CULLOWHEE, N.C. --- A "win is a win" is the mantra the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team takes home after a 27-21 victory at Western Carolina (1-3/0-1) Saturday night. Chattanooga (2-2/1-1) made the plays it had to on both sides of the ball to claim the crucial Southern Conference win.
The Mocs defense told the tale tonight allowing just 249 yards of total offense limiting the Catamounts to 56 on the ground. UTC caused four turnovers, three by interception, dictating play throughout the game.
Redshirt freshman linebacker Gunner Miller (Chattanooga, Tenn.) made his first collegiate start recording nine tackles including four for loss which is a Mocs high for the season. Junior Ryan Consiglio (Franklin, Tenn.) had a team-best 12 stops on the night tying for game-high honors.
Junior B.J. Coleman (Chattanooga, Tenn.) completed 21 of 35 pass attempts for 235 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. He also ran for a score. Coleman hit eight different receivers on the night with both scoring tosses going to tight end Garrett Hughes (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.).
Running backs Erroll Wynn (Jonesboro, Ga.) and Keon Williams (Chattanooga, Tenn.) combined for 121 yards on 29 carries and a score. Wynn had 80 yards on 16 totes, while Williams rushed 13 times for 41 yards.
It was a quick-strike start for the Catamounts. After a 27-yard Mike Hammons (Benton, Tenn.) punt from the end zone gave WCU the ball on the UTC 32, the Cats went into their bag of tricks.
Zach Brindise threw a lateral screen to Josh Cockrell who then lofted a 32-yard scoring toss to Jacoby Mitchell for the 7-0 lead with 4:48 to go in the first quarter. It marked the first deficit for Chattanooga this season in the first three quarters of a game.
The Mocs immediately answered. Taking over at the Western 28, Coleman engineered a seven play, 72-yard scoring drive that ended with Hughes' second touchdown catch of the season. Coleman was 5-6 on the drive for 81 yards.
Later in the second quarter, Chattanooga took over at its own 23 following 35-yard Blake Cain punt. This time the Mocs struck quickly.
Wynn opened with a 21 yard run which was followed by a Coleman to Chris Pitchford (Knoxville, Tenn.) connection of nine yards to Western territory. Coleman then lofted a 46-yard strike to Brian Sutherland (Smyrna, Ga.) who was forced out of bound inside the WCU one-yard line. The junior QB bulled his way into the end zone to put the Mocs up 14-7 halftime lead.
After a Kadeem Wise (Lawrenceville, Ga.) interception in the end zone gave the Mocs the ball on its own 20. Two plays later, Dre Thomas forced a Wynn fumble which was picked up by C.J. Johnson who rumbled 12 yards to knot the game at 14.
The Mocs did not hang their heads. On the very next possession, Coleman led the team on an 11 play, 83-yard drive. Mixing the run and pass, Chattanooga did not face a third down on the four-minute march that yielded the second Coleman-Hughes hook up of the night, this time from three yards to make it 21-14.
Wise set up the fourth UTC tally of the night. He made his second pick of the game, fourth of the season, giving the Mocs the short field on the Western 23. His fourth pick ties the freshman record set in 1978 by head coach Russ Huesman.
On the very next play Wynn ran around left end for the score. The PAT was wide left for a 27-14 UTC lead.
With 7:48 left, Chattanooga took over at its own 20. Running as much clock as possible, the Mocs pushed to the WCU 37 before the drive stalled and Coleman's pooch kick just veered into the end zone. The drive did take up 4:27 which was the long for the night.
The Catamounts took over and marched the 80 yards in nine plays scoring on a third-and-goal from the one as Brandon Pechloff found Mitchell for his second score of the evening. The ensuing onside kick was recovered by Sutherland and the Mocs took three knees as the clock ran out.
Pechloff came off the bench in the second half to throw for 127 yards on nine completions in 21 attempts and three interceptions. Brindise completed 10 of 14 but for just 34 yards. Michael Johnson led the Cats with 10 carries for 24 yards.
Brandon Vaught tied Consiglio with 12 tackles adding one for loss and one of WCU's three fumble recoveries. Angelo Brown added 10 stops forcing a fumble while recovering another.
Joel Bradford (Chattanooga, Tenn.) had a game-high eight catches for 91 yards. Pitchford had 39 yards on four receptions.
The Mocs are off next week. They return to action Oct. 9 at The Citadel with a 2 p.m. (EDT) kick off.
SCORING SUMMARY:
1st Quarter/4:48: (WCU) Jacoby Mitchell 32 yd pass from Josh Cockrell (Blake Bostic kick)
Drive: 1 plays, 32 yards, 0:07
Key Play(s): N/A
Western Carolina 7, Chattanooga 0
1st Quarter/2:02: (UTC) Garrett Hughes 23 yd pass from B.J. Coleman (Jeff Veres kick)
Drive: 7 plays, 72 yards, 2:41
Key Play(s): 1/10/H38: Coleman 24 yds to Joel Bradford.
Chattanooga 7, Western Carolina 7
2nd Quarter/1:47: (UTC) Coleman 1 yd run (Veres kick)
Drive: 4 plays, 77 yards, 0:46
Key Play(s): 1/10/H47: Coleman 46 yds to Brian Sutherland.
Chattanooga 14, Western Carolina 7
3rd Quarter/12:05: (WCU) C.J. Johnson 12 yd fumble return (Bostic kick)
Drive: N/A
Key Play(s): N/A
Chattanooga 14, Western Carolina 14
3rd Quarter/7:59: (UTC) Hughes 3 yd pass from Coleman (Veres kick)
Drive: 11 plays, 83 yards, 4:00
Key Play(s): Erroll Wynn/Keon Williams combine for 31 yards on 5 carries.
Chattanooga 21, Western Carolina 14
4th Quarter/13:54: (UTC) Wynn 23 yd run (Kick failed)
Drive: 1 plays, 23 yards, 0:07
Key Play(s): Kadeem Wise makes second interception.
Chattanooga 27, Western Carolina 14
4th Quarter/1:24: (WCU) Mitchell 1 yd pass from Brandon Pechloff (Bostic kick)
Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 1:57
Key Play(s): 2/G/V9 Pechloff 8 yd run.
Chattanooga 27, Western Carolina 21
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