RICHMOND, Ky. – Western Carolina's defense forced four turnovers including a 54-yard scoop-and-score by Ricky Palao on a fumble recovery as the Catamounts rallied from an early deficit to lead 10-7 midway through the second quarter. However, Eastern Kentucky, which was playing its ninth game of the season, used big plays and a 28-point fourth quarter to pull away from WCU to win the inaugural Opportunity Bowl, 49-17, over the Catamounts at Roy Kidd Stadium.
EKU running back Alonzo Booth scored four touchdowns including three on the ground and on a 69-yard reception as the Colonels snapped a two-game slide and finish their regular season at 3-6. Booth finished with 247 total yards including 178 on the ground to go along with his 69 yards receiving.
Trailing 7-3 after freshman kicker Paxton Robertson nailed a career-long 52-yard field goal, the Catamounts grabbed their only lead of the afternoon on a defensive score. Roman Johnson sacked EKU quarterback Isaiah Velez, hitting him from behind and jarring the football loose. The ball fortuitously bounced into the arms of Palao, who was shepherded to the end zone by a pair of teammates, rumbling 54 yards for the score.
However, the lead was short-lived, as EKU's Davion Ross took the ensuing kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown to put the Colonels ahead for good, 14-10. Booth later caught a wheel-route out of the backfield and the 6-1, 250-pound back thundered 69 yards for a score and a 21-10 halftime edge.
Neither team managed to light the scoreboard in the third quarter until wide receiver Jackson Beerman tossed a 63-yard touchdown to Jacquez Jones early in the fourth. The Colonels added two more Booth scoring rushes and a Beerman TD catch with WCU's Mahari Stribling tallying his first receiving score on a 30-yard strike to provide the final score on a drive set up by the first interception by Aaron Gethers.
Redshirt junior quarterback Will Jones saw the most extensive time in the backfield after earning the start, finishing the game 12-of-25 for 127 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Mark Wright was 2-of-8 passing for seven yards with an interception.
Eight different Catamounts caught passes with freshman Calvin Jones tallying four receptions for 28 yards and Reggie Jones catching three passes. Tight end Clayton Bardall, who played against his brother Jackson – an offensive lineman for EKU – rumbled for a 40-yard reception and Stribling spun in for a touchdown. Redshirt senior Donnavan Spencer rushed for 56 yards to lead the Catamounts on the ground, while Mikai Stanley ran for 30 yards on seven touches.
For EKU, Velez finished 18-of-32 for 310 yards and two touchdowns while also tossing a pair of interceptions. Receivers Beerman and Jacquez Jones both finished with five catches to eclipse the century mark, Beerman with 102 yards and a touchdown and Jones had 100 yards and a TD. Beerman also tossed a 63-yard touchdown pass on a trick play.
Defensively, Gethers added a fumble recovery to his interception and linebacker Trevor Childers picked off a deflection by Ty Harris for his first pick. Roman Johnson and Ronald Kent Jr. both forced fumbles in the loss.
Western Carolina (0-2) returns to action against North Carolina in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on Saturday, Dec. 5 – a game that was moved from its original schedule of Dec. 11.