LEBANON, Tenn.--Cumberland Football has their third ranked game in a row and second of four straight road games taking on No. 10 Bethel in McKenzie on Saturday.

This will be the 35th meeting in program history between the in-state rivals. Cumberland leads the All-Time series 20-14-1 dating all the way back to the first time these two teams met in 1921.

The Wildcats have one of the best offenses in the NAIA this season. Bethel has scored the most points and are second in scoring average with 47.0 points per game this season. 

Those points have a lot to do with what last year's Mid-South Conference Offensive Player of the Year and Second Team AP NAIA All-American Joaquin Collazo III is doing with the passing game. The senior QB is completing 66.7% of his passes for 1,976 yards and 16 touchdowns. His completion percentage and passing yards are fifth-best in the NAIA while 16 touchdown throws ties him for 12th. 

Collazo III's receiving corp has reaped the benefits of his play. JD Dixon, former Phoenix Jaylen Taylor, and Avont Burrus have been a tough trio to maintain for opposing teams. Dixon has caught 40 passes for 726 yards and 10 touchdowns, Taylor has 30 catches for 501 yards and three touchdowns, and Burrus has added 24 receptions for 415 yards and two scores. 

On top of their pass game, Martize Smith has carried the ball 67 times for 439 yards and four touchdowns and Mitchell Faulkner has ran 37 times for 173 yards and seven scores. 

Despite the crazy passing numbers, The Wildcats are pretty balanced amongst run-pass plays. They run the ball 52.5% of the time and throw it 47.5% of their offensive snaps. 

On the defensive side of the ball, Bethel has created a +8 turnover margin with 14 interceptions and four fumble recoveries. Senior corner Demetrice Gilbert is a ball hawk on the back end with five picks and when he has the ball in his hands has made things happen taking two back for touchdowns. He is third in the NAIA in interceptions. 

Brian Hughes is their leading tackler with 40.0 on the season as the Wildcats rover.  Linebackers Brian Hughes and Darrien Lewis have 33.0 and 28.0 as the second and third leading tacklers.

The Wildcats have got after opposing quarterbacks this season sitting in eighth in the NAIA in sacks with 22. It has been a balanced group effort getting after the QB this season as Christian Cantrell has three and Xavier King and Timothy Hamilton each have 2.5. 

Last season, Cumberland and Bethel had a dog-fight in Lebanon. Bethel came to Cumberland undefeated and ranked No. 4 in the Top 25 Poll. The Phoenix held Bethel to just 115 yards of offense in the first half and scoreless. 

The Phoenix were able to get up 17-0, but Bethel scored 27 unanswered points in the second half to win 27-17. 20 of the points came in the fourth quarter. 

Cumberland comes into this after losing to now No. 11 Georgetown 42-14. It was a tight game in the first quarter, but big plays for the Tigers helped stretch that lead out over the course of the game. 

The Phoenix scored their two touchdowns in the fourth quarter on Luke Holloway rushing scores. 

Treylon Sheppard remains one of the top backs in the country with 613 yards. He is ranked in the Top 25 in four offensive categories. 23rd in rushes with 103, 17th in yards, 16th in yards per game at 102.2, and 25th in yards per rush at 6.0. Sheppard is knocking on the door of 3,000 career rushing yards needing just nine this week. 

Holloway is fifth in the Mid-South Conference in rushing yards and yards per game with 427 yards and 71.2 per game. He is fourth in rushing touchdowns with seven. 

Jalen Brown is third in the league in sacks at 4.5. Defensive lineman Joey Samples is tied for 11th in tackles at 29.0 with safety Derek Taylor just behind him tied for 14th at 28.0.  Taylor is  also tied for third in interceptions. 

The weather for tomorrow's game in McKenzie is supposed to be beautiful. At kickoff it will be 78 degrees with the heat climbing up into the 80s as the game goes on. The wind may be a factor as upward toward 20 MPH winds are expected tomorrow. 

The Cumberland Sports Network will be there for all the action. Christian Kaposy and Bob Lea will have the call on WANT FM 98.9 and WCOR AM 1490. Pregame action will begin 30 minutes prior to kickoff at 12:30 p.m.