GREENWOOD, S.C. – The Erskine College football team (1-3) was defeated on Homecoming against Tusculum University (2-1) by a score of 47-7 in the Flying Fleet's second home game of the 2021 season. Erskine was originally scheduled to play Edward Waters, but COVID protocols within the Tigers' program caused the game to be canceled and Tusculum was named as the replacement opponent on Wednesday evening.
 
THE BASICS
Final | Tusculum 47, Erskine 7
Records | Erskine 1-3, Tusculum 2-1
Location | Greenwood, S.C. (J.W. Babb Stadium)
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

• Tusculum QB Rogan Wells was 21-41 for 438 yards and two touchdowns as the Pioners outgained the Fleet through the air, 499 to 120.
• Both Tyler Aijero (116 yards) and Maurice Gomillion (110 yards) were over the century mark in receiving yards, and Aijero caught both of Wells' touchdowns.
• Jamal Barron forced the only turnover of the game for the Fleet, with an interception of Wells in the endzone in the beginning of the second quarter.
• The Fleet ran for 89 yards on the ground as both Quay Chambers and Collin Whitfield averaged four yards per carry.
• Barron and Jaelan Harfield both tallied a team-high seven tackles in the loss.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter:
Tusculum scored touchdowns on all three of their drives in the opening quarter and held the Fleet offense in check. A missed extra point was the only blemish on the Pioneers' first quarter as they led 20-0 after the first fifteen minutes.
 
Second Quarter:
The Pioneers were driving again to begin the second quarter, but on the twelfth play of the drive, with the ball on the four-yard line, Jamal Barron picked off the Tusculum quarterback in the endzone to stuff the Pioneers. The Erskine offense went three-and-out and Tusculum answered with another touchdown to take a 27-0 lead halfway through the second quarter. Both teams traded empty drives and the game looked to be going into the half with that scoreline until a Pioneers' 53-yard touchdown pass as time expired gave Tusculum a 33-0 lead at the halftime break.
 
Third Quarter:
Midway through the third quarter, a 75-yard pass on the opening play of a Tusculum drive set up another Pioneers' touchdown and gave the visitors a 40-0 lead. The Fleet moved the ball on a couple drives, but were stalled out in the redzone as they failed to get on the board.
 
Fourth Quarter:
The Pioneers' found paydirt again on their first drive of the quarter, as the lead ballooned to 47-0. In the closing stages of the game, the Fleet had their final offensive possession of the day with 4:50 remaining. Collin Whitfield began the drive with a few first-down runs and Lance Brownlee completed a couple of passes as Erskine moved the ball down the field. Then, on the 13th play of the drive, Brownlee scampered in from two yards out to get the Fleet on the board at 47-7 seconds before time expired.

WHAT'S NEXT?
The Fleet continue their 2021 season next week on the road against Newberry College (2-1) next Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
 
Follow the Flying Fleet all season long to get schedule updates, scores, highlights, photo galleries, game notes and more at www.erskinesports.com.
 
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