COLUMBIA, Ky. – The No. 9-ranked Lindsey Wilson football team defeated Bethel (Tenn.) 42-10 on Senior Day on Saturday at Parnell Family Stadium.
The Blue Raiders (8-2, 3-1 Mid-South Conference) outgained the Wildcats (2-7, 0-3 MSC) 468-179. This marks the eighth game this season and the third straight that Lindsey Wilson has held its opponent to under 200 yards. Lindsey Wilson limited Bethel to 51 rushing yards on 26 attempts. This is the sixth time this season the Blue Raiders have limited an opponent to under 100 rushing yards.
Davontaye Saunders ran the ball 11 times, tallying 118 yards and two touchdowns. With his first touchdown of the day, Saunders broke the program's all-time scoring record, now at 336. Saunders also broke the single-season touchdown record and now has 22. He has now totaled 16 100-yard games in his career.
Tate Rice completed 17 of his 19 passes for 254 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.
Max Gainey caught eight passes for 117 yards and one touchdown. Gainey now has eight 100-yard games in his career, which is the most in program history.
Howie Gant led the Lindsey Wilson defense with five tackles.
Braden Ford and
Jamahl Gentry each had 1.5 tackles for loss.
Brody Klem,
Kameron Barnett, and
Will Hyden each recorded a sack.
Bennett McDougal,
Coty Johnson II, and
Letavion Everly each forced a fumble.
Lindsey Wilson opened the game with the ball. On the fourth play of the drive, Brandon Hall intercepted the Rice pass at the Wildcat 32, returning it 26 yards to the Blue Raider 42. Bethel took advantage of the turnover with a six-play, 42-yard drive capped off by a Silas Teat four-yard rushing touchdown to make it 7-0 with 9:20 to play in the quarter.
The Blue Raiders responded with a six-play, 65-yard touchdown drive. Saunders took the ball 44 yards on the sixth play of the drive, tying the game 7-7. Lindsey Wilson forced a punt on the next Bethel drive and took over on its own eight. Mack capped a 10-play, 92-yard drive that took 6:28 with a five-yard rushing touchdown, making it 14-7 with 9:55 to play in the first half. The 6:28 time of possession was the longest on a scoring drive this season.
Lindsey Wilson forced a three-and-out on the next Bethel drive. Saunders added his second touchdown on the seventh play of the next Blue Raider drive for 12 yards, making it 21-7 with just over three minutes left in the half. The Wildcats were stopped on fourth down on their next drive before halftime.
Bethel went three-and-out on its first possession of the first half. On the first play of the Lindsey Wilson drive, Rice connected with Gainey for 50 yards to the Wildcat 14. Just two plays later, Rice found
Josh Campbell Jr. for 10 yards, increasing the Lindsey Wilson lead to 28-7 with 10:12 to play in the third quarter.
Lindsey Wilson increased its lead to 35-7 when
Tate Rice took the snap and rolled out and threw it behind the line to
Larry Montgomery. Montgomery broke a pair of tackles for the 10-yard touchdown. After a Bethel three-and-out, Rice found Gainey for nine yards, pushing the Lindsey Wilson lead to 42-7 with 14:55 remaining.
The two teams then traded punts on their next two drives. Everly forced a Bethel fumble that was recovered by McDougal at the Blue Raider 49. Lindsey Wilson was unable to capitalize on the turnover, getting stopped on fourth down at the Wildcats' 34. The Blue Raiders forced another Bethel punt. Bethel recovered a fumble on the first play of the next Lindsey Wilson drive. Eli Burciaga scored on a 42-yard field goal with 1:05 to play, making it 42-10.
Lindsey Wilson closes out the 2026 regular season on November 14, with a trip to Williamsburg, Kentucky, to take on Cumberlands (Ky.) at 1:30 p.m. CT.
