FERRUM, Va. -- Trenton Shuler rushed for 168 yards and a touchdown to lead defending USA South champion Maryville College to a 23-13 football win over Ferrum College this afternoon at W.B. Adams Stadium. The game featured slick field conditions and a 45-minute lightning delay just before the start of the fourth quarter.

Ferrum opened a 7-0 lead at 11:42 of the first quarter when Troy Helton hauled in a Tim Reynolds 31-yard touchdown pass. Maryville came back and scored two touchdowns before the end of the quarter, a 13-yard Evan Pittenger run and a 35-yard scoring strike from Nick Myers to Ed Johnson, and the Scots led 14-7.

Jacob Smoak trimmed the lead to 14-10 when he connected on a 35-yard field goal for Ferrum at 8:58 of the second quarter, then Hunter Ferguson split the uprights from 22 yards out to make it 14-13 with 2:45 left in the first half. On the second play of the Scots' next possession, Shuler took a handoff and rumbled 73 yards for a score to put his team out in front 20-13 at the break.

The Panthers were held scoreless in the second half, with Maryville's Wesley Bloeme nailing a 24-yard field goal for the final score. Pittinger was 5-11 passing for the Scots (4-2, 3-1 USA South). Helton rushed for 73 yards to lead Ferrum, and Reynolds was 6-17 passing for 111 yards and a touchdown. Rashad Johnson had a game-high 12 tackles for the Panthers. Ferrum (0-5, 0-3 USA South) returns to action Saturday, Oct. 18, at home against Huntingdon College. The USA South game kicks on at 1:00 p.m.