By JOE BYRD

Sports Writer

Tusculum erupted with an offensive explosion but gave up a season high in points defensively against Brevard on Saturday.

The Pioneers scored four touchdowns in the first quarter alone. Brevard took advantage of some missed tackles to put up big points of its own, but in the end it was Tusculum rolling to a 55-42 South Atlantic Conference victory at Pioneer Field.

"Early on, we didn't give our defensive football team the best field position, and we weren't capitalizing either," said Pioneer coach Frankie DeBusk. "Granted, we did not play very well defensively. I don't think you can play an error free game every week. I hope this one is out of our system and we can move forward."

What Tusculum's defense missed in tackles, the Pioneers more than made up for turnovers. The Pioneers forced the Tornados (1-5, 0-3) to fumble six times, recovering five of them, three leading directly to Tusculum scoring drives.

"We got a lot of turnovers, but we didn't tackle well," said Brandon Kelley, who recovered a fumble that led to a first quarter score for the Pioneers. "We have to go back to work on our tackling and wrapping up."

Kelley, T.J. Jones, Mason Fowler, Rashaun Harris and Justin Scott each recovered a fumble. Scott's was the seventh of his career, a new Tusculum record. He also made a career best 14 tackles.

Cameron Hamler led Tusculum's defense with a career day 18 tackles.

Offensively, Tusculum quarterback Corey Russell continues to rewrite the record books. Russell was 22-of-29 passing for 328 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for two touchdowns.

Tusculum scored four touchdowns in the opening quarter -- a 15-yard pass from Russell to Ryan Tallent, a 12-yard run by Russell, a one-yard run by Jamar Ferguson and a 29-yard spectacular one-handed catch by Rashaad Carter.

The Pioneers added two more in the second, Russell's second rushing touchdown and Tallent's second receiving touchdown.

"We are getting better and better every week," Tallent said. "We just have to continue to improve."

Brevard started working its way back into the game and closed to within 42-21 at halftime thanks in part to two touchdowns by Donald Hudson.

The Pioneers came out and scored quickly in the third on a 15-yard pass from Russell to Kurt Napier and scored once in the fourth on a 12-yard run by Fred Jones.

Brevard really picked things up in the second half with three touchdowns, two from Desmond Wilson.

"If they don't have those five turnovers, there is no telling what the score might be," DeBusk said.

The final score might be a little misleading because Tusculum played everybody, going three and maybe four deep at about every position.

"Tusculum is an outstanding team, and I credit Frankie DeBusk and their staff. They are winners in every since of the word," said Brevard coach Paul Hamilton. "Our kids played hard throughout, and that's what I appreciate about our kids. We've only 26 games in our career. They kept fighting. They believed they could win. Offensively we took some steps. I just wished we hadn't turned the ball over as much as we did or it might have got interesting."

Tusculum (5-2 overall, 2-1 in the SAC) has an interesting matchup Saturday on the road at defending conference champion Catawba.

"It's going to be a great game," DeBusk said. "We have a four-game season left, and it starts at Catawba. They are going to be a great football team like always. We have to eliminate mistakes from this ball game to go over there and find a way to win."

Brevard 7 14 7 14 - 42

Tusculum 28 14 6 7 - 55

First Quarter

TC - Ryan Tallent, 15 yard pass from Corey Russell (Gareth Rowlands kick)

BC - Donald Hudson, 1 yard run (Chase Henry kick

TC - Russell, 12 yard run (Rowlands kick)

TC - Jamar Ferguson, 1 yard run (Rowlands kick)

TC - Rashaad Carter, 29 yard pass from Russell (Rowlands kick)

Second Quarter

BC - Hudson, 2 yard run (Henry kick)

TC - Russell, 31 yard run (Rowlands kick),

BC - John Taylor, 7 yard run (Henry kick)

TC - Tallent, 3 yard pass from Russell (Rowlands kick)

Third Quarter

TC - Kurt Napier, 15 yard pass from Russell (kick failed)

BC - Trey Wilborn, 20 yard run (Henry kick)

Fourth Quarter

TC - Fred Jones, 12 yard run (Rowlands kick),

BC - Desmond Wilson, 12 yard run (Henry kick)

BC - Wilson, 3 yard pass from Wilborn (Henry kick)

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BC TC

First downs 23 26

Rushes-yards 70-356 27-128

Passing yards 38 351

Passes (att-comp-int) 6-2-0 38-24-1

Total offense 76-394 65-479

Punting 3-34.7 4-40.2

Fumbles-lost 6-5 2-1

Penalties-yards 3-35 6-62

Possession time 37:40 22:20

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Individual Stats

RUSHING: Brevard-Trey Wilborn 14-116; Xavier Johnson 16-74; Desmond Wilson 16-64; John Taylor 9-56; Donald Hudson 11-27; Shaton Pratt 4-19. Tusculum-Corey Russell 7-73; Fred Jones 5-29; Brian Marshall 5-22; Jamar Ferguson 5-12; Deonte' Gist 1-7; Altorien Reed 1-0; Brandon Behenna 1-minus 1; Team 2-minus 14.

PASSING: Brevard-Trey Wilborn 1-4-0-3; Matthew Gaines 0-1-0-0; Donald Hudson 1-1-0-35. Tusculum-Corey Russell 22-29-0-328; Brandon Behenna 2-9-1-23.

RECEIVING: Brevard-Cory Pertz 1-35; Desmond Wilson 1-3. Tusculum-Ryan Tallent 6-63; Michael Rodriquez 5-51; Nate Binder 3-80; Marcus Foster 3-29; Jarrell NeSmith 2-62; Rashaad Carter 2-32; Kurt Napier 2-24; Calvin Britt 1-10.