STATS
NOTES
QUOTES 

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.---The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team dropped a 38-20 decision to Furman in front of 11,201 at Finley Stadium Saturday evening.  The Mocs couldn't overcome a couple of key turnovers along with a bad snap in the kicking game.

Senior wideout Blue Cooper was the standout for the Mocs with a career-high 13 catches for 109 yards.  He opens the season with back-to-back 100-yard reception games.

Furman was led by running back Tersoo Uhaa.  Uhaa rushed for two touchdowns and 87 yards on 17 carries.

The Paladins had their way of things offensively in the first half, but the Mocs defense tightened the ship in the second.  Chattanooga allowed just 112 total yards in the second half after Furman ran and passed its way down the field in the first.   In fact, Paladins quarterback Jordan Sorrells threw for 120 yards on eight of 10 passing in the first half, but completed just three of nine after the break for 19 yards.

The Mocs opened the game on a high note recovering an on-side kick, getting the ball at its own 39.  On the first play, sophomore B.J. Coleman was hit as he threw and his pass was intercepted by Max Lerner who returned it 43 yards for the score.

On the second drive of the game, the Mocs methodically moved the ball down the field before a fumble on a Bryan Fitzgerald run gave the Paladins the ball on their own 30.  Furman then marched 70 yards in eight plays scoring on a Chris Truss catch from Sorrells from two yards out to make it 14-0.

The Mocs struck gold on their third drive with a 52-yard catch-and-run by Chris Awuah.  Coleman hit him on the left side on third down and he scampered down the sideline to make it 14-7 to complete the 81-yard, six-play drive (3:07).

Furman answered quickly starting the drive on its own 42.  Four plays in, Uhaa ran off tackle left for 34 yards to make it 21-7.

Chattanooga continued to move the ball as well with a six-minute, 18-second drive ending with a 35-yard field by senior Craig Camay.  The Mocs went 56 yards in 16 plays before the drive stalled.  Fitzgerald and Awuah combined for 40 all-purpose yards on the drive.

The final drive of the half belonged to Furman and after moving the ball to the Mocs' one-foot line, the Paladins' Uhaa was stuffed twice at the line of scrimmage, but with four seconds remaining, Uhaa got one more chance and scored as time expired to put Furman up 28-10 at the half.

Chattanooga struck first in the second half.  After a 24-yard Brian Sutherland kick return, the Mocs went 44 yards in 10 plays ending in a 42-yard field goal by Craig Camay to cut the lead to 28-13.

On the ensuing drive, from the Furman 37, Sorrells lofted a pass across the middle that was intercepted by Jordan Tippit at his own 37 and returned 21 yards setting up the Mocs at the Paladin 42-yard line.

After a three-and-out, the Mocs snap flew over the head of punter Mike Hammons with Furman's Ryan Steed recovering in the end zone.  For the third time in three quarters, the Paladins scored a touchdown to end a period.

The Mocs capped off the scoring in the game with a two play 33-yard drive in 38 seconds that was setup by a failed fourth-down attempt by Chattanooga on its own five-yard line followed by a three-and-out defensive stand.

Coleman found Chris Pitchford for 19 yards to the 14 which was followed by a pass interference penalty on the Paladins.  Coleman found Cooper in the back of the end zone for a two-yard touchdown.

Strong safety J.D. Dothard led the Mocs defense with nine tackles, along with one for a loss.  Middle linebacker Steven Smigelsky added eight tackles, while outside backer Joe Thornton had seven to go with a 10-yard reception on a fake punt receiving the pass from Hammons.

Bryan Fitzgerald returned to the lineup from injury to record 69 yards on 23 carries.  Awuah, a true freshman, added 34 yards on eight totes along with three receptions for 59 yards and his touchdown.

The Paladins defense was led by Kadarron Anderson's game-high 14 stops.  Jordan Griffin added 12 stops of his own.

Even in the loss, there were a lot of positives for the Mocs on both sides of the ball.  The defensive effort in the second half, along with the offense consistently moving the ball were definite bright spots.  The Mocs had five drives of six or more plays in 10 total possessions.  There was only one three-and-out and a score on a two-play drive