WISE - - UVA Wise will look to start a season 2-0 for the first time since 2017 Saturday when Dane Damron's team travels to Thomas More University (Ky.) for a 12 p.m. kickoff. The Cavaliers scored a 48-0 triumph over NAIA Union College last week behind a defensive effort that forced five turnovers and limited the Bulldogs to 131 yards of total offense.

Nasir Howell was at the front of the defensive effort. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga transfer picked off a pair of passes in his UVA Wise debut as the defense tallied four interceptions overall.

It was also a banner day for the Cavaliers on special teams. Placekicker Kellan Dalton was a perfect 6-for-6 in point after field goal attempts while also successfully booting two field goals en route to SAC Special Teams Player Of The Week accolades. Additionally, UVA Wise scored a touchdown on special teams when Union botched a snap on a punt attempt, allowing Da'Jon Barnes to scoop and score from 17 yards out.

Thomas More enters the contest 0-1 after dropping a 31-17 decision to Davenport in its season opener. The Saints will be playing their first-ever home game as a NCAA Division II member as the school is currently in the process of moving from NAIA to the NCAA Division II ranks.

The Saints were picked 10th in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Preseason Poll but the team returns a pair of all-conference picks from 2022. Junior wide receiver Freddie Johnson hauled in 35 passes for 328 yards and a score last year and is off to a good start this season. The Cincinnati, Ohio native finished with six catches for 65 yards in the season opener. Fellow junior Elgin Phillips is also a returning all-league pick, the punter has averaged 40.8 yards per punt and 63-of-140 career punts have landed inside the 20-yard line. Last week, Phillips booted two kicks over 50 yards, including a 62-yarder. The Fairfield, Ohio product boomed a 72-yard punt as a freshman.

Damron's team played a trio of quarterbacks last week with Juwan Dent and Jake Corkren receiving the bulk of the snaps. The duo combined to go 19-of-27 through the air for 165 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Meanwhile, senior running back Jaevon Gillespie returned from injury and picked up where he left off in 2022. Gillespie gained 101 yards on just 16 carries to lead a rushing attack that pounded out 177 yards.

University of Virginia transfer Dorien Goddard led the receivers in week one. The Greeneville, Tenn. native caught five passes for 76 yards and a score. The touchdown marked the second consecutive season that Goddard scored in the season opener.
A road win would be a welcomed sight for the Cavs. UVA Wise is just 4-16 over its last 20 games away from Carl Smith Stadium. The team has not won a non-conference road game since Oct. 28, 2017 when the Cavs won 65-0 at Virginia University of Lynchburg.

Following Saturday's game, UVA Wise will play nine consecutive South Atlantic Conference games. The stretch starts with a trip to Barton College next Saturday, kickoff is slated for 4 p.m. from Wilson, N.C.