Aug. 26, 2004

Final Stats |  Quotes |  Notes |  Photo Gallery

Jefferson City, TN - The veer option was a nightmare for the Rams of Winston-Salem State University on Thursday evening in Jefferson City, TN as the sixth-ranked Carson-Newman Eagles racked up 559 yards of total offense and 48 points as they handed the Rams a loss in the nation's first football game as the two teams combined for over 1000-yards in total offense (443 WSSU; 559 Carson-Newman) in the contest.

The Eagles showed exactly why they have recorded a 105-19 record versus Division II opponents since becoming an NCAA member in 1993 as they won their season opening game for the seventh straight year and improve to 9-2-1 in openers since moving to Division II with an impressive performance versus a very good WSSU football team.

The first half of play was an interesting one as the two teams would fail to impress defensively. However, the lack of defense was made up for on the offensive side of things as the Rams and Eagles combined for a total of 530 yards in offense and 41 points in only 30 minutes of play.

The Rams started the contest with Martin Hicks (Jr./RB/Oxford, NC) picking up where he left off in 2003 as he was responsible for positive yardage on the Rams' first four plays from scrimmage. However, a pass attempt on third and long failed to produce results and the Rams were forced to punt.

The Eagles first drive would last only two plays as they tallied an incomplete pass on first down and uncharacteristically turned the ball over on second down. Anthony Robinson (Jr./DL/Winston-Salem, NC) snuck through the offensive line and forced a fumble that newcomer Edwin Jones (Jr./DL/Flint, MI) recovered that set up a Martin Hicks 5-yard touchdown run. Following a successful Matt Hind kick (Jr./K/Clemmons, NC) the Rams would lead by the score of 7-0.

Not to be outdone, the Eagles would answer back on the very next drive. A Shane Kelley 41-yard TD pass to TE Leonard Weaver would cap a five play, 71-yard drive that ate up 2:24 of time on the clock to cut the Ram lead to one point at 7-6 after an Eagle PAT sailed wide right.

That is when the WSSU offense would stall. After another three-and-out, the Eagles wasted no time in grabbing their first lead of the contest. A six-play 82-yard drive would end with a Kiel Angry five yard touchdown run and a Brandon Mott extra point as Carson-Newman ended the first quarter of play with a 13-7 lead.

Martin Hicks Was WSSU's Second Running Back To Eclipse The 100 Yard Mark Versus The Eagles

The second quarter of play started in the same manner as the first quarter had ended, with an Eagle offensive explosion. Carson-Newman would go 81-yards in 41 seconds on two plays to pull convincingly ahead by the score of 20-7.

Ram fans were on the edge of their seats on the very next WSSU drive as senior receiver Brandon Free (Sr./WR/Jamestown, NC) recorded two straight receptions for first downs on third and long and picked up a first down on fourth and 13 to keep the WSSU drive, and hopes, alive. Willie "Pedie" Byrd (Sr./RB/Leland, NC) would help trim the Eagle lead back to only six after rumbling 10-yards into the endzone to make it 20-14.

The Rams' momentum was short lived as C-N drove 65-yards in 6 plays to go up 27-14 on a 2:40 drive that saw the Rams stymied by the Eagles option and running game.

WSSU strung together an impressive final drive of the half but saw a questionable call in the end zone go against them as officials ruled that a 22-yard touchdown pass was caught just out of bounds. The Rams attempted a 32-yard field goal as time expired, but saw it blocked by the Eagles as the half ended with the home team holding a 13-point advantage at 27-14.

Despite the fact that the Rams held the ball for nearly 22 minutes in the first half of play the Eagles averaged 12-plus yards per play in the first half and took a comfortable lead into the halftime intermission.

Looking for a comeback in the second half of play, the Rams fell victim to even more Eagle offense. Carson-Newman scored on their first three possessions of the second half to pull ahead by the score of 48-20. The score would mark the seventh straight possession that the Eagles had scored in the contest.

WSSU answered back midway through the fourth quarter of play as Jerrick "Jed" Bines capped a 10-play, 83-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown run, but it would prove to be too-little, too-late as the Eagles had a firm grasp on the victory and led in the game 48-26.

The Rams and Eagles would use the remainder of the fourth quarter to give their second units playing time, and fans would be treated to even more offense as the contest ended with a final score of 48-32 in favor of the Eagles.

The Eagles improve to 1-0 (0-0 SAC) with the victory and the Rams fall to 0-1 (0-0 CIAA) with the loss. The win for the Eagles improves their regular-season record at home to 51-1 (51-2 overall) and helps them continue one of the nation's longest home winning streaks.

Carson-Newman returns to action on September 4th at 1:00 pm as they face off against West Georgia in Rome, GA while the Rams return home to the friendly confines of Bowman-Gray Stadium to play host to Ft. Valley State University in the Hall of Fame Game at 6:00 pm.