VIDEO: Ken Sparks Interview

VIDEO: De'Andre Thomas Interview

VIDEO: TraShaun Ward Interview

VIDEO: Brandon Staton Interview

VIDEO: Damien Baker Interview

VIDEO: Highlights

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman's (1-0) road to a historic 600^th all-time win featured a bevy of points, yards and offense as the Eagles fought off a feisty University of the Cumberlands (KY) club to win 59-56 Thursday night under the lights at Burke-Tarr Stadium. 

"There's no question that we have a whole lot to work on," Carson-Newman head coach Ken Sparks said. "There's a lot to work on that hopefully results in us being better blockers and tacklers.  We struggled tonight to get lined up defensively. It was a frustrating coaching night, but it was also an opportunity to find out about ourselves. We definitely found out about a lot about ourselves tonight."

The game impacted the record books in ways beyond Carson-Newman becoming the fifth Division II program with 600 wins. 

The combined 115 points are the most ever scored in a Carson-Newman football game and the second most in South Atlantic Conference history.   The 56 points the Patriots scored are the second most ever given up by a Ken Sparks-coached team and it marks the most points Carson-Newman has ever allowed in a win. 

The Eagles' 646 yards of total offense equates to the sixth highest single-game total for the program while C-N's 291 yards through the air ranks for the fifth-most all-time for a Sparks-era team. 

Carson-Newman completed 14 passes as a team, which is tied for the third highest figure for a Sparks-era team.

The Cumberlands' average of 8.2 yards per rush comes up as the most the Eagles have given up per play all-time and the 334 yards of kickoff return yardage against are the second most allowed all-time by the Eagles.

The University of the Cumberlands rolled up 443 yards of total offense and NAIA long jump champion Wendell Williams brought two kickoffs back for touchdowns

"I admire the dickens out of them for the (multiple formations and looks) they ran," Sparks said. "I wonder how in the word they teach all that. We saw every front that's been known tonight and they deserve a lot of credit tonight.  They executed a lot better than we did in places."

Carson-Newman and the University of the Cumberlands traded scores on the first nine possessions of the game.   De'Andre Thomas (Milledgeville, Ga.) gave the Eagles the edge 35-28 with 53 seconds left in the first half with a six-yard option keeper around the right side of the line. 

The score was his 35^th on the ground in his career, which moved him into a tie for ninth on the school's all-time rushing touchdowns list with Robert Thomas (1988-91).

The team's continued to trade offensive haymakers in the second half. Following a Patriot touchdown on a Hunter Lewis 30-yard catch and run from Adam Craig, Joe Rose missed an extra point that kept C-N in front 35-34. 

Carson-Newman maintained its lead with a Carson Wise (Blacksburg, Va.) 40-yard field goal to make the score 45-40; however, Williams sprang free for his second kickoff return for a touchdown of the night. 

This one was a 98 yards that meandered through the middle of the field, veered to the left sideline and then resulted in enough space for Williams to turn around and draw a taunting penalty that was enforced on the ensuing kickoff. 

The score gave the Patriots the lead for the first time; however, that lead was short-lived.

Carson-Newman started handing the Cumberlands a steady does of Damian Baker (Columbus, Miss.) on the ground.  Baker scored on a three-yard trap play left to push Carson-Newman back in front 52-48 before capping off a 10-play, 79-yard drive with an 18-yard run where he managed to break three tackles for his third score of the day. 

However, the Cumberlands weren't done with the dramatics.  Williams took a 59-yard reverse into the end zone to bring the Patriots within five.  A Craig connection with Lewis on the two-point try brought the Patriots within a field goal. 

However, the Eagles recovered the onside kick and converted on a fourth down to wind out the clock and seal the victory. 

Even with the ups and downs, Sparks wanted the focus upstairs.   

"I told the team that I hope they don't think too lowly or too highly of ourselves after tonight," Sparks said. "It gives us a lot of things to work for if we're honest with ourselves.  We need to claim who we are in Christ and go to work to get better to better honor him."

Baker rushed for 174 yards and three touchdowns, his third career 150-yard day and his second career three-touchdown day, to lead the offense.  Jamal Jones (Chattanooga, Tenn.) carried 17 times for 89 yards and a score. 

Thomas dazzled tossing the oblong spheroid.  He completed 13-of-19 passes for 225 yards (12 off his career high) and a score. 

Noah Suber (Asheville, N.C.) saw a series under center and used his time on the field to hook up with former quarterback Darvia DuBose (Darlington, S.C.) on a 66-yard touchdown. 

TraShaun Ward (Miami, Fla.) hauled in six passes for 122 yards and a 26-yard touchdown for his first career 100-yard receiving performance, and the first for a Carson-Newman wideout since Anthony Eubanks had 136 yards and eight catches against North Greenville in 2013.  

"We we're pretty efficient throwing the football tonight," Sparks said. "We probably get to 300 if we weren't just trying to get the game over. It was encouraging to see them sling it around tonight."  

Lewis carried the ball 19 times for 142 yards for the Patriots.  Craig was 5-for-14 for 99 yards and two scores through the air. 

Sha'Heem Stupart (Taylors, S.C.) and Brandon Staton (Barnwell, S.C.) led the Eagles defensively with eight tackles apiece. 

Corey Washington produced 14 tackles to lead the Cumberlands. 

Carson-Newman is back at home Saturday Sept. 12 against Shorter.  Kickoff with the Hawks is set for noon with pregame coverage on the Eagle Sports Network starting at 11 a.m. with the Appalachian Electric Cooperative Tailgate Show.  Fans can listen to the game on Joy 620 (WRJZ-AM, Knoxville), Mountain Country 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.