SAC Week 9 Preview

October 31st, 2025 12:00am

Happy Halloween to all who partake! Should be a scary lineup this weekend with LOADS on the line in the SAC. Hard to believe there is just three weeks remaining in the regular season, but the fight to the finish is still hot. Believe it or not, there are still six SAC schools who mathematically have a chance to win the auto-bid to the playoffs. What a nightmare that it would be for the home office to figure out if they all finished tied! I will be on the banks of Mossy Creek this weekend, so if you are there feel free to find me!

SAC Players of the Week

Offense: Zane Whitson (Carson-Newman): accounted for all five Carson-Newman touchdowns; ran nine times for 133 yards and three touchdowns; 2/3 passing for two scores

Defense: Elihu Lipscomb (Wingate): had seven tackles on the day with 2.5 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks

Special Teams: Songa Yates (Lenoir-Rhyne): returned three points for a total of 82 yards which included a 70-yard punt return touchdown in the third quarter, the longest of his career

Standings after Week 8

Playoff Outlook

The NCAA has released their initial regional rankings for the season, and as usual the first release just places programs in alphabetical order. I will list those ten in order based on InkBlot’s rankings this week, followed by a first four out for 14 team’s total. Remember, the top four are seed and teams 5-8 can be moved anywhere.

Last Week: 4-1

Season: 40-10

***Emory & Henry and UVA Wise are off this week***

Catawba Indians at Carson-Newman Eagles

Location & Time: Jefferson City, TN / 1 PM

Massey: Carson-Newman -7.5

SP+: Carson-Newman 31.9, Catawba 19.6

Series: Carson-Newman leads series 42-14-1. (Carson-Newman won last meeting, 35-34, in 2024)

Catawba asserted control early in their homecoming victory, posting a dominant 38-3 win by outgaining Tusculum 433 to 187 yards. Quarterback Preston Brown completed 15 of 24 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns (no interceptions) and added a 28-yard rushing score. Running back Marquece Williams chipped in 56 rushing yards and a touchdown, while wideout Bo Pryor hauled in 3 catches for 83 yards. A highlight came on the special-teams side when Avery Fields III returned a kickoff 97 yards for a TD, igniting a 21-point second quarter that bolstered the lead. The defense bent little, limiting Tusculum to just 10 first downs, converting 9 of their own 13 third downs, and adding three sacks as Catawba improved to a perfect 5-0 at home.

Carson-Newman jumped out to an early lead in their 35-14 home-victory, striking for 14 points in the first quarter and adding 14 more in the third to go up 35-0 at one point. A standout performance came from quarterback Zane Whitson, with Jayden Sullins grinding his way into scoring territory on multiple long drives and contributing heavily to the ground game. Whitson orchestrated the offense, connecting on a big 32-yard touchdown pass to Cam Ferguson early in the second quarter, and then breaking a 60-yard run himself in the third to extend the lead. The senior signal caller would be responsible for five scores on the day. The Eagles’ defense also locked in, holding UVA Wise scoreless until late in the third quarter and limiting explosive plays.

Prediction: Eagles win, setting up MASSIVE showdown in Newberry next week.

Two teams fighting not just for their playoff lives, but their chances at a SAC title and automatic berth to the playoffs should equal fireworks. I am rolling with Coach Ingram and Co. to remain unbeaten at home. The difference in this game to me is the Carson-Newman defense. The offense should find some success against the Indian defense, but that unit has quietly gotten better each week. The Eagle defense makes enough stops and plays against the electric offense engineered by Preston Brown to win the game. In the two games against the upper echelon of SAC defenses, Catawba has barely put up 300 yards and most of that was when the game was out of reach against Wingate and Emory & Henry. Should be an absolute classic between these two old SAC rivals.

Mars Hill Lions at Tusculum Pioneers

Location & Time: Greenville, TN / 2 PM

Massey: Mars Hill -7.5

SP+: Mars Hill 30.7, Tusculum 21.2

Series: Tusculum leads series, 23-16-2. (Mars Hill won last meeting, 30-3, in 2024)

Mars Hill’s offense never found traction, finishing with just 230 total yards (142 rushing, 88 passing) and committing two lost fumbles in the shutout loss to Lenoir-Rhyne. Quarterback J.R. Martin went 11 of 22 for 88 yards and no touchdowns, while Jon Gullette carried 17 times for 103 yards—his team-high—but no scores. The 88 yards was Martin’s lowest total in his Lions career. The Lions’ defense couldn’t contain the Bears’ special teams and big-play ability, and Mars Hill fell to 3-5 (2-4 SAC) with their struggles continuing. With the calendar turning, maybe Coach Barnette and the guys can forget about their 0-4 October.

Tusculum struggled to find rhythm in the face of Catawba’s balanced attack, managing just 187 total yards (142 rushing, 45 passing) and converting only 2 of 13 third-down attempts. Quarterback Lavante Adams finished 3-of-13 for 45 yards and no touchdowns, with the team’s lone score coming on a 44-yard field goal by Max Turan in the second quarter. Although Teryntino Brown-Freeman averaged 6.2 yards per rush on 15 carries for 93 net yards, the Pioneers could not sustain drives or overcome the turnover-free Catawba defense. Time of possession tilted heavily in favor of the home team (33:58 to 26:02), and the Pioneers’ winless start in conference play continued.

Prediction: Mars Hill ends their losing streak.

It’s homecoming weekend in Greeneville, and the Pioneers would love nothing more than to knock off their old mountain rivals and pick up their first SAC win of 2025. Tusculum has won 16 of the 25 matchups in this series since 2000. I’m going with Coach Barnette, JR Martin and the gang to right the ship, but my confidence level in this one from where it would’ve been a month ago is pretty wide. Tusculum’s offensive struggles have been well documented, but their defense forces turnovers. If they can force a few and limit the number of times the Lion offense can touch the ball, they have a shot. And I wouldn’t be floored if they did. Despite their October struggles, Lions are still the better team.

Lenoir-Rhyne Bears at Wingate Bulldogs

Location & Time: Wingate, NC / 3 PM

Massey: Wingate -7.5

SP+: Wingate 30.2, Lenoir-Rhyne 18.4

Series: Lenoir-Rhyne leads series, 24-16. (Wingate won last meeting, 14-10, in 2024)

Lenoir-Rhyne dominated on all fronts in a 45-0 shutout win over Mars Hill, improving to 5-4 (4-3 SAC). Quarterback Khamoni Robinson completed 19 of 29 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns. On the ground, Alex Boyd rushed for 66 yards and one score. Wide receivers Zion Agnew (6 catches, 71 yards, 1 TD) and Songa Yates (5 catches, 51 yards, 1 TD) made big plays, and special teams delivered two scores: a kickoff-return TD by Tye Roberson and a 70-yard punt return TD by Yates. Defensively, the Bears forced two fumbles and held Mars Hill to just 230 total yards. It was an outstanding defensive performance by James Ussery and his defensive mates, and honestly was the best all around performance the Bears have had in a while and they controlled the game throughout.

Wingate rolled to a 30-3 road victory, improving to 6-2 overall and 4-2 in the conference, by shutting down Anderson and racking up 376 total yards (212 passing, 164 rushing). Coach Jordan’s squad jumped out to a 20-0 lead at the half and never looked back. Xavier Pugh carried 16 times for 99 yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback Elijah Holmes completed 14 of 26 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver Jaylen Himes caught five passes for 85 yards and a TD, and kicker Caleb Bonesteel converted all three of his field-goal attempts (from 45, 38 and 20 yards) as Wingate scored on every one of their red-zone trips. Defensively, Wingate held Anderson to just 171 yards of offense (101 passing, 70 rushing) and forced the only turnover of the game, paving the way for their third straight win. The ‘Dogs have been hungry ever since the OT loss to Newberry, and it’s typically best to back away from a hungry dog.

Prediction: Bulldogs continue the streak.

The two heavyweights of the SAC over the past decade go at it again, with this one having a little less national boom than normal. Wingate has won three straight over the Bears, after losing five straight from 2018-2021, and winning three straight in `15-`17. I really liked what I saw out of the Bears last week, but I find it tough to complete a second act against a Wingate team seemingly on a mission. The Bulldogs defense should give the Bears passing game fits, and the offense should have it’s way with the defense. Rivalry games are typically close, and could go either way but I am rolling with the #OneDog crew.

#20 Newberry Wolves at Anderson Trojans

Location & Time: Anderson, SC / 4 PM

Massey: Newberry -3.5

SP+: Newberry 26.8, Anderson 23.3

Series: 1^st Ever Meeting

Newberry edged out Emory & Henry 36-34 in a thrilling finish thanks to a resilient offense and timely plays. Quarterback Reed Charpia completed 26 of 33 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns, and wide receiver Keith Desaussure hauled in 12 catches for 117 yards and a score. Running back Quez Spells added two rushing touchdowns as the Wolves mounted a third-quarter comeback after trailing 21-10 early. They stormed back outscoring the Wasps 26-13 the rest of the way. Newberry’s defense also made key plays, including interceptions by Avery McFadden, Jalen Stradford and Santory Jones, helping preserve the tight win.

Anderson’s offense struggled throughout the afternoon, finishing with only 171 total yards and scoring a lone field goal in the third quarter. Quarterback Tyler Wesley managed 101 passing yards, while his rushing attack gained just 70 yards, and the Trojans converted only 4 of 13 third-down attempts. Wesley might be one of the toughest pound-for-pound players in the league, taking a beating for the second week in a row. A blocked field-goal attempt in the second quarter and repeated defensive stands by Wingate prevented Anderson from ever establishing momentum. The Trojans fell to 5-4 overall and 3-4 in the conference as Wingate dominated time of possession and finished with twice as many first downs (24–12).

Prediction: Wolves win again, move to 8-1.

These two Palmetto State schools are squaring off for the first time, as they did not play during Anderson’s inaugural season. The Newberry offense’s ability to score in bunches and in a hurry is why I tend to lean more towards the Wolves. Anderson’s defense is good enough to give them some trouble, but I haven’t seen enough out of the Trojan offense over the past few weeks (albeit against solid defenses) to have me believe they can keep up. If they can control the clock and force some turnovers, they have a chance to pull off the upset but give me the Wolves.

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