Carson-Newman teammates Cam Ferguson and Keithan Washington have joined Gleaton in the Pioneer backfield this fall.
Last week against Catawba, Ferguson rushed for a career-high 114 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown late in the contest. He finished the game with a career-best 208 all-purpose yards as he surpassed the 2,000-yard mark for his collegiate career.
Ferguson achieved a personal milestone at Emory & Henry game as he 1,000 career rushing yards. This year, he has 39 rushing attempts for 206 yards and three touchdowns.
Ferguson has accounted for 2,134 all-purpose yards including 1,125 rushing yards, 332 receiving yards and 677 kickoff return yards in his 36 games played.
Redshirt freshman Teryntino Brown-Freeman is third on the team with his 137 rushing yards while Western Kentucky transfer Javon McMahan is fourth with his 132 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Washington is fifth on the roster in rushing this year with 103 yards on 17 carries for a team-best 6.1 yards per carry average. He has scored two rushing touchdowns in his first five games, including a 21-yard TD run at Emory & Henry which gave TU its first lead of the game.
Senior Ashton Hagans is the top receiver so far in 2026 for Tusculum. He has made eight catches for 156 yards and two touchdowns (5th in SAC).
Hagans has appeared in 26 career games where he has collected 23 receptions for 306 yards and seven touchdowns including his career-long 59-yard TD catch at Emory & Henry.
Junior Javon Richardson posted a team-high three catches for 46 yards against Anderson. He followed with one reception last week against Catawba, resulting in a 65-yard touchdown.
The TU offensive line leads the SAC in fewest sacks allowed (0.60 – 12th in NCAA II) and fewest tackles for loss allowed (3.80 – 22nd in NCAA II) per game.
The Tusculum defense has been solid so far in 2026 as the Pioneers are ranked in the top-four in the SAC in several statistical categories including: defensive touchdowns (1 – 1st in SAC/18th in NCAA II), interceptions (6 – 2nd in SAC/18th in NCAA II), team passing efficiency defense (119.94 – 4th SAC/46th in NCAA II), sacks per game (2.60 – 1st in SAC/26th in NCAA II) and turnovers gained (9 – 4th in SAC/26th in NCAA II). TU’s +4 turnover margin is second in the conference and is ranked 30th in the nation.
Sophomore linebacker Greg Williams is Tusculum’s top tackler with 45 stops (3rd in SAC/46th in NCAA II) and has recorded 10-plus tackles in three of his last four games including career-high dozen two weeks ago against Anderson. He has also posted 3.0 tackles for loss (-6 yds) this year with a pair of pass break-ups including a fourth quarter interception last week against Catawba.
Junior defensive back Kevin Jordan is second on the squad with his 34 tackles (12th in SAC), including a TU-leading 17 solo hits. Jordan has forced a fumble and recorded a school-record 100-yard interception return for a touchdown, both coming against Bluefield State.
Carson-Newman transfer Jimi Olarinde has made 32 tackles in his first five games with the Pioneers including a career-high 11 stops against Catawba. He made eight tackles against Anderson including a forced fumble and a tackle for loss. This year, he has accounted for 3.5 tackles for loss (-20 yds) with 2.5 sacks. In his 27-game college career, he has 72 tackles with 12 for loss and eight sacks to go along with an interception and two blocked kicks.
Senior linebacker Cameron Garnett is fourth with 23 tackles including 3.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks. The 2026 SAC Player to Watch has totaled 54 tackles in his 15-game career at Tusculum including 6.0 for loss (-17 yds) and 3.0 sacks (-10 yds).
Sophomore defensive back Justin Thomas is tied for fourth on the team with 23 tackles to go along with a team-best two interceptions (2nd in SAC). Thomas has accounted for a tackle for loss.
Sophomore linebacker Brock Tankersley has 19 tackles to his credit to go along with two tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. Last week, he had a career-best eight tackles to go with 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack.
Sophomore Kupakwashe Zvandaziva has been a force on the defensive front where he has made 17 tackles including 1.5 for loss with a pass break-up and a quarterback hurry.
Redshirt freshman Judah Knight has emerged as one of the starting cornerbacks for the Pioneers. Knight is third in the conference with his eight passes defended (10th in NCAA II) including two interceptions and six pass break-ups. He also has 15 tackles to his credit.
Redshirt freshman cornerback Zavien Bryant has 14 hits in five outings this year. He has been credited with a fumble recovery and five pass break-ups including four posted last week against Catawba, which are tied for the sixth-most in a TU single-game.
Muskingum University transfer Nathan Thomas has been playing well in the defensive line for the Pioneers through his first five games where he has 13 tackles including 3.5 for loss (-20 yds) with 2.5 sacks (-19 yds). He recovered a pair of fumbles against Anderson and followed with four stops with 1.5 sacks and a pass break-up.
Thomas earned All-Ohio Athletic Conference first team honors at Muskingum as he totaled 50 tackles including 10.5 for loss and five sacks. The 2025 NCAA Division III All-Region honoree forced a fumble and recovered another to go along with two pass break-ups. He also shined in the classroom and is a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District first team honoree.
Senior linebacker TJ Jingozian has made 11 tackles this year including 3.5 for loss. In his 32-game career, he has made 66 stops with 10.0 for loss and three sacks, to go along with a forced fumble and two blocked kicks.
Also contributing on the defensive line is SAC Player to Watch Malachi Jim-Lawson. In his three seasons with the Pioneers, he has accounted for 43 total tackles including 5.5 for loss and 3.0 sacks. He has forced a fumble and broken up two passes in his 20-game TU career.
Redshirt freshman punter Nathan Holbrook has emerged as the SAC’s top punter. He continues to lead the SAC in punting averaging with 44.5 yards per punt (10th in NCAA II). He averaged 46.5 yards on his six punts including a critical 58-yarder that flipped the field on the final defensive series of the game in Tusculum’s SAC win at Emory & Henry.
Greeneville junior Quinton Brandon, last year’s starting punter, is handling the kickoff duties for the Pioneers, while Johnson City sophomore Max Turan is manning the placekicking duties where he is a perfect 16-for-16 on his extra points. Turan has connected on 34 of his 35 career PAT’s which gives him a school-record 97.1 success rate so far and enters this week having made 19 consecutive PATs.
Cam Ferguson leads the TU kickoff return unit where he is averaging 22.5 yards (6th in SAC) on his eight returns. Ferguson returned 19 kickoffs while at Carson-Newman for a 26.2 yards per return average including a 92-yard touchdown two years ago.
Ashton Hagans has been shining on the TU punt return squad where he is averaging 22.5 yards per return. He opened the season with a 53-yarder for a touchdown against Bluefield State. Last week, his career-high 54-yarder flipped the field late in the contest and set-up Ferguson’s game-winning TD run vs Catawba.
SCOUTING MARS HILL
The Mars Hill Lions provide the opposition for this week’s South Atlantic Conference clash at Meares Stadium in the Lions’ Homecoming Game.
Mars Hill is the lone undefeated team remaining in the league following last week’s 10-6 road win at Carson-Newman.
Kevin Barnette is in his second season as head coach at Mars Hill, but his 33rd on the Lions coaching staff. Barnette took the helm prior to the 2025 season following the retirement of legendary head coach Tim Clifton, who wrapped up a successful 32-year run on the Hill.
Barnette has served as defensive coordinator at MHU the last 33 years including this season. This may be his best defense to date as the Lions lead the nation in scoring defense allowing just 7.3 points per game. MHU has not allowed a rushing touchdown in its first four games and has only had three offensive TDs overall.
The Lions have recorded wins over Winston-Salem (17-0), Catawba (22-16 OT), No. 24 Lenoir-Rhyne (15-7) and No. 16 Carson-Newman (10-6). Three of MHU’s four games this year have been on the road where the Lions have outscored the opposition 42-13.
Leading the Mars Hill defense redshirt freshman linebacker Jamarion Farrior. He leads the SAC with his 40 tackles (10.0 tpg – 18th in NCAA II) including 3.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks. He has as pass break-up, a QB hurry and a blocked kick.
Senior linebacker Isaac Weaver is second on the roster with his 34 tackles including 2.5 for loss, one sack and a team-best three QB hurries.
Sophomore defensive lineman Jy’Mire Wright is is third with 24 tackles including a team-best 5.0 for loss (6th in SAC/42nd in NCAA II) with 2.5 sacks (4th in SAC). He has one interception and a QB hurry.
Senior cornerback Jayden Alberty is fourth with 21 tackles (2.5 TFL) while the trio of junior Russell Barnett, junior Donovan Thompson and sophomore Wayne Austell are tied for fifth with 17 tackles apiece. Barnett also has 4.5 tackles for loss (7th in SAC) with a league-leading 3.5 sacks (14th in NCAA II).
Junior safety Caden Hilemon leads the country with his three interceptions and is one of sixth players in Division II with three picks thus far in 2026.
Defensively, the Lions are tops in the conference in total defense (228.8 ypg – 5th in NCAA II), rushing defense (74.0 ypg – 5th in NCAA II), first down defense (53 – 5th in NCAA II), third down defense (25% – 5th in NCAA II), and passing defense (154.8 ypg – 18th in NCAA II).
Offensively, Mars Hill is scoring 16 points per game, which is last in the conference. But the Lions have the top running back and one of the best receivers in the SAC.
Sophomore running back Rayvon Durant leads the league averaging 88.3 rushing yards per game (36th in NCAA II) while scoring three touchdowns. He has also made three receptions for 16 yards.
Junior Charlie Guinade is one of the deep threats for the MHU offense. He has made 33 receptions for 416 yards (2nd in SAC/19th in NCAA II) and three touchdowns. His 8.25 receptions per game average is second in the league and third in the nation. His 104.0 receiving yards per game average is second in the SAC and 12th in the nation.
Christopher Morrison, Jr. is second with 11 receptions for 115 yards and a TD, while JT Way has 10 grabs for 111 yards.
Getting the ball to this terrific trio will be sophomore quarterback Lukas Kachilo. Kachilo has passed for 779 yards and four touchdowns averaging 194.8 passing yards per game (8th in SAC). He has gone 70-of-135 with four interceptions.
On special teams, redshirt freshman Matthias Newsome is the team’s top scorer with 20 points. He has gone 5-of-7 in field goals and 5-of-6 on extra points. His 1.25 field goals made per game average is first in the SAC and 15th in NCAA II.
Sophomore punter Chad Giarrusso is averaging 40.6 yards per punt which is fourth-best in the conference and 41st nationally. He has pinned the opposition eight times inside the 20-yardline on his 20 punt attempts.
Ryder Bush-Ivanko is the top return threat for the Lions this year (14.0 KOR avg & 11.1 PR avg).
FOLLOW THE GAME
Tusculum fans can follow the action with video and audio links, along with live statistics at www.TusculumPioneers.com.
The “Voice of the Pioneers” Brian Stayton will describe all action with the radio pre-game show beginning at 1:30 p.m.
The radio call of the game will be available locally on WSMG Radio on 95.5 FM and 1450 AM, as well as online at https://jewel955.com/listenlive with kickoff at 2:30 p.m. from Meares Stadium in Mars Hill.
