WISE – UVA Wise will celebrate Homecoming 2025 by hosting their oldest foe Saturday afternoon on the Beaty-Richmond Field at Carl Smith Stadium. They are hosting Tusculum University, who were the first team the Highland Cavaliers faced back in 1991.

Both teams will be in search of an important South Atlantic Conference win when they kick-off Saturday at 2 p.m.

It will also be the team's first game since 2016 without Coach Phil Robbins as the longtime Chief of Staff, community fixture, and former high school coaching legend passed away last Sunday. More information about Coach Robbins can be found in this week's digital game program.

GETTING WISE
- Over their four games this season, UVA Wise is averaging 5.5 yards a carry and 10.3 yards a catch for an average of 397.5 yards a game. They are holding opponents to 4.3 yards a carry and 13.7 yards a catch for 447.0 yards per game.
- Matt Strong and Brub Hines III lead the defense with 27 and 26 tackles, respectively. Nasir Spruill has19 tackles on the season, while Jimmie Simmons has 17.
- Daniel Thomas leads the Cavs in rushing as the sophomore has 514 yards and five touchdowns on 90 carries. He also has 123 receiving yards. Jake Corkren is second in rushing with 101 yards on 21 carries for two TDs.
- DJ Powell leads the receiving corps with 332 yards on 27 receptions with a TD. Peyton McClanahan has 101 yards on 10 receptions.
- Corkren is 79-148-5 for the year for 813 yards and four touchdowns.

ABOUT TUSCULUM
- The Pioneers are currently 1-3 overall and 0-3 in SAC play. They enter the contest as the fourth-ranked rushing offense in the league and 16th best in Division II, averaging 226.8 rushing yards per game.
- Lex Dinwiddie is Tusculum's top rusher, totaling 267 yards on the season. He rushed for a career-high 145 yards at Bluefield State. John Celestin is second on the squad with 174 yards on 33 carries and a touchdown. Otasowie Dion  is third on the roster in rushing with 147 yards on 24 carries, which includes a TD rush.
- Javon Richardson leads the team with four receptions for 66 yards.
- Richard Hunter has started the last two games at QB after Buddy Taylor was injured.  He has rushed for 58 yards on 29 carries and passed for 91 yards with zero interceptions in his 22 pass attempts.

ABOUT THE SERIES
- Tusculum leads the overall series 8-7, while the Cavs are 5-4 over the Pioneers on the Beaty-Richmond Field.
- UVA Wise won last season's meeting, also in Wise, by a 35-27 score.
- The meeting in 1991 was the first game ever for UVA Wise and the first game in 41 years for Tusculum, who dropped the sport in 1950. The win by UVA Wise was the program's first, while Tusculum won their first game since 1950 with their rematch against UVA Wise in the 1992 season opener in Greeneville.

UP NEXT
The Cavs will travel to Anderson for a SAC game against the Trojans next Saturday. Kick off is set for 2 p.m.