GREENEVILLE, Tenn. - - Trent Martin's 24-yard field goal sailed through the uprights in Thursday's second overtime to give UVa-Wise a 13-10 win over Tusculum in the football season opener for both schools. It was the first football game for the Cavaliers under Head Coach Dane Damron and marked the first season opening win for the program since 2012.

UVa-Wise (1-0) dodged numerous bullets throughout the game to force overtime at 3-3.  The Cavaliers picked off four passes by Tusculum (0-1) quarterback Luke Lancaster, including one by Ed Kargbo in overtime. Tusculum was also plagued by poor special teams play, Jerry Odom's squad missed five field goal attempts in the loss.

After a three-and-out by the Cavaliers with under three minutes to play, the Pioneers took over in a 3-3 game with a chance to win.

Tusculum took over on their own 39-yard line and quickly moved to the UVa-Wise 32-yard line. At that point defensive coordinator Shap Boyd's defense answered the bell again. Alvin Enahoro and Aaron Martin trapped Pioneers' running back Isaac Robinson behind the line of scrimmage for a 4-yard loss.

Two plays later, Zachary Blair made history when the senior linebacker dropped Robinson for a yard loss to set the career tackles for loss record at 64. It was Blair's fifth tackle for loss of the night and forced Tusculum to attempt a 52-yard game-winning field goal.

Placekicker Will Tommie's attempt sailed wide left sending the game to overtime.

After the two teams combined for just six points in four quarters of action, the offense picked up in overtime.

UVa-Wise took the ball first in the untimed extra session and senior quarterback Jeremy Eubank found Carlton Griffith out of the backfield for a 15-yard gain. A play later, Griffith scored the first touchdown of the game when he ran off left tackle for the 10-yard touchdown. Martin's PAT left the score 10-3 Cavs.

The lead was short lived as Tusculum scored on its first play from scrimmage. Lancaster completed a 25-yard touchdown pass to Evan Altizer before Jose Esparza's extra point forced a second overtime.

Tusculum started with the ball on the overtime possession and quickly found the UVa-Wise defense up to the task. Ian Kemp sack Lancaster on the opening play for a 7-yard loss only to see Kargbo intercept the quarterback on the second play of the drive, giving the ball back to the Cavs needing just a field goal to win.

Griffith's strong overtime continued as the junior caught a pass for seven yards before picking up 10 yards on a third down play to make the field goal attempt closer. After consecutive runs by Jabaaru Wright, Damron elected to try the game-winning field goal attempt on third down. The senior Martin was true on the kick, giving the Cavs the dramatic victory.

Things started out poorly for UVa-Wise, the Cavs fumbled on their first play from scrimmage and the Pioneers recovered just 25 yards from pay dirt.

It would be the first of many near misses on the night for the Pioneers. Tusculum's drive concluded with a 41-yard missed field goal.

The miss precluded the best drive of the night by either offense. UVa-Wise took over on its own 25-yard line and moved it to the Tusculum 14 before Martin booted a 31-yard field goal with 9:27 to play in the opening period.

The score would remain unchanged until Tommie nailed a 41-yard field goal with 12:24 to play in the first half to tie the score at 3-3. Tommie's field goal was set up by turnover on downs.

The remainder of regulation was dominated by the defenses. UVa-Wise limited Tusculum to 106 rushing yards on 50 carries while the Cavs posted 39 rushing yards on 42 attempts.

For the game, both teams averaged three yards per carry as the Pioneers were limited to 232 yards on 77 offensive plays and the Cavs registered 209 yards on 70 plays.

In addition to Blair's record setting night that included nine tackles, a sack and an interception, Kargbo and Alvin Enahoro also had career nights defensively. Both players had 10 tackles and an interception and combined for 3.5 tackles for loss.

Overall, UVa-Wise's linebackers posted 44 tackles in the win as part of a 19 tackles for loss performance. The 10 points allowed were the fewest by a Cavs' defense since an 18-10 victory of West Virginia Tech in 2013.

The 13 points tie a school record for the fewest points scored in a win by the Cavs. Next week, UVa-Wise opens up the home and conference portion of its schedule against Notre Dame College (Ohio) in a 12 p.m. kickoff at Carl Smith Stadium.