Jefferson City, Tenn.----The Carson-Newman University offense compiled 421 yards en route to a 27-7 South Atlantic Conference football victory over visiting Wingate University Saturday at Burke-Tarr Stadium and Roy Harmon Field (NCAA statistics book). The C-N Eagles (7-3 overall, 5-2 SAC) snap a two-game home losing streak to the Wingate Bulldogs (6-5 overall, 3-4 SAC).
 
Carson-Newman's last home victory over Wingate was a wild 35-33 decision on Nov. 1, 2008. On Saturday, Eagle junior quarterback De'Andre Thomas (Milledgeville, Ga.) rushed for a team-high 86 yards on 14 carries. Thomas completed eight-of-15 passes for 137 yards. C-N senior running back Andy Hibbett (Corryton, Tenn.) had two rushing touchdowns. He shared the team lead with four pass receptions.
 
Wingate sophomore wide receiver Jordan Berry (Irmo, S.C.) caught a third-quarter touchdown pass from redshirt sophomore quarterback Kyle Johnson (Hickory, N.C.), concluding a 13-play, 76-yard drive and cutting the Bulldog deficit to 17-7 with 8:08 to play in the third frame. Berry caught three passes for 29 yards Saturday. He also returned two kick-offs for 60 yards.
 
Thomas moved his troops on an 11-play, 78-yard scoring drive to start the contest. He completed two passes on the drive and called his own number on three rushing plays. Carson-Newman senior running back Randall Freeman (Ooltewah, Tenn.) did the honors, scoring the game's first points on a 12-yard run. Eagle place kicker Ben Ogle (Greeneville, Tenn.) nailed the PAT to make the score 7-0 with 10:24 on the first-quarter clock.
 
On its second Saturday possession, Wingate drove to the Carson-Newman 19. The 12-play, 60-yard movement stalled. Bulldog redshirt senior place kicker Patrick Smith (Hickory, N.C.) missed a 36-yard field goal wide right, giving the Eagles the ball back.
 
Carson-Newman capitalized, as the Eagles put together another 11-play scoring march. Hibbett sealed the deal, as he scored on a 10-yard run. Ogle's extra point doubled the Eagle margin to 14-0 with 12:14 remaining in the second stanza.
 
Ogle added a 33-yard field goal with 98 seconds left on the second quarter clock. The Eagles rushed for 193 yards in the first half. The Carson-Newman defense held Wingate without a first down in the second quarter.
 
The Johnson-to-Berry scoring connection put the exclamation point on the longest drive of the day for either team. Carson-Newman answered immediately, moving the ball 64 yards on seven plays to regain the 17-point lead. Hibbett found pay dirt again, this time on a 24-yard run. Ogle's PAT made the score 24-7 Eagles with 5:22 left in the third frame.
 
Ogle converted his second field goal of the day to finish the scoring. His second three-pointer was a 24-yarder with 4:49 to play in the fourth quarter. An interception by Carson-Newman senior defensive back Sean Rawson (Cape Coral, Fla.) made the Ogle triple possible.
 
The Eagles rushed 53 times for 262 yards. Thomas and sophomore back-up quarterback Noah Suber (Asheville, N.C.) combined for 147 passing yards. Hibbett saw his eight-game streak of 100-yard rushing games end, but he caught a team-best (tying) four passes for 54 yards. He rushed nine times for 58 yards and two scores.
 
Wingate redshirt junior wide receiver Jiwan Funderburk (Pageland, S.C.) led the Bulldogs with five receptions for 32 yards. Redshirt senior tight end Brandon Ellington (Wilmington, N.C.) matched Berry with three catches of his own. Senior running back Nestor Lantigua (Wellington, Fla.) rushed 15 times for 46 yards. Johnson completed 15-of-38 passes for 122 yards and one score.
 
The Bulldog defense held the potent Eagle ground game to 69 yards in the second half. Wingate redshirt senior defensive back Jon Jimenez (Scottsdale, Ariz.) led both teams with 13 tackles (seven solo, six assists) and one tackle for loss. Junior linebacker Eric Mapoles (Snellville, Ga.) had 12 tackles and one tackle for loss.
 
Wingate junior defensive back Brandon Hathaway (Smyrna, Ga.) had 10 tackles, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Bulldog redshirt senior Steven Jacobs (Pembroke, N.C.) matched Hathaway with one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Jacobs added five tackles and a half-tackle for loss to his statistics ledger Saturday.
 
Carson-Newman junior linebacker Eric Cain (Jefferson City, Tenn.) led the hosts with nine tackles. The Eagle defense posted 10 pass break-ups, five quarterback hurries, five tackles for loss, one sack and one interception.
 
The C-N contest was the final appearance in the Navy Blue and Vegas Gold for 20 Wingate seniors. "This is a great group of seniors," Wingate head coach Joe Reich says. "It is tough to see them leave."