Appalachian State 24, Georgia Southern 7
BOONE, N.C. ? Sophomore Kevin Richardson ran for 208 yards to headline an all-around impressive performance by No. 19 Appalachian State University in a convincing 24-7 victory over No. 16 Georgia Southern before 21,486 fans on a picture-perfect fall afternoon at Kidd Brewer Stadium.
Richardson’s 208 rushing yards were the most by a Mountaineer since Jimmy Watkins registered 216 yards on the ground in a NCAA I-AA playoff victory over William & Mary in 2001. Richardson also caught six passes for a career-high 77 yards, giving him 285 all-purpose yards on the afternoon.
Despite Richardson’s heroics, the story of the game may have been the job Appalachian’s defense did against Georgia Southern’s high-powered rushing attack. The Eagles came into the contest with the nation’s top rushing average at 378.5 yards per game, but managed just 271 yards on 58 attempts on Saturday, with 36 of those yards coming on a fake punt in the first quarter. Fullback Jermaine Austin, who came into the game with a Southern Conference-leading 784 rushing yards, was held to just 72 yards on 19 carries (3.8 yards per rush), while quarterback Jayson Foster, who was second in the league with 783 rushing yards, gained just 54 yards on 20 carries (2.7 per rush).
The defensive effort also contributed to ASU’s first two scores, as a three-and-out on GSU’s first series and a 34-yard interception return by Justin Woazeah on the the Eagles’ next possession led to the Apps grabbing an early 10-0 lead. Julian Rauch booted a 37-yard field goal and freshman Trey Hennessee scored from a yard out to cap a 31-yard drive following Woazeah’s interception to give Appalachian the 10-point advantage just 11:30 into the contest.
Richardson made his presence known on Appalachian’s first drive of the second quarter, as he broke off a career-long 73-yard run to set up a two-yard touchdown plunge and give ASU a 17-0 lead.
It appeared as though the Mountaineers would stretch the advantage to 24-0 heading into halftime, but Walter Payton Award candidate Richie Williams threw his first interception of the season on the last play of the half to stymie an ASU drive at the one-yard line. The interception was Williams’ first in 186 attempts, a streak that fell just 29 short of a SoCon record.
However, Williams and the Apps made up for the miscue by taking the second-half kickoff and marching 80 yards in 12 plays, capped by Hennessee’s second one-yard touchdown run of the game that gave ASU a 24-0 lead less than five minutes into the third period.
From there, Appalachian (4-2, 2-1 SoCon) cruised to the victory, thanks to Richardson gaining 148 of his 285 all-purpose yards and the defense holding Georgia Southern (4-3, 3-2 SoCon) to just 128 yards of offense in the second half. The Eagles scored their only points of the ballgame on a three-yard run by Foster with 3:20 to go in the third quarter. GSU’s seven points matched the fewest it has scored in a game in the past 10 seasons.
In all, the Mountaineers outgained the Eagles 457-276, including a 296-252 advantage in rushing yards and a 161-24 advantage through the air.
Williams, who broke Appalachian’s career total-offense mark last week, added 243 more yards to that total with 161 yards on 13-of-20 passing and 82 yards on 18 rushes.
Defensively, safety Jeremy Wiggins’ 13 tackles led nine Mountaineers with at least six stops.
The victory extended ASU’s home winning streaks to 14-straight regular-season games and 13 games overall, both school records. Georgia Southern became the first team to fall twice at Kidd Brewer Stadium during the run, which dates back to the 2002 season.
Combined with a SoCon home-opening record attendance of 23,267 on Sept. 17 versus Coastal Carolina, Saturday’s overflow crowd marked the first time since 1992 that Appalachian has drawn more than 20,000 fans for back-to-back home games.
Appalachian’s triumph also left it in a three-way tie atop the SoCon standings with No. 5 Furman (6-1, 2-1 SoCon), who edged The Citadel, 39-31, in triple overtime on Saturday, and ASU’s next opponent, Wofford (4-2, 2-1 SoCon). The three-way tie could become a four-way deadlock, pending Chattanooga’s (4-2, 1-1 SoCon) outcome versus Elon on Saturday evening. The Apps travel to Spartanburg, S.C. to face the Terriers on Saturday, Oct. 22 at noon. The showdown will be televised live regionally on Comcast Sports Southeast.
Wofford 38, VMI 23
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? Wofford rushed for a season-high 441 yards and quarterback Josh Collier threw two touchdown passes to lead the Terriers to a 38-23 win overVMI Saturday afternoon at Gibbs Stadium.
Seven Terriers rushed for 30 or more yards in the game as Wofford (4-2) rushed for its most yards in a game since putting up 476 yards against The Citadel on Oct. 30, 2004. Michael Hobbs rushed for a game-high 85 yards but left the game after fracturing his right ankle late in the first half.
Collier completed five of six passes for 40 yards and threw scoring passes of 13 yards to Matt Beavin and 6 yards to Adrian Young. Collier also scored once on a 1-yard run.
Wofford’s defense held VMI to just 47 yards rushing and 307 total offense yards. Nose tackle Katon Bethay led the Terrier charge with nine tackles including four sacks. Linebackers Justin Franklin and Jim Thurman each had interceptions for Wofford.
VMI (3-4) scored on its first possession by taking advantage of a quirky play. On a first down play from the Wofford 48, running back Nate Jackson appeared to be stopped at the line of scrimmage but was able to break away and took off down the right sideline before being dragged down by Alex Love at the Wofford 1. Two players later, quarterback Jonathan Wilson scored on a 2-yard run to stake the Keydets to a 7-0 lead.
Wofford tied the game at 7 on the second play of the second quarter when Collier rammed it in from one yard out. The touchdown was set up by Corey Dunn’s 8-yard run that followed an 11-yard run by Collier on a fourth-and-four from the VMI 20.
Hobbs put the Terriers on top 14-7 with a 9-yard scoring run with 6:43 remaining in the half. It marked Hobbs’ fifth straight game with a rushing touchdown.
VMI’s Barrett Way booted a 37-yard field goal to pull VMI to 14-10 with 2:40 left in the second quarter.
The Terriers added a touchdown just before the half to increase their lead to 21-10. Starting at their own 7 with 2:40 to go, Wofford marched to the VMI 13 before Collier hit Beavin in the end zone for the score. Hobbs carried four times for 39 yards on the drive but suffered a broken right ankle on his final carry that will likely keep him out of action for the remainder of the season. Gabriel Jackson also aided the drive with carries of 9 and 23 yards.
Nick Robinson extended Wofford’s lead to 24-10 with a 25-yard field goal with 8:19 to play in the third quarter.
VMI scored just 2:14 into the fourth quarter when quarterback Jonathan Wilson hit Zohn Burden with a 6-yard scoring pass to pull VMI to 24-17.
Wofford increased its lead to 31-17 with 9:36 remaining in the fourth when Collier hit Young on a 6-yard scoring pass.
Ben Widmyer raced 45 yards with an option keeper to put the Terriers ahead 38-17 with 7:31 remaining. VMI added a touchdown with 2:44 remaining in the game when Wilson hit Burden on a 4-yard scoring pass.
Wofford will play host to Appalachian State next Saturday at Gibbs Field in the final home game of the season. VMI will host Gardner-Webb.
NOTES:
Wofford fullback Michael Hobbs suffered a broken ankle late in the second quarter. He is likely out for the remainder of the season.
Hobbs has scored a touchdown in five straight games. He also made his first career reception.
Wofford’s touchdown pass from Josh Collier to Matt Beavin was its first of the season. The last time Wofford threw a TD pass was in the 2004 season finale vs. VMI on Nov. 20, 2004.
Wofford’s opponent has scored first in five straight games.
Nick Robinson’s field goal was his first of the season.
Justin Franklin’s third quarter interception was his first of the season, third of his career.
This was Josh Collier’s first 2 touchdown pass game of his career.
Jim Thurman’s fourth quarter interception was his first of the year and the fifth of his career.
Patrick Mugan booted his first career PAT following Wofford’s fifth touchdown.
This was Wofford’s highest point total of the season and its highest since a 49-17 win over Gardner-Webb on Nov. 6, 2004.
The Terriers have won four straight home games and 21 of their last 22 games in Gibbs Stadium.
Furman 39, The Citadel 31 (3 OT’s)
Charleston, SC? Fullback Jerome Felton rushed for three touchdowns, including the go-ahead score and the two-point conversion, as No. 5 Furman escaped The Citadel at Johnson Hagood Stadium with a 39-31 victory in three overtimes.
Felton’s 16-yard scamper and two-point run gave the Paladins (6-1, 2-1 in the Southern Conference) their final margin of victory. The Bulldogs (3-3, 1-2) had one last chance to keep the game alive, but redshirt freshman quarterback Justin Knox’s pass took Kinta Palmer out of bounds in the corner of the right end zone on fourth and nine from the 14, and Furman celebrated their ninth win in their last 11 tries against their long-time state rivals.
The teams traded touchdowns in the first overtime. Furman quarterback Renaldo Gray snuck in from one-yard out and Scott Beckler’s extra-point made it a 28-21 lead for the Paladins, their first since they jumped out to a 7-0 advantage on their first offensive possession of the game. The Citadel came right back to tie it as Knox ran it in from three yards out and Blake Vandiver’s extra-point sent the contest to a second overtime.
The schools traded field goals in the second overtime, a 45-yarder by Vandiver, tying his career best, and a 35-yarder by Beckler, which tied the contest at 31 and sent it into a third overtime.
Furman starting quarterback Ingle Martin left the game with cramps at the beginning of the fourth quarter, bringing back-up Renaldo Gray in the contest and immediately ignited an offense that had come in averaging more than 38 points and 482 yards but trailed 21-7. He capped off an 87-yard scoring drive with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Justin Stepp, and Beckler’s extra-point trimmed the Bulldogs’ lead to 21-14 with 13 minutes left in the contest.
Gray then led the Paladins on an 11-play, 64-yard scoring drive that ended with Felton burrowing in for his second touchdown of the game on fourth-and-goal from the two yard line. Beckler’s extra-point knotted up the score at 21 with 48 second remaining in regulation.
Furman ended with 460 yards of total offense, 234 of them coming after the third quarter, compared to 270 for the Bulldogs. Tailback Nuru Goodrum ignited the offense all day, rushing for a season-high 93 yards on 18 carries. Knox finished 22-36 for 130 yards and a touchdown in his second collegiate start.
The Paladins jumped on the board on their first offensive possession of the contest. Martin’s 53-yard pass to Brian Stone set Furman at the one-yard line, and Felton powered his way into the end zone on the very next play. Beckler kicked the point after to hand the Paladins a 7-0 lead.
Goodrum provided an offensive spark for The Citadel their first time on offense, as he broke off a run of 20 yards and caught a 13-yard pass to put the Bulldogs on Furman’s 25. On-third-and-goal from the eight, Knox passed to Palmer who found his way over the goal line for his third touchdown reception of the season. Vandiver added the extra point to tie the contest 7-7.
The Bulldog defense forced a turnover late in the first half as a Martin fumble was recovered by James Wilson at the Furman 17. A personal foul on the Paladins sent The Citadel inside the 10, and on second-and-goal from the eight, Montrell Lee beat the Furman defense to the corner of the end zone for a score. Vandiver’s extra point gave the Bulldogs a 14-7 lead with 43 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
The Citadel again forced a turnover late in the first half as a flea flicker attempt by the Paladins was foiled by cornerback Brandon Hawkins, who made a diving interception at the one-yard line. The Citadel forced three turnovers on the day as Josh Lawson intercepted a Gray pass in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs headed into halftime with a 14-7 lead and an upset in their grasp.
The Citadel offense was once again lifted by Goodrum in the third quarter, when he broke off a run of 34 yards that sent the Bulldogs to the Furman 33-yard line. Chris Gibbs capped off a 13-play, 91-yard scoring drive with a three-yard run and Vandiver converted the extra-point to give The Citadel a 21-7 lead with 5:31 left in the third quarter.
The Bulldogs nearly knocked off their second ranked opponent of the season, as they defeated then No. 18 Western Carolina, 17-7, on October 1 in Cullowhee, NC.
The Citadel travels to Georgia Southern next weekend while Furman hosts Elon.
Chattanooga 10, Elon 7
ELON, N.C. -- Esteban Lopez booted a 19-yard field goal with 5:16 to play that broke a 7-7 tie and lifted the Chattanooga Mocs to a 10-7 Southern Conference football victory over the Elon Phoenix from Rhodes Stadium on Saturday night. UTC upped its record to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in the SoCon with its third consecutive victory while Elon dipped to 3-4, 0-3. Chattanooga has secured its first five win season since 2000 when the team went 5-6.
The first half of the game was a defensive battle as the teams combined for 10 punts and no points. Elon punted on its first seven possessions of the game. Four of Chattanooga's first six possessions resulted in punts.
On Elon's second drive, quarterback Kye Hamilton hit Wes Pope for a 15-yard reception that pushed Hamilton over 2,000 yards passing for his career. The sophomore is the 13th Elon quarterback to surpass the 2,000-yard mark and he has now thrown for 2,061 yards and sits only 13 yards shy of Charlie Maidon for 12th on the list.
Elon got on the board first when Joe Baptiste rushed 43 yards for his first career touchdown with 10:01 left in the third quarter. The freshman's run capped a four play, 54-yard drive for the Phoenix that ate up only 58 seconds off the clock.
After forcing a UTC punt on the next drive, Elon worked its way down to the Chattanooga 25 when Andrew Wilcox came on to attempt a 42-yard field goal. Wilcox's kick was good, but what would have been a career-best score was negated when the Phoenix was called for an illegal formation. Wilcox's 47-yard attempt missed left and kept the score at 7-0.
The Mocs capitalized on the miss, driving 70 yards over 12 plays in 4:25 to even the score at 7-7. The drive was finished off by Eldra Buckley's seven yard scamper into the end zone with 1:18 left to play in the third period.
Chattanooga's first possession of the fourth quarter began from its own seven yard line after a holding call on an Elon punt. The Mocs kept the ball on the ground for 14 of the 18 plays on the drive and moved the ball to the Elon nine. At this point, Lopez connected on his 19-yard field goal to put the Mocs ahead for good.
"I think, for us, every game is a measuring stick," said Elon coach Paul Hamilton. "Two and a half years we've been in this league and every week right now is a battle. What's tough is to play as hard as we have and be so close."
Chattanooga coach Rodney Allison added, "I thought we played pretty well for the most part. We got lucky on defense, they dropped a few passes that could have gone for scores. We dug deep in the fourth quarter and drove it right at them."
Baptiste finished his career-night with 148 rushing yard and one score on 24 carries for the Phoenix. Hamilton was 6-of-15 passing for 65 yards and was sacked twice. Michael Mayers led the Elon receivers with three catches for 34 yards.
Chattanooga's offense was led by Buckley's 124 yard game, his third 100-yard game of the season. He carried the ball 31 times. Emanuel Hassell hauled in four passes for 44 yards to lead the Moc receiving corp. Antonio Miller connected on 15-of-25 passes for 130 yards. Miller was picked off once.
For the game, Elon was out gained 332-215 in total yards, including 202-150 on the ground and 130-65 through the air.
On the defensive side of the ball, Elon's Chad Nkang recorded a career-best 25 tackles, including 14 solo stops and three tackles for a loss. Chris Bland made 12 tackles and intercepted his second pass of the season while teammate Dwayne Ijames made 11 stops.
Wilford Blowe led Chattanooga with seven tackles while Chris Johnson made six tackles. Johnson also tallied two tackles for loss, a sack and two quarterback hurries.
Elon hits the road for a 2:00 p.m. kickoff at #5 Furman next Saturday afternoon in Greenville, S.C. while Chattanooga heads home to face Western Carolina at 6:00 p.m. that same day.