Lenoir-Rhyne's continued climb up the national polls faces comes up against another hurdle in Week 9 when the undefeated Bears travel to South Atlantic Conference Piedmont counterpart Wingate. 

Saturday's showdown is a pairing of the nation's No. 2 scoring defense — Lenoir-Rhyne with its 8.5-point per game yield — and No. 7 with Wingate holding opponents to 13.6 points a contest. 

L-R comes into Irwin Belk Stadium having held seven of its eight opponents thus far to 10 points or fewer after last week's 24-10 defeat of Newberry. The Bears allowed just 216 yards to the Wolves, then nearly doubled them up with 423 yards gained on the other end. 

The win — one of Lenoir-Rhyne's most tightly contested this season and still a two-touchdown differential — encapsulated everything that's made this team one to watch in pursuit of the national championship. 

A complete effort from all phases of the defense stymied Newberry on one end, then a variety of contributors flourished on the offensive side. Jalen Ferguson's 269 passing yards and two touchdowns , both to DeAree Rogers, complemented a balanced rushing attack with each of Zyheir Dillard, Dwayne McGee and Zayvion Turner-Knox rushing between 10 and 13 times for 46 to 57 yards. 

Lenoir-Rhyne needs to continue its well-rounded offensive efficiency to crack a Wingate defense that's been almost as stingy as the Bears'. 

The Bulldogs come into Week 9 ranked fifth nationally against the run with 63.8 yards allowed per game. Last week, they limited Barton to just 54 rushing yards. 

Wingate is 14th nationally in total yards allowed at 256.5, and one of only 24 teams — along with Lenoir-Rhyne — holding opponents to a third-down conversion of less than 30 percent. The Bulldogs offense, meanwhile, got a needed jump-start in the 38-24 win last week behind quarterback Brooks Bentley's 16-of-21 passing for 275 yards and three touchdowns. 

Bulldogs wide receiver Tremel Jones is catching fire at the right time with five of his six touchdowns this season over the last five games, and back-to-back triple-digit-yard performances. His 163 against Barton on seven catches marked a season-high. 

Jones' matchup with a deep and talented Bears secondary is one of the key pairings in Saturday's contest. Lenoir-Rhyne is eyeing 9-0 and improving its resume for NCAA Playoffs seeding two weeks out from the SAC Championship Game. 

Newberry at Limestone

Newberry's reign atop the South Atlantic Conference is over after last week's home loss to Lenoir-Rhyne, but the Wolves can play spoiler down the stretch of the 2023 campaign. That begins in Week 9 when they travel to Limestone. 

The Saints took Lenoir-Rhyne to the brink in a 31-28 overtime clash on Oct. 7, which is Limestone's only blemish in conference play. At 5-1, the Saints remain alive for the SAC title but need to handle their business down the stretch. 

Last season's 42-37 defeat of Newberry while the Wolves were on their way to a second consecutive SAC championship was a critical part of Limestone's 2022 NCAA Playoffs resume. That contest was the Saints' high-powered offense at its best, with quarterback Dustin Noller throwing for 296 yards and four touchdowns and running back Tre Stewart rolling up 161 yards and a score. 

After a sluggish start to the 2023 season, Limestone is firing again. Noller went 26-of-35 for 237 yards and a touchdown in the Saints' 27-16 Homecoming win over Catawba, while Stewart produced his fifth 100-plus-yard outing of the season. 

Stewart went for 217 yards against the lockdown Lenoir-Rhyne defense his previous outing. The 24 carries he had against Catawba, meanwhile, were a season-high. 

Newberry started the season 3-1 behind stout defense, holding three of its first four opponents to 17 or fewer points in regulation. Over the last four, during which the Wolves have gone 1-3, they have given up at least 24 points in all four and 31 or more in 3-of-4. 

The one win over that stretch was also the best offensive performance of the season for a Newberry offense replacing a variety of key performers from last year's SAC title-winning roster. 

Running back Dwayne Wright, who rushed for two touchdowns against both Barton and Catawba, was limited to 54 yards and kept out of the end zone last week vs. Lenoir-Rhyne. Limestone's front seven, headed by linebacker Chandler Matthews with his team-leading 7.7-tackle per game production, and defensive end Damon Early, who has nine tackles for loss, will try to limit the hard-running, 230-pound Wright. 

Emory & Henry at Carson-Newman

Mountain-division counterparts Emory & Henry and Carson-Newman meet in Week 9 coming off opposite ends of heartbreakers in Week 8, both of which had divisional implications. 

Carson-Newman went to the wire with Mars Hill, leading deep into the fourth quarter after James Maddox's touchdown carry. An 89-yard Panthers drive culminated in a goal-line touchdown run from Mars Hill running back JR Martin, however, resulting in Carson-Newman's second nail-biting loss in October. 

The Eagles dropped a 27-21 decision on Oct. 7 to Tusculum, which went into Week 8 tied atop the Mountain with Mars Hill. The Pioneers were knocked from the lead, however, courtesy of Emory & Henry. 

The Wasps pulled ahead on Charles Mutter's touchdown pass to Cam Peoples in the late fourth quarter, but Tusculum responded with a field goal as time expired to send it into extra frames. 

In overtime, Trace Butcher's field goal and a shutdown possession from the Emory & Henry defense secured the win — and leaves Mars Hill in sole possession of the divisional lead. 

WHAT A ENDING ?@GoWasps hang on for the victory in OT! @SAC_Athletics pic.twitter.com/mGHTn1WFHp

— FloFootball (@FloFootball) October 21, 2023

The E&H defense got big-time contributions from Jacob Robinson, who made a win-sealing interception in overtime, and Chendrick Cann. Cann earned SAC Defensive Player of the Week after a monster performance that included three pass break-ups and a pick. 

The Wasps secondary matches up this week with a Carson-Newman passing offense that's shown flashes of brilliance this season. Cade Meeks has a pair of triple-digit-yard receiving performances, including a 136-yard and two-touchdown showing against Newberry. Freshman Jeremiah Carroll's three reception for 82 yards last week against a stout Mars Hill defense were both career-highs.