JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — One team in the South Atlantic Conference that has been as tough of a matchup as any for the Carson-Newman football team during the last four years has been Catawba.
The winning team has won by an average of six points during that span with the Eagles and Indians each claiming two victories. Last season, C-N had to put together a 14-point fourth quarter rally to defeat Catawba 41-31 on homecoming. In 2007, the Indians handed the Eagles their only loss of the season, a 55-49 defeat in Jefferson City.
When C-N and Catawba square off on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in Shuford Stadium, Eagles head coach Ken Sparks said his team better be ready for another challenge.
"All of them right now are tough," Sparks said. "We have to answer the call and realize we are not going to get anybody's half effort. When you look at Catawba, they are a very talented football team. On paper it looks like a mismatch, but thank goodness the game is not played on paper. I think our guys will play hard and give it a good shot."
The Eagles are coming off a heartbreaking 38-35 overtime loss to Wingate on homecoming last week. C-N amassed 504 yards of total offense, including 411 on the ground, but was unable to stop the Bulldogs from making big plays when it mattered most.
Wingate passed for 412 yards and averaged 20.6 yards per completion, including scoring plays of 23, 39, 80 and 66 yards. Sparks believes his team will respond in the right way come Saturday.
"I expect them to get better and play better," he said. "That's what I expect. If we don't, we will tell the world that we are not for real. I don't want them to lose ground over that loss. I want them to gain ground. We have a great group of kids that want to get it done."
Overshadowed in Saturday's loss was a career performance from junior running back Nate Inman (Fitzgerald, Ga.). Inman rushed for a career-high 214 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 8.9 yards per carry. Inman currently ranks 27th nationally with an average of 101.3 yards per game, while C-N is third in the nation as a team with an average of 283.7.
"Nate Inman is a good football player and a good person," Sparks offered. "I'm sure glad we have him another year after this."
The Eagles will be facing a Catawba squad that is currently tied atop the SAC standings with a 2-0 conference record. The Indians are 4-1 overall and are coming off a 31-21 victory over Brevard last Saturday. Catawba's other conference victory was a 35-28 win at Wingate.
The C-N defense will be tested through the air again this week, as Catawba is averaging 247.6 passing yards per game. Indians senior quarterback Patrick Dennis had done a stellar job guiding the offense this season, completing 64.8 percent of his passes for 1,146 yards and 10 touchdowns. Dennis threw for 311 yards and three scores against the Eagles last season.
Dennis returns his top three targets from a year ago led by senior Brandon Bunn. Bunn has 418 yards receiving and six touchdowns this season, including a school-record 247 yards on 10 receptions against Wingate.
Defensively, the Indians have been among the conference's best this season, ranking first in scoring defense (19.6 points per game), third in pass defense (205.2 yards per game), first in rushing defense (81.4) and second in total defense (286.6).
"When you look at it, their defensive front seven looks a lot different than our defensive front seven," Sparks said. "They are big, fast and experienced. It's their passing game against our passing defense and pass rush and our running game against their run defense. Whoever wins those two battles will win the ballgame."
Preseason first team All-SAC selections Cory Johnson, Lakeem Perry and Brandon Sutton have led the way for the Indians. Johnson and Perry, both linebackers, are the top two tacklers on the team with 46 and 33, respectively. Sutton, a defensive lineman, has recorded 21 stops, including 9.5 for a loss and five sacks.
Saturday marks the 44th meeting between the Eagles and Indians with C-N holding a 33-9-1 series lead.
