GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — The Tusculum defense forced four turnovers and converted all of them into touchdowns as the Pioneers defeated visiting Bluefield State 42-7 Thursday night at Pioneer Field in the season opener for both teams.
With the victory, Tusculum (1-0) snaps a nine-game losing streak dating back to last year’s 49-23 opening win at Bluefield State (0-1). The victory ends the fifth-longest losing streak in program history.
TU also established a pair of single-game records in the contest. The Pioneers erupted for a school-record 35 points in the second quarter to pace Tusculum to a 42-0 lead. Junior defensive back Kevin Jordan picked off a pass in the end zone and sprinted 100 yards up the near sideline for a school-record pick-six with seven seconds remaining before halftime.
The TU secondary accounted for three interceptions in the contest including two picks by redshirt freshman Justin Thomas.
Tusculum rushed for 222 yards led by transfer quarterback Tedros Gleaton who ran for 74 yards on nine carries in his TU debut. He also went 2-for-3 for 51 passing yards including a 43-yard TD strike to senior wideout Ashton Hagans to get the scoring started for the Pioneers at the 8:11 mark of the first quarter.
Hagans also scored on special teams with his 53-yard punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter.
Late in the first frame following a brilliant 56-yard punt by Tusculum’s Nathan Holbrook was downed at the BSU one-yard line. On third down, BSU quarterback Rishon Holmes was pressured by linebacker Jimi Olarinde and his heave from the end zone was intercepted by Thomas as Tusculum took over at the BSU 38.
A steady dose of sophomore running back Javon McMahan moved the ball to the 14 as the first quarter ended. McMahan ran for nine more yards and transfer Cam Ferguson would scamper in for a five-yard touchdown with 13:16 left in the half as TU extended the lead to 14-0.
Thomas would come up with his second interception of the game on the second play of the ensuing series as Tusculum took over at the BSU 43.
The Pioneers would march 43-yards on seven plays with transfer Keithan Washington running up the middle for a five-yard touchdown run with 9:30 on the clock as Tusculum led 21-0.
Bluefield State would go three-and-out on its next series with junior defensive lineman Nathan Thomas coming up with a sack on third down, forcing a punt.
Hagans would haul in the punt near midfield and sprinted down the sprinted down the sideline for a 53-yard TD return and a 28-0 lead with 7:39 left in the half.
Tusculum forced its third turnover of the half as Jordan forced a fumble which was recovered by TU teammate Zavien Bryant at the BSU 40.
The Pioneers would cover the distance in nine plays and 5:17 with Kam Williams capping the drive with a four-yard touchdown run with 1:18 left in the half. Tusculum overcame a first down and 25-yards to go situation following a blocking penalty. But a 17-yard run by Ferguson got TU ahead of the chains and runs by Gleaton and Williams had the Pioneers back in business. Rushes of five and nine yards by Washington put TU at the BSU 4 before Williams closed out the drive with at the score.
With 1:18 left in the half, Bluefield State’s Derek Binder returned the ensuing kickoff 51 yards to the TU 44. A 14-yard completion to Jonathan Bagley moved the football to the TU 30. Wesley Thompson would be sacked for a seven-yard loss by Olarinde and Cameron Garnett forcing a timeout with 29 seconds left. Thompson would scramble as his pass to the end zone was picked off by Jordan. He would run out of the end zone and ran up the sideline for a 100-yard pick-six for the longest interception return in program and South Atlantic Conference history.
The 42 points scored in the first half by the Pioneers are the most by a TU team since posting 55 in the 2014 opener against the College of Faith.
In the second half, both teams played each other into a stalemate. Tusculum would run the ball eight total times in the third quarter for only five yards with zero first downs. Meanwhile, the Big Blues would record three first downs in the quarter, but would go 1-for-4 on third downs and 0-for-2 on fourth downs in the third as both teams went scoreless.
Tusculum was committed to keep the ball on the ground as the Big Blues dominated possession in the final quarter, holding onto the football for 10:27 with Wiley busting up the shutout on a one-yard run to the end zone with three seconds left.
TU’s Greg Williams led the Pioneers with his seven tackles including 1.5 for loss, while Jordan tallied four stops including a forced fumble that later set up a Kam Williams four-yard TD run late in the second quarter.
Tusculum kicker Max Turan was a perfect 6-of-6 on his extra points, following the 7-for-7 performance in last year’s opener against the Big Blues.
BSU’s Derek Binder led the visitors with 58 rushing yards on five carries, while Wiley ended the contest with five receptions for 59 yards.
On special teams, Holbrook averaged 45.7 yards on his three punts including two that were downed inside the 15 yard-line.
Tusculum finished the contest with 273 total yards while the Big Blues had 196 yards.
Jordan’s 100-yard interception return broke the previous mark of 97-yards which was set by Andrae Robinson in 2022 at Catawba. Thomas’ two interceptions ties a school single-game mark which has been done 27 other times with the last coming vs Emory & Henry last season by Dauquan Diston.
The Pioneers return to action next Saturday (Sep. 5) when they make the short 23-mile trek to ETSU to take on the NCAA-FCS Buccaneers for a 5:30 p.m. contest. It will be the first meeting on the gridiron between Tusculum and ETSU in 76 years.
