Wolves Hold Off Tusculum for 26-20 Halloween Victory, Extend Winning Streak to Five

NEWBERRY, S.C. (Oct. 31, 2026) – The Newberry College football team survived a late fourth-quarter comeback attempt from Tusculum University on Halloween night, holding on for a hard-fought 26-20 victory at Setzler Field to extend its winning streak to five games.

The victory improves the Wolves to 7-2 overall and 5-2 in South Atlantic Conference play, while Tusculum falls to 4-5 overall and 3-4 in conference action.

Newberry’s defense set the tone early, forcing a turnover on downs on Tusculum’s opening possession. The Wolves capitalized on the stop, marching 67 yards down the field on a nine-play drive that culminated in a 14-yard touchdown pass from Mason Kidd to Will Young V. Jake Spadavecchia converted the extra point to give Newberry a 7-0 advantage midway through the opening quarter.

The Wolves’ defense came up big again on Tusculum’s ensuing possession, as Elijah Vereen intercepted a pass from Pioneers quarterback Tedros Gleaton to give Newberry possession near midfield. The offense capitalized once again, putting together a nine-play, 46-yard drive that ended with a Spadavecchia field goal early in the second quarter, extending the lead to 10-0.

Tusculum responded with its first scoring drive of the evening, methodically moving 64 yards down the field over nine plays. Cam Ferguson capped off the possession with an eight-yard touchdown run to cut the Newberry advantage to 10-6 with 7:03 remaining in the first half.

Both defenses settled in for the remainder of the second quarter, with neither team able to generate another scoring opportunity. The Wolves carried their four-point advantage into the locker room.

The second half began with an offensive explosion from Newberry, as the Wolves wasted little time extending their lead. On the opening possession of the third quarter, Newberry needed just 48 seconds to travel 75 yards down the field. The drive was highlighted by a 36-yard touchdown run from Tyleke Mathis, who found space and raced into the end zone to give the Wolves a 16-6 advantage.

Newberry’s defense delivered another game-changing play just minutes later. With Tusculum backed up deep in its own territory, the Wolves forced a fumble that Cortez Thomas recovered in the end zone for a defensive touchdown. Spadavecchia added the extra point to extend Newberry’s lead to 23-6 with 10:25 remaining in the third quarter.

Holding a commanding 17-point advantage, the Wolves appeared to be in control heading into the final quarter. However, the Pioneers refused to go away quietly.

Tusculum began its comeback on the opening play of the fourth quarter, as Ferguson broke free for a 23-yard touchdown run to trim the deficit to 23-13.

After Newberry missed a 34-yard field goal attempt on its ensuing possession, the Pioneers put together their longest scoring drive of the night. Tusculum marched 76 yards over 10 plays, chewing more than six minutes off the clock before Javon McMahan punched in a four-yard touchdown run. The score brought Tusculum within three points at 23-20 with 5:11 remaining.

With momentum shifting toward the visitors, Newberry needed a response.

Following the ensuing kickoff, the Wolves’ offense was unable to sustain a drive, but Mathis provided another crucial spark with a 49-yard punt return that helped set Newberry up in Tusculum territory. The Wolves took advantage of the field position, moving into field goal range before Spadavecchia drilled a 40-yard attempt with exactly three minutes remaining to extend the lead to 26-20.

Tusculum had one final opportunity to steal the victory, but Newberry’s defense stood tall when it mattered most. The Pioneers advanced near midfield before the Wolves forced a turnover on downs with 1:53 remaining, allowing Newberry to run out the clock and secure its fifth consecutive victory.

Kidd led the Newberry offense with an efficient performance under center, completing 21 of his 30 pass attempts for 207 yards and a touchdown without throwing an interception.

Jonah Norris paced the Wolves on the ground with 60 rushing yards on 10 carries, averaging six yards per attempt. Mathis added the explosive 36-yard touchdown run while also contributing 21 receiving yards and his pivotal 49-yard punt return.

Keshon Washington led Newberry’s receiving corps with 51 yards on three receptions, while Young V hauled in four passes for 32 yards and a touchdown. Norris also contributed five receptions for 19 yards.

Defensively, Devron Williams and Charles Smith led the Wolves with seven tackles apiece, while Vereen added six tackles and an interception. Jaevion Harris, Trevaris Willis and Bryce Foster each recorded five tackles, while Aakil Brown contributed four tackles and a sack.

The Wolves’ defense finished the contest with four sacks and two takeaways, including the crucial third-quarter defensive touchdown that ultimately proved to be the difference.

Despite being outgained 359-284 in total offense, Newberry made the most of its opportunities, protecting the football and capitalizing on Tusculum’s mistakes to secure the victory.

Up Next: The Wolves hit the road next Saturday, November 7, for a crucial South Atlantic Conference matchup against Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City, Tennessee. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. as Newberry looks to extend its winning streak to six games and keep in contention for the South Atlantic Conference Championship