STATESBORO, Ga. --- It took an extra period Saturday, but the football team won at Georgia Southern for the first time ever, defeating the Eagles 45-38 in one overtime.
Receiver Thomas Hinton caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Antonio Miller on the Mocs' second play from scrimmage in overtime. The extra point made it 45-38.
On Georgia Southern's overtime possession, quarterback Jayson Foster's pass on fourth-down-and-nine sailed over the intended receiver's head, ending the game.
“This is a great win for us and for our program,” UTC Head Coach Rodney Allison said. “Last year, we beat them, but we didn't take advantage of it during the rest of the season. Now we have to take this win and carry it over to next week's game.”
UTC edged GSU 27-26 last year in Chattanooga on a last-second field goal. Saturday's win marks the first time the Mocs have notched back-to-back wins over the Eagles, and it is just the third win for UTC in the series which has been dominated by Georgia Southern, 2-1, 0-1.
The Mocs, 1-2, 1-0 in the SoCon, took a 38-31 lead with 3:32 to play when back Erroll Wynn took a Statue-of-Liberty play around right end for a 19-yard touchdown. It was Wynn's second score of the game, and he finished with 125 yards on 27 carries.
The Eagles ran the ensuing kickoff 32 yards to the UTC 42-yard line. Foster converted a third-and-eight play with a 16-yard run, and back Mike Hamilton scored from three yards away with 1:17 to play. The extra point kick would eventually cause the game to go into overtime.
UTC owned a 17-14 halftime lead on the strength of 17 consecutive points.
The Eagles scored on their opening possession of the game. Foster raced through the left side of the defense for a 36-yard touchdown, putting GSU on the scoreboard, 7-0 at 10:43 of the opening quarter.
The Mocs answered and tied the score six minutes later. Miller and Blue Cooper connected on a 38-yard pass play to get the Mocs to the GSU 16-yard line. Six plays later, Erroll Wynn scored his first touchdown of the season, ramming it in from two yards out.
UTC capitalized on an Edward Sawyer interception of a Foster pass deep in GSU territory as Miller hit Matthew Angeloni on a 20-yard touchdown pass with 57 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
Kicker Craig Camay booted a 25-yard field goal at 9:00 of the second quarter to push the Mocs' advantage to 17-7. Mike Hamilton's three-yard touchdown run 6:07 before halftime provided the three-point halftime margin.
GSU grabbed a 28-17 lead on its first two second-half possessions. Foster, who ran for 210 yards, his third 200-yard rushing game in as many outings, scored on a 60-yard jaunt at 12:57 and from 14 yards out at 10:11.
UTC answered with back-to-back TDs. Miller found Blue Cooper in the end zone for a five-yard score at 6:23 of the third quarter, and safety Jeff Phillips scooped up a Foster fumble and raced 63 yards with 1:38 left in the period for a 31-28 edge.
Foster accounted for 330 total yards of offense, including 120 on 17-of-20 passing.
The Mocs only committed two penalties and did not turn the ball over. Miller was 12-of-27 passing for 161 yards and threw three touchdown passes for the first time in his career. Cooper hauled in four balls for 86 yards, and Hinton had three catches for 41.
“I don't want the high to die until late tomorrow,” Allison said. “I want these kids to enjoy it. They worked hard. I think we are mature enough to go forward with this. We just put ourselves in position. I know it is just one game, but we put ourselves in position to contend.
“Foster is a great player, and he made a lot out of nothing. But I have believed in the character of this team, and tonight I am extremely proud and happy for our guys.”
Safety Chris Camacho led a trio of UTC defenders with 12 tackles. Steven Mills also recorded 12 stops, and Edward Sawyer added 11.
The Mocs return home next Saturday, hosting SoCon foe The Citadel at 6 p.m. at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga.
