VIDEO: Mike Clowney Interview

VIDEO: Highlights

VIDEO: Trayzel Juredini-Wyche Interview

VIDEO: Ivan Corbin Interview

VIDEO: Major Williams Interview

VIDEO: Braxton Westfield Interview

EMORY, Va. – Carson-Newman (4-5, 3-4 South Atlantic Conference) flipped the script and took to the air Saturday afternoon at Fred Selfe Stadium.

The Eagles, the South Atlantic Conference's leading rushing attack, only rushed for 96 yards. However, C-N put together its first 200-yard passing day in 588 days en route to scoring 21 unanswered points and a 21-7 triumph over Emory & Henry (4-5, 3-4 SAC). 

After struggling through a quarter and a half, senior signal-caller Ivan Corbin (Warner Robbins, Ga.) settled in in the second to complete 11 of his final 15 passes to finish with 242 yards and a pair of scores. 

"I think that's something we as a football team have to get better at and work on," Carson-Newman head football coach Mike Clowney said. "We talked about it— they were going to play nine guys in the box, giving us some one-on-one coverage and the thing you need to do is win about three or four of those for touchdowns a game. We were able to win two of them for touchdown to kinda stretch the lead to where we were in a comfortable place."

Corbin missed on seven of eight passes at one point and started 4-of-13 before settling in.  Corbin became the first Eagle to throw for more than 200 yards since Trey Mitchell's 282-yard day at UVA Wise in the spring CoVID season.  Corbin was 15-of-28 through the air, completing passes to seven different receivers.

"It just took a moment getting settled in and trusting my linemen and receivers," Corbin said. "Putting the ball where it needs to go. At first I was, you know, kind of just aiming instead of throwing to a spot. So that was kind of a reason for my first couple of misses."

Braxton Westfield (Simponsville, S.C.) led all receivers, catch four passes for 124 yards and a score.  The 100-yard performance is the third for him in his career, and the first for the Eagles' as a program since JJ Lewis' five-catch, 100-yard day at UVA Wise on March 13, 2021. 

With the win, Carson-Newman put a halt to the nation's eighth-longest active road losing streak. The Eagles hadn't won away from Burke-Tarr since the last time it chucked it over the pitch for 200 yards – that spring game at Wise – a streak of nine straight road losses. 

While the Eagle offense snapped into form through the air, the defense was locked in from the first drive on.  C-N held E&H to 117 yards after halftime.  Carson-Newman also generated a pair of red zone stops. C-N had one red zone stop all season prior to the contest with E&H. 

"Defensively, I thought the guys played well the entire game," Clowney said. "You know, that first half we give up that 4th-and-short and kinda didn't recover from it as as quick as you want to. But other than that I thought for the most part our guys, especially on the back end, did a good job of keeping guys covered, and then eventually we were able to get to the quarterback and get some sacks."

Emory & Henry struck first with a beefy opening possession.  The Wasps converted on a fourth down and two third downs before pounding the ball into the end zone with a five-yard rush up the middle from Grayson Overstreet to set the initial edge at 7-0 with 8:17 to go in the first quarter. 

The teams traded futility until late in the second quarter.  A C-N fumble and a pick sandwiched an Emory & Henry interception.  The Eagles and Wasps then traded punts before Major Williams (Fort Myers, Fla.) returned a punt 50 yards to set the Eagles up at the E&H 25.  However, C-N couldn't gain a yard and settled for a 42-yard field goal that was pushed wide left.

Carson-Newman finally got the offense on track on its second-to-last possession of the second quarter.  Ivan Corbin (Warner Robbins, Ga.) completed all four passes on the drive before Tyree Nelson (Atlanta, Ga.) burst over left guard and broke two tackles on his way to the end zone on a 15-yard run that tied the game at 7-7 with 89 seconds left in the half.

C-N started the second half the same way it ended the first, with a quality drive to open the third.  Westfield flipped field with a 36-yard immaculate reception finger-tip grab before Corbin aired it over the top to the NFL prospect for a 46-yard touchdown pass that gave C-N the lead for good with 13:42 to play in the third quarter.

Williams set up Carson-Newman's final score with a 45-yard punt return.  The drive came with assistance, facing third-and-11 from the Wasp 45, E&H bottled up Corbin with a seven-yard scramble. 

However, cornerback Chendrick Cann was called for unsportsmanlike conduct to give the Eagles a first down.

Corbin immediately took advantage.  He lofted a ball along the right sideline. Cade Meeks (Ooltewah, Tenn.) raced under it, snatched it, and dragged a foot to give C-N a game-sealing score with 6:59 to play thanks to his first career touchdown grab.

Nelson was an effective weapon for C-N with 40 yards on the ground on 10 carries to go along with 41 yards through the air on four receptions.

The win marked a litany of firsts for the Eagles.  It goes down as the first time C-N has won a game under Mike Clowney when it has been outrushed, lost the turnover battle, or lost the battle for time of possession. 

E&H had a 36:23-23:37 edge in possession, and tallied a fumble and a pick to go against Kendall Williams first INT of the season. 

Emory & Henry outgained Carson-Newman on the ground 196-96.  It marks the first time since 2014 that an opponent has rushed for more yards than Carson-Newman, but the Eagles picked up a win on the scoreboard.

C-N outgained the Wasps 338-302. 

Alonzo Houston (Wimauma, Fla.) turned in his seventh-career double-digit tackle performance with a game-high 12. 

Trayzel Jureidini-Wyche moved past Robbie Tebow and into the top 15 all-time in career sacks with a three-sack day.  Jureidini-Wyche's three sacks were his only tackles on the day. 

"Trayzel's just a guy you love," Clowney said. "He's a program guy. He's on the sideline giving out the scouting report and then when he gets a chance to come in the game and play he takes every opportunity and makes plays. I'm just thrilled to see just watching him. You know, every time you see him coming off the edge you know we've got a chance to get to the quarterback."

Frank Lee (Orangeburg, S.C.) added in eight stops, including 2.5 tackles for loss. 

Charles Mutter led E&H offensively in his first start at QB.  He was 11-for-20 through the air for 106 yards. He also carried the ball 20 times for 63 yards.

Overstreet led the ground game with 83 yards on 20 carries.

Cam Peoples was Mutter's top target, catching five balls for 33 yards.

Carson-Newman wraps up the home schedule at 3 p.m. Saturday against UVA Wise with Homecoming, Senior Day and Veterans' Appreciation Day. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network starts at 2 p.m. with the AEC Tailgate Show on Joy 620 (WRJZ-AM, Knoxville), Mountain Sports 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.