WISE - - Luke Lancaster passed for 477 yards and four touchdowns as Tusculum overcame a 21-point first half deficit in a 47-29 victory over UVa-Wise at Carl Smith Stadium Saturday. It was the fifth consecutive win for the Pioneers dating back to last season.

UVa-Wise (0-1) appeared to be on the cusp of blowing out the visitors early in the game. The Cavaliers took the opening kickoff and moved it 75 yards on 11 plays to take a 7-0 lead. Jeremy Eubank capped the drive with a one-yard scoring plunge. Eubank found Juwaine Massenburg on a 40-yard pass on the second play from scrimmage to put UVa-Wise in Tusculum territory.

Tusculum (0-1) would go three-and-out on its first offensive possession as Lancaster miss-fired on his first three attempts.

Following a punt, the Cavalier offense scored quickly. Two plays into the drive, Eubank connected with Terrence Younger on a 52-yard touchdown pass; Trent Martin's extra point gave coach Dewey Lusk's squad a 14-0 lead with 10:19 to play in the first quarter.

The score would remain unchanged until Calvin Michie scored his first touchdown in a UVa-Wise uniform. The Virginia Military Institute transfer grabbed an eight-yard touchdown pass from Eubank to give the hosts a three-score advantage.

Thirty-seven seconds later Tusculum scored its first points of the game. Ken Funnye grabbed a short pass from Lancaster and raced 58 yards to the UVa-Wise one-yard line. One player later, Josh Jackson scored and following Will Tommie's extra point the Pioneers had cut the lead to 21-7.

Tommie booted a 33-yard field goal with 1:58 to play in the opening half to cap the first half scoring, sending the game to intermission with UVa-Wise leading 21-10.

Two plays into the second half, Tusculum cut the lead to one score when Evan Altizer grabbed a Lancaster pass and took it 65 yards for a touchdown. The point after left the Cavaliers with a 21-17 lead with 14:16 to play in the third quarter.

UVa-Wise would lose seven yards on its next possession before punting the ball away to Tusculum. The Pioneers took the ball and marched 61 yards on five plays to take the lead. Funnye put the finishing touches on the drive with a six-yard touchdown reception.

Playing with the lead for the first time, the Pioneers became a runaway train. In total, Tusculum scored 44 unanswered points to take a 44-21 lead with 11:21 to play in the contest.

Younger's second touchdown reception of the game would cut the lead to 44-28 with 8:51 remaining. The touchdown toss was the third of the night for Eubank who finished with 344 passing yards on 51 attempts.

Tommie kicked a 22-yard field goal with 6:02 to play for the final points of the game to provide the winning margin of 47-28.

The two teams combined for 1,025 yards in the season opener. Tusculum accounted for 548 of the yards, including 339 in the second half.

Justin Houston and Funnye combined for 20 receptions and 338 yards in handing UVa-Wise its third straight season opening loss.

Younger finished with eight catches for 139 yards and Carlton Griffith tallied 139 yards of total offense, 78 of which came on 22 carries.

On defense, Zachary Blair led UVa-Wise with eight tackles and a fumble recovery.

UVa-Wise opens its Mountain East Conference slate next week when the team travels to South Euclid, Ohio to face Notre Dame College in a 12 p.m. kickoff. Tusculum opens its home schedule next Saturday against Virginia State.