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COLUMBIA, Ky. -- Lindsey Wilson senior running back Rome Cotton ran for a career-high 142 yards and scored twice to help the Blue Raiders to a 35-26 win over visiting University of Pikeville (Ky.) on Saturday at Blue Raider Stadium.

With the win, No. 24-ranked Lindsey Wilson improves to 4-0 overall and 1-0 in the Mid-South Conference East Division. No. 25 Pikeville suffers its first loss of the season, falling to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in division play.

In a near perfect half, Lindsey Wilson raced to a 28-3 halftime lead only to have the Bears fight back within 28-26 with 6:01 left in the game. The Blue Raiders responded with a 4-play, 70-yard drive to seal the program's first win over a ranked team.

Lindsey Wilson running back Jalen Sublett took a direct snap 23 yards up the middle for his first career touchdown and a 35-26 Blue Raider lead with 4:14 left in the game.

The Blue Raider defense did the rest recording a pair of sacks against UPike quarterback A.J. Graham -- who had not been sacked all season entering the game -- in the drive to secure the win.

Pikeville's Ryan Wilson scored the game's first points with a 33-yard field goal following the first of three Lindsey Wilson turnovers to give the Bears a 3-0 lead.

The Blue Raiders would quickly respond with an 8-play, 66-yard drive for a 7-3 lead. Cotton caught a Branden Cresap toss out of the backfield and scampered down the left sideline for 30 yards for his first score of the day.

Lindsey Wilson would not trail again.

Following a Bear turnover, Lindsey Wilson needed just 1:29 off the clock to march 58 yards for its second score. Cotton did it on the ground this time with an eight-yard run for his third touchdown of the season and a 14-3 lead.

Pikeville put together its best drive of the half reaching the Lindsey Wilson 15-yard line only to be stopped by the Blue Raider defense. The drive ended as Wilson hit the right upright from 32 yards out to keep the score at 14-3.

On the third play following the Wilson miss, Cresap connected with Cory Davenport over the middle of the field for 60 yards to push the Blue Raider lead to 21-3. After forcing a Pikeville punt, Cresap needed just one play to give Lindsey Wilson a 28-3 cushion.

Cresap once again found an opening over the middle as he hit Tavis Elzy in stride for a 61-yard strike. The touchdown is Elzy's third score of the season. Cresap ended the game 15-of-26 for 271 yards and three touchdowns.

Pikeville -- who would get the ball to start the second half -- threatened to seize momentum to close the first half. Driving deep in Lindsey Wilson territory, Lindsey Wilson's Sam Wilson intercepted Graham to end the threat and send the Blue Raiders into the locker room up by 25 points.

While the Bears were turned away at nearly every turn in the opening half, the second half would be different.

Graham led the Bears to three straight scoring drives in the third quarter.

Pikeville needed just over two minutes in its opening drive of the third quarter to march 65 yards to cut the deficit to 28-10. Seth Millar punched it in from two yards out for the first Bear touchdown of the day. Millar finished the game with 79 yards on 12 carries.

After a Lindsey Wilson punt, Pikeville's Bryan Rankin ended a 9-play, 87-yard drive with the first of his two rushing touchdowns on the afternoon. Rankin totaled 14 yards and the two scores.

The Bears concluded the third quarter scoring with a Wilson field goal -- from 30 yards -- to cut the Lindsey Wilson lead to 28-20.

Pikeville continued to apply pressure and moved within 28-26 with just over six minutes left in the game as Rankin broke the goal line from two yards out.

The Blue Raider defense held Graham and the Bears out of the endzone on the two-point conversion try as Andrew Wahl and Corrion Cooper pulled down Graham in the backfield to preserve the two-point lead.

Lindsey Wilson ended the Bears' hope for a comeback win with the Sublett score in its only scoring drive of the second half

Lindsey Wilson's quick-strike offense resulted in Pikeville dominating time of possession. The Bears held more than a 15-minute advantage. Pikeville also out-gained the Blue Raiders in the game 489-443.

Graham -- the reigning Mid-South Conference Offensive Player of the Week -- finished the game 29-of-42 for 314 yards. He also rushed for 53 yards.

Sublett rushed for 33 yards as he and Cotton helped the Blue Raiders post 172 rushing yards in the win.

Lindsey Wilson returns to action at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28, as the Blue Raiders host No. 23-ranked Faulkner (Ala.) University at Blue Raider Stadium.

http://www.lindseyathletics.com/article/4891.php