MARTIN, Tenn. (Interstat) — Tennessee-Martin scored a second-quarter touchdown, added a field goal and a fourth-quarter score while limiting Gardner-Webb to a kickoff return touchdown in a 17-6 NCAA Football Championship Division victory on Saturday at Hardy M. Graham Stadium. The Skyhawks improved to 3-4. The visiting Runnin’ Bulldogs fell to 2-6. Tennessee-Martin did not allow an offensive touchdown, and Gardner-Webb’s only touchdown came on special teams.

Tennessee-Martin put together the game’s first scoring drive late in the second quarter. Tate Surber operated out of the no-huddle and completed a short pass over the middle to Makhia Sherrard, who caught the ball near the goal line and crossed into the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown. Brandon Sims converted the extra point. After Gardner-Webb’s Tyler Simpson missed a 54-yard field goal in the third quarter, Tennessee-Martin extended its lead on Sims’ 37-yard field goal. The Runnin’ Bulldogs answered on the ensuing kickoff when Joshua George took the ball at his own 14, broke through the coverage and returned it 86 yards for a touchdown. Simpson’s extra-point attempt failed, leaving Gardner-Webb short of the lead. In the fourth quarter, Jaydon Peete finished a drive with a 2-yard run to the left for a touchdown, and Sims made the extra point to complete the scoring.

Sherrard led the Tennessee-Martin offense with one carry for 10 yards, two receptions for 18 yards and a touchdown. Peete ran 18 times for 73 yards and a touchdown and caught one pass for no gain. Peete’s 73 rushing yards led the Skyhawks. Surber completed 10 of 25 passes for 92 yards and a touchdown and carried 10 times for 61 yards. Chris Franklin added 15 carries for 42 yards and one reception for no gain, Greg Ard ran five times for 23 yards, and Jordan Beasley had three carries for 10 yards. Kaleb Costner, a 6-foot-4, 235-pound tight end, caught two passes for 33 yards, Kaleb Washington had a 20-yard reception, Anthony Carter caught two passes for 15 yards, and Phaizon Wilson had one reception for six yards. Deuce Oliver returned two punts for 42 yards and made a tackle.

For Tennessee-Martin, Duston Chavis, a 6-foot-3, 265-pound defensive player from Clarksville, Tenn., made five tackles. Jamarcus Smith, a 6-1, 230-pound linebacker, also made five tackles. Zamaryion Farmer-McCray, a 6-0, 185-pound safety, recorded six tackles and a quarterback hurry. Malik Brown had four tackles, one sack and three quarterback hurries, and Chris Wilson added a tackle and a quarterback hurry. Ant Fisher, Jamal Mayers and Reginald Allen Jr. each intercepted a pass. Brylan Jordan recorded two tackles and a quarterback hurry, while Trey Cotton, Joel Castleberry, Porter Reynolds, Nissi Mukulu and CJ Cobbins each made two tackles. Farand Washington had three tackles, and Cam Robertson and John Betts III each made one tackle. Broderick Tommie Jr. also recorded a quarterback hurry.

Gardner-Webb’s offense was led by Kory Jones, who caught three passes for 49 yards. Kory Jones led Gardner-Webb with 49 receiving yards. Montez Green added a 16-yard catch, Brian Green Jr. had an 11-yard reception, Giovanni Adopte had a six-yard catch, and Jalile Bost and Dylan Manders each had a five-yard reception. Cahari Haynes made 13 tackles and a quarterback hurry for the Runnin’ Bulldogs. Tre Yanez had 10 tackles and a quarterback hurry, Preston Hamilton made six tackles and two quarterback hurries, and Hunter West and Bryson Shelton each made six tackles. Renardo Lewis had five tackles, Taylor Smallwood added three, and Jalile Bost recorded a tackle to go with his five-yard reception.

Tennessee-Martin’s defense forced three interceptions and made several plays behind the line of scrimmage. Brown recorded a sack and three quarterback hurries, while Farmer-McCray, Chris Wilson and Broderick Tommie Jr. each added a quarterback hurry. The Skyhawks also got interceptions from Ant Fisher, Jamal Mayers and Reginald Allen Jr. Gardner-Webb’s defense got 13 tackles from Cahari Haynes, 10 from Tre Yanez, six each from Preston Hamilton, Hunter West and Bryson Shelton, and five from Renardo Lewis. Cahari Haynes led all defenders with 13 tackles. The Runnin’ Bulldogs also recorded five quarterback hurries, including two from Preston Hamilton.

Punting played a significant role in field position. Max Zuluaga averaged better than 46 yards on seven punts for Tennessee-Martin, and Andrew Bontekoe averaged more than 43 yards on six punts for Gardner-Webb. Aidan Bonde added two punts for 78 yards. Bryce Marcus returned five punts for 40 yards for Gardner-Webb, while Deuce Oliver had two punt returns for 42 yards for Tennessee-Martin. George’s kickoff return was the longest special-teams play of the game. Sims’ 37-yard field goal was the only made field goal of the game.

Tennessee-Martin entered after a 42-28 victory at Tennessee State. Gardner-Webb had lost 21-7 to Eastern Illinois in its previous game. Earlier this season, Gardner-Webb beat Charleston Southern 12-10, lost at Marshall 36-35, beat North Carolina Central 44-20, lost at Liberty 24-23, lost at Wofford 17-13 and lost to Austin Peay 35-17. Tennessee-Martin lost at Austin Peay 35-12, lost at Memphis 45-21, lost at West Virginia 52-7, beat Chicago State 42-7 and lost to Central Arkansas 36-24.

The Skyhawks are scheduled to visit Western Illinois in their next game. Gardner-Webb is scheduled to visit Southeast Missouri State in its next game. Gardner-Webb will then host Lindenwood, visit Western Illinois and host Tennessee State. Tennessee-Martin will then host Eastern Illinois, visit Charleston Southern, host Lindenwood and visit Southeast Missouri State. Both teams will continue their NCAA Football Championship Division schedules.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Tennessee-Martin 33, Gardner-Webb 28. Its ELO system had projected Tennessee-Martin with a 78.8 percent probability to win. The projections were made before the game.