Barton linebacker Matthew Leach (2), corraling an Anderson ball carrier during a home game Sept. 28 at Truist Stadium, forced a fumble on a quarterback sack and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown in the Bulldogs’ 28-17 loss at No. 21 Carson-Newman in Jefferson City, Tenn., on Saturday, Oct. 5. Sheldon Vick | Special to the Times
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — Big plays weren’t nearly enough to push the Barton College football team past host Carson-Newman University as the No. 21 Eagles prevailed 28-17 in their NCAA Division II South Atlantic Conference matchup Saturday, Oct. 5, at Burke-Tarr Stadium.
Running first-year head coach Ashley Ingram’s triple-option attack, Carson-Newman piled up 509 offensive yards to just 197 for Barton, which rushed for a measly 33 yards on 24 attempts as it slipped to 2-3 overall and 1-2 in SAC games. The Eagles are the only remaining unbeaten team in the South Atlantic at 5-0 overall and 3-0 in league games.
“They are very good at what they do,” Bulldogs head coach Chip Hester said of the Eagles during a telephone interview Sunday morning. “It’s tough to go against and you’ve got to be on top of your game. We were not. I thought our guys fought all day, competed and we had some opportunities and didn’t make enough plays. I think Coach Ingram’s done a great job there and they get good players and they’re playing well so we’ve got to get better. No question about it.”
Redshirt freshman Khavarie Hightower returned the opening kickoff 98 yards to give the Bulldogs the very early lead.
“That’s a big play. It gives us a jolt right from the beginning and brought good energy,” Hester said.
Except the Eagles stole that energy immediately with a big play of their own after getting the ball back. Jeremiah Carroll sprinted 64 yards for a TD on first down and Bennett Smith kicked the tying PAT just 18 scoreboard seconds after Andrew Bontekoe kicked the extra point for Barton.
The Eagles would go ahead 14-7 before Bontekoe’s 46-yard field goal ended the first-quarter scoring. Carson-Newman had a first and 10 at the Barton 20 on its next possession when quarterback Zane Whitson was sacked by Bulldogs outside linebacker Matthew Leach, who scooped the ball up and scooted 80 yards for Barton’s first defensive TD of the season,.
“That’s a huge momentum play,” Hester said, “and I thought our energy level was good there, but when it’s all said and done, we just couldn’t move the ball enough and we couldn’t stop their run. We just couldn’t make enough negative plays. When you’re playing a team like that, you’ve got to figure out a way to get them behind the chains and it felt like we never could get them behind the chains all day. You know, they’re undefeated for a reason. They’re a really good football team, and we’re not where we want to be quite yet.”
The Eagles converted 11-of-13 third downs and averaged 7.4 yards per snap on offense, making for a long afternoon for the Barton defense, which did hold its own at times.
“You’ve got to find ways to make them have a negative play on first down,” Hester said. “If they get three or four yards, it’s really tough to stop them on even fourth and 2 or fourth and 1. They’re gonna go for it and they’re gonna get it.”
The Eagles reclaimed the lead with a 10-play, 69-yard drive that culminated in a 13-yard TD run by Jayden Sullins, who roasted the Bulldogs for 261 yards on 13 carries.
Carson-Newman then took the second-half kickoff and marched 75 yards on 15 plays, converting three first downs and a fourth down. Whitson leaned in from the 1 for the final Eagles TD.
Carson-Newman fumbled at the Barton 23 with sophomore Keno Jones grabbing it for the Bulldogs. The final Eagles drive ended with them taking knees inside the Barton 5 to run out the clock.
Bontekoe missed a 43-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
“We had some plays that we missed,” Hester assessed. “We had a couple things going there late and then had a couple penalties, had a couple of holding calls that stalled drives and pushed us back and didn’t give us a chance. So, you know, heck, yeah, we’ve got to get better. I don’t think you can look at one side of the ball or the other and say that’s the reason. No, I thought it was just a team loss.”
Barton hits the road again Saturday, Oct. 12, with a trip to Wingate.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.
Local News
Comments / 0