BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Sewanee football team built a 24-7 halftime lead en route to a 34-13 win over Birmingham-Southern Saturday afternoon from General Krulak Stadium.
On the first possession of the game, after a 24-yard kickoff return by Cyrus McCullough to start the drive at their own 39. After a five-yard rush to push the drive to the Sewanee 45, Alex Darras found Steven Hearn for a 26-yard pass. Two plays later after a loss of a yard on second down, Darras found Allan Parrott for a nine-yard reception, forcing fourth down. The Tigers decide to go for it, and McCullough was open for a 22-yard completion to convert the fourth down and the first score of the game.
BSC (1-5, 0-4) responded to tie the contest at 7-7 thanks to a 13-play, 65-yard drive, taking off 5:22 off the clock. Hunter Kountz rushed from 13 yards out to help even the contest up.
On Sewanee's (3-4, 2-3) next possession, the Tigers charged down the field quickly thanks to a 39-yard pass to Micah Maes and a 17-yard touchdown reception to James Hewell. From there, the Tigers did not look back, going on a 17-0 run in the rest of the first half.
In the second quarter, Michael Jacobs came on and kicked a career-best 46-yard field goal to make it 17-7 in favor of Sewanee. The kick by Jacobs is tied for the second-longest in the Southern Athletic Association (SAA).
Darras found the endzone again with 9:47 left in the half on a one-yard run to make it 24-7 at the half.
Sewanee padded the lead in the third quarter. On Sewanee's first play in the second half, after a Wesley Porter interception, Sam Hearn found Allan Parrott for 65 yards to extend the lead to 31-7.
BSC added a two-yard touchdown run with 36 seconds left in the third to make it 31-13, Sewanee.
On the next possession, Jacobs split the uprights for the second time in the contest, connecting with a 32-yarder to wrap up the scoring, 34-13.
Sewanee totals 440 yards of offense in the contest, and it is the fifth time in seven games where the Tigers put 400 yards or more on offense.
Darras went 12-for-22 with 184 yards and two passing touchdowns, with one on the ground, while Sam Hearn posted 115 yards through the air and one score.
Steven Hearn led the game with a game-best 103 yards on six catches, while Parrott had 88 yards through the air with a score.
Warren Holland led the Tiger offense on the ground with 52 yards on 12 carries.
The defense stood up again for Sewanee, as four different Tigers picked off the Birmingham-Southern quarterback. Wesley Porter, Walker Weatherly, John Cleveland and Conoly Koontz each earned a pick in the win.
Jackson Menefee and Pierce Johnson each recorded 10 tackles. Jo Jo Matlock finished with eight tackles, two sacks and four tackles for a loss, totaling 28 yards.
Elijah Brooks Davis also recorded a sack, down for 12 yards.
Trevor Oakes had four picks for BSC, while going 24-for-44 with 216 yards.
The Tigers snap a three-game losing streak to the Panthers in the all-time series, and the Purple and Gold win in Birmingham for only the second time in five meetings on the Hilltop, the first since 2012.
Sewanee returns to the Domain to host Trinity next Saturday for a noon kickoff.