SAC Week 4 Preview

September 24th, 2026 12:00am

The first full month of the 2026 season is almost in the books, and the South Atlantic Conference is beginning to provide some answers — while creating plenty of new questions. One answer being that nobody, including my esteemed colleagues on Inside D2Football seems to be able to figure out the conference and pick winners!

Last weekend brought a pair of statement victories, with Newberry knocking off Wingate 25-22 and Mars Hill taking down No. 24 Lenoir-Rhyne 15-7. Catawba also continued to make its presence felt with a 24-10 victory over Emory & Henry, setting up another intriguing stretch of conference play. With the season moving deeper into September, the margin for error is beginning to shrink, and Week 4 brings another slate of games with plenty at stake.

And then there's the game that has become a little personal in the Gladwin household: the Gladwin Bowl. Carson-Newman and Mars Hill meet Saturday in Jefferson City, with both teams entering the matchup undefeated and 2-0 in conference play. For those new to the column, this is the annual game between my alma mater, Carson-Newman, and my sister's alma mater, Mars Hill — a family rivalry that has taken on a life of its own over the years. The Eagles have won 9 of 14 since she started at “The Hill”. The tradition is simple: whoever loses has to wear the opposing school's gear to work the following Monday. So, while there's plenty at stake in the SAC standings, there's also a much more important question hanging over Burke-Tarr Stadium this weekend: who's wearing orange, and who's wearing blue on Monday?

SAC Players of the Week:

Offense: Mason Kidd (Newberry) - finished 22-of-34 passing for 297 yards and three touchdowns in big win over Wingate.

Defense: Caden Hilemon (Mars Hill) - picked off a pair of passes and added three total tackles as Mars Hill defeated Lenoir-Rhyne for the first time since 2017.

Special Teams: Kyle Perry (Catawba) - chased down a deflected Emory & Henry punt, fielding it at Catawba's 44-yard line and taking it 56 yards to the end zone.

👀 Three Things I'm Watching

...Which Lenoir-Rhyne team shows up? The team that looked like it could win the region or the one who looks like a 7^th or 8^th best team in the SAC?

...Is this the week we begin to see some separation in the standings and who are the contenders/pretenders?

...Am I going to be wearing blue/yellow/black to work on Monday?

📈 SAC Standings

📊 NPI Watch

📝 Picks

Last Week: 3-2

Season: 18-10 (I’m glad I’m having as much luck as anyone else picking these games)

🏆 SAC Game of the Week

Mars Hill Lions (3-0, 2-0) at Carson-Newman Eagles (4-0, 2-0)

Location & Time: Jefferson City, TN / 1:00 PM

Series: Carson-Newman leads the all-time series, 47-15. (Lions won the last meeting, 31-24, in 2025).

The Lions continued their unbeaten start with perhaps their most impressive win of the season, knocking off Lenoir-Rhyne 15-7 in Hickory to move to 3-0 overall and 2-0 in SAC play. Mars Hill dominated the line of scrimmage defensively, holding the Bears to just 16 net rushing yards, recording seven sacks and intercepting Wells Bettenhausen twice. Lukas Kachilo threw for 311 yards and a touchdown, while Rayvon Durant added 89 rushing yards, and Charlie Guinade caught eight passes for 127 yards. The Lions built a 15-0 lead before L-R finally scored on Shermon Davis' 86-yard touchdown catch, but Mars Hill's defense forced another interception in the final minute to seal it. Moving forward, Mars Hill has established itself as a legitimate factor in the SAC race, particularly if the defense continues producing turnovers and pressure at this level.

The Eagles remained unbeaten at 4-0 overall and 2-0 in SAC play, dominating the second half behind an overpowering rushing attack. C-N finished with 500 rushing yards, turning a 7-7 first-quarter game into a 42-7 rout as the Eagles repeatedly controlled the line of scrimmage. Kayden McCoy opened the scoring with a five-yard touchdown run, while C-N's defense settled down after the early fumble, keeping UVA Wise off the scoreboard for the final three quarters. Justin Johnson stepped in and played extremely well for the injured Eli Graf. The performance continues an impressive start for the Eagles, who have now established themselves as one of the SAC's top rushing teams while remaining unbeaten through four games. C-N returns home this week, providing another significant conference test as the Eagles try to maintain their perfect start.

Projected Score: Carson-Newman 25, Mars Hill 18.

My Pick: CARSON-NEWMAN

Mars Hill has been the surprise of the early month of the season, starting off 3-0 after being picked to finish 8^th in the preseason coaches poll. The Lions have been winning with stellar and opportunistic defense that is giving up just 7.7 points a contest and 240 total yards. The Lions offense has one of the premier playmakers in Charlie Guinade, who will have to have a massive day for the Lions to win in Mossy Creek, but the upper classman may not have the same fear of the Eagles as teams in the past. After all, they’ve won 4 of the last 5 in this series. The Eagles, however, counter not just with a stellar defense of their own, but with the highest scoring offense in the conference at nearly 38 points per game. Tanner Fleming’s offense is putting up 333.8 yards per game on the ground, which will be the key for the Lions to stop. But even if they manage to do so, the Eagles have found ways to win games. I like Carson-Newman at home in this one because the offense is better than anything Mars Hill has seen and can they score in the mid to upper 20's?

Rest of the Slate:

Newberry Wolves (2-1, 1-1) at Emory & Henry Wasps (1-3, 0-2)

Location & Time: Emory, VA / 1:00 PM

Series: Newberry leads the all-time series, 3-1. (Wolves won the last meeting, 36-34, in 2025).

The Wolves bounced back from their Week 2 loss to Lenoir-Rhyne by knocking off Wingate on the road, improving to 2-1 overall and 1-1 in SAC play. Newberry trailed 7-0 early but took control with 19 third-quarter points, turning a one-point halftime deficit into a 25-7 advantage before Wingate mounted its comeback. Mason Kidd was excellent through the air, completing 22-of-34 passes for 297 yards and three touchdowns, while John Peeples added 77 rushing yards and DeAndre Coleman caught two touchdowns. Newberry finished with 416 total yards, including 308 passing, and its defense intercepted Wingate quarterback Brooks Brien three times despite allowing 350 total yards. The Wolves showed the ability to win a high-level road conference game and now have momentum heading into the next stretch of SAC play.

The Wasps dropped to 1-3 overall and 0-2 in SAC play after letting a 10-10 game slip away in the fourth quarter at Catawba. E&H actually outgained the Indians 370-290, including a 214-185 passing advantage and 21 first downs, but two lost fumbles and three missed field-goal attempts—including two from inside 30 yards—proved costly. Cole Lambert completed 16-of-30 for 214 yards, while Dallas Chavis was the offensive catalyst with 141 rushing yards and a touchdown. The Wasps struggled to finish drives, converting just 2-of-11 on third down and going 0-for-1 on fourth down. At 0-2 in league play, E&H needs to turn its yardage and possession advantages into points quickly, with the margin for error shrinking in the SAC race.

Projected Score: Newberry 27, Emory & Henry 24.

My Pick: NEWBERRY

The defending SAC & regional champs look like they may be just fine, as long as I don’t jinx them now. Newberry’s offense and defense has had some great moments in the early season and should have no issues this weekend doing more of the same against a Wasps ballclub that seems to have finally felt the toll of losing as much talent as they had the past few seasons. The Wasps have struggled to score points outside of the win over Ferrum, and the defense looks like a shell of itself from the exasperating unit they had in `24 and `25. It may be a reloading year in Emory, but like I mention later, there are no gimme games in this league and if Newberry overlooks their opponents on Saturday, they’ll get stung. I like the Wolves to win this one.

Lenoir-Rhyne Bears (2-2, 1-1) at Anderson Trojans (3-1, 2-0)

Location & Time: Anderson, SC / 2:00 PM

Series: All-time series is tied, 1-1. (Trojans won the last meeting, 35-28, in 2025).

The Bears dropped to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in the SAC, struggling to generate offense until the fourth quarter against a relentless Mars Hill defense. L-R managed just 312 total yards and 16 rushing yards, while Bettenhausen was sacked seven times and threw two interceptions. The Bears did move the ball through the air—Bettenhausen finished with 296 yards, with Mikel McClellan catching 11 passes for 143 yards—but couldn't consistently sustain drives or establish the run. Davis' 86-yard touchdown gave L-R life late, and the Bears had an opportunity to tie before another interception ended the comeback attempt. The challenge now is correcting the self-inflicted mistakes, protecting the quarterback and finding a functional rushing attack before the Bears travel to Anderson next Saturday.

The Trojans picked up another gritty conference road win, improving to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in SAC play by defeating Tusculum 14-7 in Greeneville. Anderson's defense was the story, forcing five Tusculum fumbles, recovering two, recording two sacks and holding the Pioneers to just 253 total yards. Offensively, Wilson Edwards was efficient, completing 19-of-26 for 142 yards and two touchdowns, both to Zay Williams, while Darren Lloyd paced the ground game with 65 rushing yards. Anderson built a 14-0 halftime lead and then survived Tusculum's second-half push, holding the Pioneers scoreless over the final quarter despite Tusculum controlling the clock for more than 33 minutes. The Trojans now get perhaps their biggest test yet when Lenoir-Rhyne visits Anderson next Saturday, giving them an opportunity to further establish themselves near the top of the SAC.

Projected Score: Lenoir-Rhyne 25, Anderson 17.

My Pick: ANDERSON

Coach Lamb’s team picked off the Bears last year and almost did in their inaugural season as well. I have concerns about Anderson’s offense and will Edwards and the rest of the guys be able to score enough to keep up (currently dead last in total offense and next to last in scoring offense). The defense has been good and could cause some issues this weekend against a turnover prone offense. My concerns for Lenoir-Rhyne are also about their offense and how inconsistent they are and the turnovers. Coach Socha’s guys have also been wildly inconsistent almost quarterly this year, and that has made it very challenging trying to pick their games each week and evaluate them. The good news for the Bears? I am 1-3 in picking their games this season. So, sorry Anderson? Maybe?

Catawba Indians (2-2, 1-1) at Tusculum Pioneers (2-2, 1-1)

Location & Time: Greeneville, TN / 6:00 PM

Series: Catawba leads the all-time series, 18-10. (Indians won the last meeting, 38-3, in 2025).

The Indians improved to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in SAC play by grinding out a 24-10 win despite being outgained by 80 yards. Catawba's special teams provided the early spark, as Kyle Perry returned a punt 56 yards for a touchdown, and the Indians eventually took control with two fourth-quarter rushing scores from Kevon Rivera and Tareavion Mageo. Mason Fortune threw for 185 yards, with Nicholas Venezia accounting for 126 receiving yards, while Catawba's defense held E&H to just 105 rushing yards. The Indians were particularly effective late, putting together touchdown drives of 69 and 92 yards to pull away. Catawba now has a chance to build momentum with Tusculum coming up, while continuing to clean up the turnover and third-down issues that could become problematic against stronger SAC opponents.

The Pioneers fell to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in SAC play, but the 14-7 loss was another competitive game against a conference contender after their narrow win over Emory & Henry the previous week. Tusculum actually outgained Anderson 253-221 and controlled possession for 33:14, but five fumbles—including two recovered by Anderson—proved costly. The Pioneers' option attack produced 104 rushing yards and 149 passing yards, with Teddy Gleaton's 6-yard touchdown run in the third quarter cutting the deficit to 14-7. Tusculum repeatedly moved the ball in the second half but couldn't finish drives, including a fourth-down stop in the fourth quarter that ended one of its final opportunities. The Pioneers have improved in Coach Taylor’s third season for sure, but if they want to continue to do so, protecting the football and converting their long drives into points is likely to be critical moving forward.

Projected Score: Catawba 27, Tusculum 21.

My Pick: CATAWBA

Might be the most difficult game to pick this week, but I am going with Coach Haines’ crew and here’s why: Tusculum’s offense has shown spurts, spurts that were entirely non-existent the past two years outside of playing Bluefield State. I am not 100% convinced that they can do so consistently enough to score points with Catawba, even though Fortune and Co. haven’t been lighting the lamp like last year’s team. If Catawba is able to get ahead early, it’ll put pressure on Brock Pursley’s offense to play catchup. However, if the Pioneers can go up a score or two, they could start doing like Army did a few years back and put up some 21 play drives taking 10:00 off the clock and play keep away. Right now though, I have a little more faith in what Catawba has going than the Pioneers, but this could be an excellent ballgame Saturday night.

UVA Wise Cavaliers (0-4, 0-2) at Wingate Bulldogs (1-3, 0-2)

Location & Time: Wingate, NC / 6:00 PM

Series: Wingate leads the all-time series, 6-0. (Bulldogs won the last meeting, 28-7, in 2025).

The Cavaliers fell to 0-4 overall and 0-2 in SAC play after Carson-Newman pulled away for a 42-7 victory in Wise. UVA Wise actually showed early fight, answering C-N's opening touchdown with a nine-yard touchdown pass from McCalan Beason to Elijah Thompson after Jalin Edwards forced and recovered an Eagle fumble. From there, however, the Cavaliers struggled to slow down C-N's ground game, as the Eagles piled up 500 rushing yards and scored five unanswered touchdowns. UVA Wise now faces a difficult climb in the conference standings, but the defense's early ability to create a turnover and the offense's flashes of production provide pieces to build on. Not sure if it would’ve made the difference in the game at all, but you could feel the deflation for the Highland Cavaliers when C-N fumbled that kickoff that didn’t count due to an offside penalty.

The Bulldogs dropped to 1-3 overall and 0-2 in SAC play, but the final score doesn't fully reflect how competitive the game became late. After falling behind 25-7 in the third quarter, Wingate rallied behind Brooks Brien and Xavier Jackson, cutting the deficit to three with two fourth-quarter touchdown drives. Brien threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns, while Jackson exploded for 162 receiving yards and two scores, including a 50-yard touchdown with 2:46 remaining. Wingate actually finished with 23 first downs to Newberry's 16 and held the ball for nearly 28 minutes, but three interceptions and just 51 net rushing yards limited the Bulldogs' ability to finish the comeback. At 0-2 in league play, Wingate needs to turn its offensive production into cleaner, more complete games quickly as the Bulldogs try to climb back into the SAC race. They are playing with their backs against the wall for the rest of the campaign.

Projected Score: Wingate 41, UVA Wise 10.

My Pick: WINGATE

This HAS to be a “get right” game for Coach Jordan’s team, but no game in the SAC is a gimme. If Wingate wants to start righting the ship, it starts on the line. For the past several years, the offensive and defensive lines were a large part of Wingate’s success, but outside of a couple of guys, it’s been a problem this year. Wingate gave up 13 sacks all of 2025, and have given up 8 already. If they can attack the run defense and keep the UVA Wise offense off the field, they could win big. For Coach Bass and his team, you’ve got to find a way to establish some offensive drives to keep the defense off the field. Yes, the defense isn’t the Legion of Boom Seahawks, but you can’t expect them to stay fresh when your opponents are averaging nine minutes more T.O.P. than you. Get something going on offense, get the defense some rest, and score touchdowns when you get the ball. Field goals won’t help pull an upset.

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