October 4, 2025

Emory & Henry rallies to protect home field, collect 19-13 win over No. 22 C-N

EMORY, Va. — Carson-Newman’s defense held the South Atlantic Conference’s highest scoring offense to its lowest output of the season but couldn’t get enough from its own scoring unit to get the win.

#22/22 Carson-Newman

3-2

Emory & Henry

5-1

Final	1	2	3	4	T
#22/22 Carson-Newman (3-2)	0	3	10	0	13
Emory & Henry (5-1)	3	2	3	11	19

VIDEO: Ashley Ingram Interview

VIDEO: Highlights

VIDEO: Zane Whitson Interview

VIDEO: Martavis Mason Interview

EMORY, Va. — Carson-Newman's defense held the South Atlantic Conference's highest scoring offense to its lowest output of the season but couldn't get enough from its own scoring unit to get the win.

The No. 22-ranked Eagles fell 19-13 to Emory & Henry at Fred Selfe Stadium Saturday.

C-N (3-2, 2-2 SAC) came into the game third in the conference in third down conversions. The Wasps (5-1, 4-1) held Carson-Newman to just 2 of 11 on third downs. The Eagles picked up eight first downs total in the game.

E&H stretched its home win streak to nine games, the third longest active streak in NCAA Division II.

"We played a very good football team," C-N head coach Ashely Ingram said. "There's a reason they have that win streak. I think they're now 14-3 in their last 17 games. We battled to the end and we didn't make enough plays on offense to win the game. At the end, we had a chance or two to get them off the field and we couldn't do it. We've got to play better. We've got to coach better. We've got this open week and can regroup a little bit. Tip your hat to those guys."

While the Eagles struggled on offense, their defense kept them in the game until the final whistle. Emory & Henry entered Saturday's contest averaging 39 points per game and C-N's defensive unit held them to just 19, including a goal line stand to keep them from adding to a 5-3 lead at halftime.

"Our defense, especially in the first half hung in there," Ingram said. "To only be down two points at the half was pretty remarkable. …They were probably on the field too much. We didn't do enough on offense to give them a chance."

Terry Lemon led the Eagles defense with nine tackles. Martavis Mason had eight tackles and half a tackle for a loss. Cruz Temple finished with seven tackles and half a tackle for a loss. Storm Livesay and Torrance Polk had six tackles apiece, with Livesay adding half a tackle for a loss and Polk recording a tackle for a loss. Mekhi Brown, Champ Baker, Ted Eugene and Jesse Combs teamed up to pick up two sacks, extending C-N's sack a game streak to 28. Carson-Newman has sacked the opposing teams' quarterback in 36 of its last 37 contests.

Emory & Henry's quarterbacks finished 8 of 17 passing for just 128 yards combined.

"It was just knowing the gameplan," Mason said. "We tried to keep them uncomfortable and just execute on third down. … (We need to) go back to work Monday, learn from it, watch film, correct all the mistakes and get back to work in two weeks."

E&H marched down the field on their opening possession, capping a 15-play, 57-yard drive with a 25-yard field goal from Trace Butcher. The 9:31 scoring drive is the longest that C-N has allowed in the last 14 years.

It was the Wasp defense that would put the next points on the board. After forcing a Carson-Newman three-and-out, linebacker Greg Mason blocked a Grayson Campbell punt, sending out of the side of the end zone for a safety. It was the first safety surrendered by the Eagles since Oct. 21, 2021, when running back T.J. King was tackled in the end zone by Mars Hill.

C-N's defense forced a three-and-out of their own on Emory & Henry's ensuing possession, setting up their first and only scoring drive of the opening half. Bennett Smith converted a 26-yard field goal to pull within two.

After the Eagles defense clamped down in their own red zone as time expired at halftime, the two teams took that 5-3 score into the locker room. E&H elected to go for the gusto and a touchdown on a third and goal play from the four with four seconds left on the clock. However, Mutter's slant pass was deflected away as the first half clock expired.

"I was feeling great (going into halftime)," C-N quarterback Zane Whitson said. "The defense played their butts off. That was a huge stop right at the end of the first half. We just didn't make plays when we needed to. We've got to get better."

Carson-Newman came to life to open the second half. Receiving the third quarter kickoff, the Eagles marched down to E&H's 35 before they stalled. Smith nailed his second 52-yard field goal in back-to-back weeks to give C-N a 6-5 lead. Smith tied himself from last week's victory over Wingate for fourth longest field goal in school history. He is the fourth kicker in Carson-Newman to have two 50-yard plus kicks in a career.

After forcing another Wasps three-and-out, C-N struck fast, with Whitson hitting Jeremiah Carroll down the seam on a 50-yard touchdown pass.

The Wasps would answer back with a 10-play, 60-yard scoring drive capped with a 36-yard field goal from Butcher. The Eagles lead 13-8 heading into the final quarter.

The offensive fireworks for Carson-Newman fizzled out in the fourth as they gained just 11 total yards on their final four possessions, all of which were three-and-outs.

"We had some miscommunications," Whitson said. "I've got to be better. I missed a couple of reads. It all comes down on me. I just didn't make the plays when I really needed to."

Emory & Henry retook the lead, 16-13, after a Rudolph Paul 12-yard touchdown run at the top of the fourth quarter, adding a two-point conversion on a pass from Cole Lambert to Jordan Jackson. Butcher would add a 47-yard field goal with 1:49 to play.

For Carson-Newman, it was just the ninth loss in the last 14 seasons when the team held a lead entering the fourth quarter. The Eagles are 76-9 when leading after three in that span. The last fourth quarter comeback loss for C-N was against Catawba in 2021.

"All we can do is focus on Carson-Newman," Ingram said. "I've got to do a better job getting our team ready. We've got to have a better plan offensively. We can just take them one at a time. That's all we can do. The open week is coming at a great time. …We'll bounce back. We're excited and I'm proud of our guys."

Carson-Newman gets a week off before hitting the road for a third consecutive game against a SAC opponent. The Eagles will travel to Anderson, S.C. to face off against the Anderson Trojans on Saturday, Oct. 18. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Coverage on the Eagles Sports Radio Network begins at noon with the AEC Countdown to kickoff on Joy 620 (WRJZ-AM, Knoxville), Mix 105.5 (WSEV-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.