URBANA, Ohio --- Tusculum College freshman quarterback Bo Cordell accounted for four touchdowns and passed for a school record 478 yards to lead the Pioneers to a 45-35 road win at Urbana University Saturday afternoon at Ellis Field. Tusculum (1-2) records its first victory of the season, while the Blue Knights even their record at 2-2. (Box Score)

Tusculum rallied from an early 7-0 deficit with 28 straight points, including a 21-point second quarter.

Both teams combined for over 1,000 yards offensively (TC 525, UU 507) with a majority of the yardage coming via the air. Tusculum out-gained Urbana by a 499-403 margin in passing yards.

Cordell, a native of nearby Cincinnati, had a fine outing in his return to his home state as he went 27-for-38, including three touchdowns. The Indian Hill High School graduate also rushed for a six-yard TD for Tusculum’s opening score.

Urbana’s Evan Gehlert went 23-for-53 for 371 yards and four touchdowns to four different receivers.

Cordell completed passes to eight different receivers, led by senior All-American Ryan Tallent who hauled in eight receptions for 110 yards. All-American tight end Jarrell NeSmith added four catches for 99 yards, while Calvin Britt tallied four grabs for 66 yards.

The Blue Knights struck first on the game’s opening possession as Gehlert connected with Jerrell Leak on an 18-yard touchdown strike, capping a seven-play, 72-yard drive that took 3:07 off the clock. Amazingly, that would be the longest scoring drive of the game as both teams combined for 90 points.

Tusculum answered later in the quarter as the Pioneers capitalized on the first of three turnovers by Urbana as TC’s Javon Forsett recovered a fumble at the TC 43. The Pioneers marched into Urbana territory as Cordell scored on a six-yard TD plunge in a seven-play, 62-yard drive that took 2:53 off the scoreboard. Gareth Rowlands’ kick tied the game at 7-7 at the 3:01 mark of the quarter.

The Pioneers struck quickly on its next possession, only taking three plays and covering 88 yards. Cordell connected with Marcus Foster on a swing pass, sprinting 77 yards up the near sideline and a 14-7 lead that the Pioneers would not surrender.

Urbana moved into TC territory again on its ensuing drive, but senior Brandon Kelley blocked a 32-yard field goal attempt by Urbana’s Matt Hausheer.

After the Tusculum defense forced Urbana to turn the ball over on downs at the TC 25, the Pioneers responded with a its second touchdown of the quarter as junior quarterback Collin Wigely plunged in from two yards out with 4:10 remaining before halftime. During Tusculum’s five-play, 75-yard drive, Cordell completed passes of 36, 34 and 18 yards in the possession that took only 1:19 off the clock.

Urbana went three-and-out on its next possession with Tusculum taking over at the TC 46. This time, the Pioneers only took two plays to find the end zone as Cordell connected with Deonte’ Gist on a 49-yard strike to give Tusculum a 28-7 advantage with 2:52 remaining before the intermission. TC’s fourth drive took only 30 seconds off the scoreboard.

But the Blue Knights answered with two quick scores before halftime. The first coming at the 1:36 mark of the quarter as Gehlert connected with Boise Moon on a 55-yard scoring pass that was initially deflected by TC’s Allen Thomas. TC went three-and-out on its next possession and John Gregory’s punt was blocked by Traylin Taylor and recovered at the TC 17 with 51 seconds left in the half. Eleven seconds later, Gehlert used the short field and completed a three-yard pass to Tariq Kalimullah to make the score 28-21.

Tusculum came close to putting more points on the board just before heading into the locker room as Cordell’s last-second heave was hauled in by a leaping Calvin Britt, but came five yards short of the end zone as TC lead by seven at the break.

The Pioneers put points on the board in its first possession of the third quarter, capped off by a Rowlands’ 41-yard field goal and 10-point lead (31-21). But Urbana scored on its first offensive drive as Matt Allen ran in from four yards out. Hausheer’s extra-point cut the TC lead to 31-28 at the 9:53 mark of the period as it looked as the Blue Knights captured the momentum.

The Pioneers snatched the momentum back with consecutive touchdowns. Cordell added another record to his already impressive resume’ with an 88-yard TD completion NeSmith for the longest scoring pass in school history. TC recovered a fumble on Urbana’s ensuing drive by senior Zachary Norman at the Blue Knights’ 16. Two plays later, Jamar Ferguson rumbled into the end zone for a 10-yard score at the 7:26 mark and a 45-28 Tusculum advantage.

The score would remain that way until midway through the fourth quarter as Urbana’s Gehlert completed passes of 27 and 24 yards to Ian Iler with the last being in the end zone to trim the deficit to 45-35 with 7:04 left in the contest. But that’s as close as the Blue Knights would get as TC rookie Nick Yazzie recovered a fumble and David Little and Sam Broadwater sacked Gehlert on fourth down to preserve the win.

Iler led all players with his 10 receptions for 154 yards and a touchdown. Leak added seven catches for 108 yards and a score. Of the 403 passing yards accumulated by the Blue Knights, only four Urbana players tallied a reception.

Miles Washington led the Tusculum defense with a career-high nine tackles, two sacks and forced a fumble, while Marcus Jackson finished with eight stops. Terrence Smith and Norman accounted for seven tackles each as Tusculum sacked Urbana signal-callers seven times on the afternoon.

Urbana’s Travis Brisco led all players with 13 tackles, including five sacks and forced a pair of fumbles.

Of the 12 scoring drives on the day, nine were under 1:19 including six less than 50 seconds.

The Pioneers open South Atlantic Conference play this Thursday night as they host Wingate University in Tusculum’s home opener at Pioneer Field. The game, which will be televised nationally on CBS College Sports and FSN South, will kickoff at 8:05 p.m. Tusculum will be looking to extend a school record 12-game home winning streak.