Greeneville, Tenn.----The Wingate University Bulldogs scored the first 56 points of the day Saturday afternoon, cruising to a 56-10 victory at Tusculum University in South Atlantic Conference football action. Wingate wins its fifth straight, moving to 8-2 overall and 6-2 in the SAC, while the Pioneers fall to 1-8 overall and 0-8 in league play.

KEY STATS

- Wingate had 263 passing yards and 113 rushing yards for 376 yards of offense
- Tusculum had 126 rushing yards and 22 passing yards for 148 total yards
- The Bulldog defense forced four turnovers and scored twice
- The 'Dogs also blocked a punt
- Wingate held a 19-11 advantage in first downs
- The Bulldogs were five-for-11 on third down; the Pioneers went four-for-14
- The 'Dogs scored on four of five red zone trips; Tusculum scored on its lone trip
- Wingate had all three sacks on the day
- The Pioneers held the ball for over 34 minutes

KEY BULLDOGS

- Elihu Lipscomb had two fumble returns for touchdowns, totaling 103 total return yards on the two plays
- Elijah Holmes was 15-for-26 for 263 yards and three touchdowns, adding 12 rushing yards
- Jaylen Himes had six receptions for 126 yards and a TD
- Xavier Pugh ran for 64 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, adding two catches for 10 yards
- Carlos Estronza had a pair of receptions for 35 yards and a score
- Tanner Mays added two grabs for 23 yards and a touchdown
- Xavier Jackson had two receptions for 45 yards
- Jacob Johnson added 22 yards on five carries
- David Squires had eight tackles with a tackle for loss
- Tyson Brown added seven tackles and a sack
- Diego Aviles had six tackles, two TFLs, a sack, a forced fumble and a pass break-up
- Elijah Baskin added five stops, two TFLs and a forced fumble
- Jaylin Brown and Jaquan Edwards each added a tackle for loss on the day
- Brandon Perry had an interception
- Caleb Bonesteel made all eight PATs
- Jake Snapp had 51 kick return yards and 24 punt return yards
- Lawson Thorn had five touchbacks on seven kickoffs
- Rivers Teeter averaged 38.8 yards per punt on five punts, putting two inside the 20

FIRST QUARTER

- Teams traded punts on the opening drives
- Wingate took over at its own 38 on the second drive with 11:55 to go
- Holmes hit Himes for 15 yards on third and three to get it into TU territory
- Pugh's 13-yard rush got it inside the 30
- Holmes found Clinesmith for 24 yards, getting it to the two
- Pugh punched it in from there to give Wingate a 7-0 lead
- Omar Ba recovered a fumble on the ensuing Tusculum drive
- The 'Dogs drove it into the red zone, but a field goal attempt was off the mark
- The defense forced another quick drive and the 'Dogs took over at the WU 40
- Two six-yard runs from Pugh got it into TU territory
- Holmes connected with Estronza for a 28-yard touchdown to make it 14-0 on the final play of the quarter

SECOND QUARTER

- The teams traded punts throughout most of the second quarter
- Perry's interception at the WU three halted a Tusculum drive with 1:48 left in the half
- The Bulldogs went 97 yards to take a three-touchdown lead
- Pugh's 15-yard run and Jackson's 23-yard catch got it to the TU 40
- Holmes hit Jackson again for another 22 yards to get it into the red zone
- Holmes then found Mays for an 18-yard TD, making it 21-0 with seven seconds left

THIRD QUARTER

- Tusculum got the opening kickoff and worked it into Wingate territory
- Aviles came up with a big sack and forced a fumble
- Lipscomb picked it up and took it 51 yards to the house to make it 28-0
- The Pioneers went backwards on the next drive, and after a short punt, WU took over at the TU 31
- Holmes connected with Himes on the first play of the drive for 28 yards, getting it to the three
- Pugh punched it in from there to give the 'Dogs a 35-point lead
- Wingate forced another punt and took over at the WU 25
- Holmes found Himes for 25 yards to get it to midfield
- A Pugh 12-yard run and Himes 19-yard reception got the Bulldogs to the 24
- A penalty backed the 'Dogs up to the 34, but Holmes hit Himes for a 34-yard TD on the next play
- The Pioneers once again worked into Wingate territory on the next drive
- Tusculum fumbled, with Lipscomb picking it up and taking it 52 yards for another touchdown
- The 'Dogs took a 49-0 lead with 2:59 left in the frame
- Tusculum had to punt from deep in its own territory late in the quarter
- Malik Tyrell-Crittington blocked the punt, with GW Clemmer recovering it at the three

FOURTH QUARTER

- Jayshawn Appling scored from two yards out on the first play of the fourth quarter
- The Bulldogs took a 56-0 lead with 14:54 remaining

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Saturday, hosting Mars Hill at 3 p.m.
- The Bulldogs will celebrate Homecoming and Senior Day on Saturday