Darius Neal makes history in MSC clinching win

On a day where Georgetown honored more than 2 dozen seniors, the Tigers closed out the regular season with a 35-7 win over Campbellsville and clinched the outright Mid-South Conference Championship. The win was punctuated by Darius Neal going over the 1,000-yard rushing mark and setting a new school record with 17 rushing TDs on the season.

After a Georgetown 3-and-out to start the day, Campbellsville took possession and tallied a 12-play, 62-yard drive to take a 7-0 lead. Georgetown got the ball and Darius Neal broke free off the left side for a 27-yard run on the drive's 1st play. Dillon Warren joined in with 3 catches for 32 yards to set the Tigers up at the Campbellsville 16. Darius Neal polished off the drive with runs of 13 and 3 yards. It put Neal over 1000 yards on the year, making him only the 5th Tiger in program history to eclipse that total in a single season. Drew Rader's extra point tied the game with 4:27 to go in the 1st. The drive totaled 83 yards over 11 plays and took 3:20 off the clock.

Campbellsville took the ball back and put together another solid drive, mostly through the air. The drive culminated on a 4th-and-5 at the GC 35. Campbellsville QB Jagger Gillis found WR Andre Siler over the middle for a first down, but before Siler was brought down, Lawson Vaughn punched the ball out. Davon Starks recovered the fumble. Campbellsville threw the challenge flag but the call was upheld and Georgetown took the ball and Campbellsville lost its only challenge for the game.

The GC drive carried into the 2nd quarter with Isaiah Cobb carrying the workload. Cobb toted the rock 6 times for 53 yards before giving way to Darius Neal inside the 10. 2 plays later, Neal made history with his 2nd rushing score of the day and his 17th of the year to put Georgetown in the lead, 14-7. The record was announced to the Toyota Stadium crowd who responded with a standing ovation for Neal.

The moment sparked the defense as John Carter Myers picked off a Jagger Gillis pass on the 3rd play of the ensuing drive and returned it 24 yards to the Campbellsville 35. On 4th down, Gehrig Slunaker hit Dillon Warren for 11 yards to keep the drive alive. On the next play from the CU 23, Slunaker dropped a perfect ball into the lap of Aaron Maggard in the end zone, giving Georgetown a 21-7 lead midway through the 2nd.

On play 2 of Campbellsville's next drive, the Georgetown front swarmed around CU QB Jagger Gillis, who threw a shovel pass forward trying to avoid a sack. The only player in the area was GC's Payton Standifer, who picked off the ball and gave Georgetown the ball back at the CU 29. The Georgetown staff went for the jugular on play 1. Slunaker found Aaron Maggard in the same spot of the end zone for the 29-yard score and a 28-7 lead with 5:35 to go in the half.

In need of points, Campbellsville went back to the passing game. An 18-yard pickup on 1st down aided by a GC facemask put the ball at the Georgetown 42. 3 plays later, Campbellsville tried to convert a 4th-&-7 at the 39. Going for a deep pass down the right sideline, the pass was snatched out of the air with one hand by Georgetown's Kyren Simpson. It marked the 3rd straight possession ending with an interception. The Tigers were unable to convert as a promising drive was wiped out by a pick and Georgetown settled for a 28-7 halftime lead.

Georgetown's opening drive was forced into a punt. Drew Rader delivered a low, rugby-style kick that bounced off a Campbellsville player and was recovered by Brodie Williams at the CU 27. Jahmir Ackerson become the focal point in the backfield. He carried the next 4 times for 22 yards to put the ball at the 10. On 2nd-&-8, Slunaker checked a play at the line and hit Ackerson on a swing pass for a 10-yard score and a 35-7 Georgetown lead halfway through the 3rd.

Campbellsville's last threat came early in the 4th from the GC 11. On 4th down, Gillis dropped back to pass but was clobbered by Romarion Warner in the backfield for the sack and turnover on downs. Georgetown forced its 6th turnover of the game on Campbellsville's final possession as CU QB Jake Medders was hit and his pass was picked by Clayton Melcher.

On a 50-degree day, Head Coach Chris Oliver soon found himself on the receiving end of an ice bath as Georgetown celebrated its first Mid-South Conference Championship since 2016. The team then received the official championship banner to cap off a perfect ending to the regular season. With the win, the Tigers also locked up a 1st-round bye in the NAIA Playoffs and a home playoff game on Saturday, November 25th.