WISE, Va. – Mitch McChurch rushed for 151 yards and a pair of touchdowns and the Cumberland University defense limited UVA-Wise to negative 51 yards rushing as the Bulldogs picked up their second straight victory with a 27-20 decision at a chilly Carl Smith Stadium.

 

The Bulldogs (3-4) racked up 432 total yards of offense, including 296 on the ground, in the contest. Quarterback Curt Bureau, playing for the first time in three weeks, went 10-of-16 for 136 yards.

 

The CU defense, after allowing just 52 yards on the ground a week ago, sacked UVA-Wise quarterback Brad Robbins 10 times for a loss of 58 yards as the home team fell to 4-4.

 

CU had a chance to get on the board first after forcing a Highland Cavalier three-and-out, however after the offense drove inside the red zone, Nick Sasser couldn’t connect on a 38-yard field goal.

 

The Bulldogs also came up empty on their second drive as they failed to convert on a fourth down, but on the next play Todd Holman picked off Robbins, returning the ball to the UVA-Wise 27-yard line. Holman added a second interception in the fourth quarter. Five plays later, McChurch gave CU the lead on a three-yard touchdown scamper with 4:32 remaining in the first quarter.

 

Sasser added three points to the Cumberland lead on a 22-yard field goal that was tipped by a diving Cavalier. The short attempt came after the Bulldogs had three cracks at the end zone following a 47-yard completion from Curt Bureau to Mike Moore to the two-yard line on the first play of the drive.

 

After gaining only 10 yards of offense in the first half, the Cavs gained 80 on their first possession after the break. Following a three-and-out by Cumberland, the home team needed only five plays to find the end zone as Brad Robbins found Aric Evans along the left sideline for a 44-yard TD strike, making it a 10-7 game.

 

Ken Dixon gave the Bulldogs good field position on the ensuing kickoff, taking the ball back to the UVA-Wise 24-yard line. Dixon was bottled up around his own 25 before bouncing to the outside and starting a footrace down the ride sideline. Kelsea Fordham took the ball to the five-yard line on first down and two plays later McChurch pounded his way into the end zone from three-yards out to extend the CU lead back to 10.

 

Chris Simpson’s third interception of the season gave the Bulldogs the ball deep in their own territory, but the CU offense was stymied near midfield. The Cavs forced a punt then Marcus Bratton returned Sasser’s offering 80 yards for a score, breaking a couple of tackles along the right sideline, cutting the Cumberland lead to 17-14.

 

Cumberland answered the score with a 13-play, 61-yard drive that was capped by a one-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal, pushing the Bulldog lead back out to 10 once again.

 

UVA-Wise continued the second-half track meet with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Robbins to Jason Lovett. The play was set up by Robbins’ 40-yard completion to Evans. The quarterback eluded his second straight sack and found Evans, who was on his knees at the 24-yard line. The Cavaliers missed the extra-point attempt, making the score 24-20.

 

Sasser made it a touchdown game with a 35-yard field goal after the Bulldogs’ offense was stalled in the red zone. McChurch, who played linebacker a year ago, carried the ball twice for 47 yards on the drive, pushing his total over the 100-yard mark for the first time in his career.

 

UVA-Wise had one last chance to get in the ball game as the Cumberland was forced to punt with less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter, but the Cavs were called for roughing the kicker, returning the ball to the Bulldogs. CU ran the clock out, driving down to the one-yard line before Bureau kneeled on the ball three times to end the game.

 

Cumberland returns home next Saturday as the Bulldogs close out their home schedule with a matchup against Belhaven College at 1:30 p.m.