Saturday, November 7
Charleston, S.C.
1 p.m.
UT Martin
4-6 , 3-2
20
at
10
Charleston Southern
4-6 , 1-4
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UT Martin | 14 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 20 |
| Charleston So. | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
11/7/2026 4:54:00 PM | Football
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The University of Tennessee at Martin football team used a strong defensive performance, an early defensive touchdown and a pair of clutch fourth-quarter field goals to secure a 20-10 road victory over Charleston Southern on Saturday afternoon in Big South-Ohio Valley Football Association action.
The Skyhawks (4-6, 3-2 OVC) jumped out to a 14-3 first-quarter advantage before relying on a stingy defensive unit to keep the Buccaneers (4-6, 1-4) off the scoreboard throughout the second half. UT Martin limited Charleston Southern to just 57 rushing yards and held the hosts to a 2-of-13 conversion rate on third down while controlling the football for more than 34 minutes.
The victory was highlighted by a 57-yard interception return for a touchdown by senior defensive back LaMarion Pierce, a rushing score from freshman quarterback Tate Surber and two fourth-quarter field goals from sophomore kicker Brandon Sims from 43 and 41 yards, respectively.
With the win, UT Martin head coach Jason Simpson moves into a tie for second on the OVC's all-time wins list – tying former Austin Peay and Middle Tennessee head coach Boots Donnelly with 102 conference victories.
Gallery: (11-7-2026) Football at Charleston Southern
"That was a gritty, old school OVC contest," Simpson said. "These guys worked hard all week and found a way today. Our defense made it difficult on them all day long and our ground attack kept us in the game. I'm proud of our players and coaches for how they responded."
Offensively, UT Martin leaned heavily on its rushing attack, totaling 157 yards on 44 attempts. Freshman running back Jaydon Peete paced the Skyhawks with 79 yards on 20 carries, while junior Chris Franklin added 70 yards on 18 attempts.
Surber turned in an efficient performance under center, completing 14 of his 16 pass attempts for 88 yards without an interception while adding 10 rushing yards and a touchdown. The freshman signal caller distributed the football to nine different receivers, including senior Makhia Sherrard, who led the team with three receptions for 15 yards.
The Skyhawk defense played a pivotal role in the victory, holding Charleston Southern to just 248 yards of total offense while forcing six punts and a turnover on downs in the final minutes. Junior Joel Castleberry and sophomore Zamaryion Farmer-McCray tied for the team lead with six tackles apiece, while Jamarcus Smith, Quincy Hamilton and Chris Wilson each contributed four stops.
UT Martin's defensive front also made its presence felt, recording a sack and multiple quarterback pressures while limiting Charleston Southern's rushing attack to an average of just 2.5 yards per carry.
In addition to Pierce's interception return, the Skyhawks received a strong performance from their special teams unit. Oliver's 55-yard punt return set up the game's opening touchdown, while Sims finished a perfect 2-for-2 on field goal attempts and converted both extra-point opportunities. Sophomore punter Max Zuluaga averaged 45.8 yards on four punts, placing two inside the Charleston Southern 20-yard line.
Charleston Southern totaled 248 yards of offense, with 191 coming through the air. The Buccaneers completed just 13 of their 37 pass attempts as the Skyhawk secondary consistently disrupted the passing attack.
UT Martin returns home to Hardy Graham Stadium next week with a matchup against Lindenwood on Saturday, Nov. 14. The contest serves as the program's annual Military Appreciation Game while the Skyhawks will also honor the team's 2026 senior class prior to the contest.
The Skyhawks (4-6, 3-2 OVC) jumped out to a 14-3 first-quarter advantage before relying on a stingy defensive unit to keep the Buccaneers (4-6, 1-4) off the scoreboard throughout the second half. UT Martin limited Charleston Southern to just 57 rushing yards and held the hosts to a 2-of-13 conversion rate on third down while controlling the football for more than 34 minutes.
The victory was highlighted by a 57-yard interception return for a touchdown by senior defensive back LaMarion Pierce, a rushing score from freshman quarterback Tate Surber and two fourth-quarter field goals from sophomore kicker Brandon Sims from 43 and 41 yards, respectively.
With the win, UT Martin head coach Jason Simpson moves into a tie for second on the OVC's all-time wins list – tying former Austin Peay and Middle Tennessee head coach Boots Donnelly with 102 conference victories.
"That was a gritty, old school OVC contest," Simpson said. "These guys worked hard all week and found a way today. Our defense made it difficult on them all day long and our ground attack kept us in the game. I'm proud of our players and coaches for how they responded."
Offensively, UT Martin leaned heavily on its rushing attack, totaling 157 yards on 44 attempts. Freshman running back Jaydon Peete paced the Skyhawks with 79 yards on 20 carries, while junior Chris Franklin added 70 yards on 18 attempts.
Surber turned in an efficient performance under center, completing 14 of his 16 pass attempts for 88 yards without an interception while adding 10 rushing yards and a touchdown. The freshman signal caller distributed the football to nine different receivers, including senior Makhia Sherrard, who led the team with three receptions for 15 yards.
The Skyhawk defense played a pivotal role in the victory, holding Charleston Southern to just 248 yards of total offense while forcing six punts and a turnover on downs in the final minutes. Junior Joel Castleberry and sophomore Zamaryion Farmer-McCray tied for the team lead with six tackles apiece, while Jamarcus Smith, Quincy Hamilton and Chris Wilson each contributed four stops.
UT Martin's defensive front also made its presence felt, recording a sack and multiple quarterback pressures while limiting Charleston Southern's rushing attack to an average of just 2.5 yards per carry.
In addition to Pierce's interception return, the Skyhawks received a strong performance from their special teams unit. Oliver's 55-yard punt return set up the game's opening touchdown, while Sims finished a perfect 2-for-2 on field goal attempts and converted both extra-point opportunities. Sophomore punter Max Zuluaga averaged 45.8 yards on four punts, placing two inside the Charleston Southern 20-yard line.
Charleston Southern totaled 248 yards of offense, with 191 coming through the air. The Buccaneers completed just 13 of their 37 pass attempts as the Skyhawk secondary consistently disrupted the passing attack.
UT Martin returns home to Hardy Graham Stadium next week with a matchup against Lindenwood on Saturday, Nov. 14. The contest serves as the program's annual Military Appreciation Game while the Skyhawks will also honor the team's 2026 senior class prior to the contest.
Players Mentioned
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/ FootballTeam Stats
UTM
CSU
Total Yards
245
248
Pass Yards
88
191
Rushing Yards
157
57
Penalty Yards
75
53
1st Downs
16
14
3rd Downs
4
2
4th Downs
1
1
TOP
34:24
25:36
1st Quarter
UTM 7, CSU 0
UTM - Surber,Tate 4 yd run (Sims,Brandon kick), 5 plays, 20 yards, TOP 02:35
UTM 7, CSU 3
CSU - Rolader,Matt 33 yd field goal 6 plays, 44 yards, TOP 01:45
2nd Quarter
UTM 14, CSU 10
CSU - Wright,Dwayne 2 yd run (Rolader,Matt kick), 8 plays, 37 yards, TOP 03:19
4th Quarter
UTM 17, CSU 10
UTM - Sims,Brandon 43 yd field goal 8 plays, 41 yards, TOP 04:57
UTM 20, CSU 10
UTM - Sims,Brandon 41 yd field goal 7 plays, 39 yards, TOP 02:12
Game Leaders
CMP
14
TD
0
YDS
88
INT
0
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