CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- The Chattanooga Mocs saw a 13-point fourth quarter lead evaporate in a 28-27 loss to No. 12 Wofford on senior day at Finley Stadium. UTC's season ends with a 5-6 record, 3-5 in the Southern Conference, while the Terriers improved to 8-3, 6-2 in league play.
It was a tale of two offenses as the Chattanooga offense gained 340 yards with 232 coming in the air, while Wofford gained 358 of its 388 yards on the ground.
Senior quarterback B.J. Coleman (Chattanooga, Tenn.) completed 26 of 39 passes for 232 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. His favorite target was fellow senior Sloan Allison (Ooltewah, Tenn.) who had seven receptions for 41 yards.
Terriers running backs Donovan Johnson and Eric Breitenstein combined for 281 of the 358 yards rushing. Johnson had the better of Breitenstein with 141 on 14 carries, as Breitenstein was the workhorse with 30 totes for 140 yards.
The Mocs got off to a great start scoring on their first three drives. Coleman hit Marlon Anthony (Acworth, Ga.) with a 44-yard strike off a brilliant pump fake on the game's seventh play to make it 7-0. The touchdown pass was the 50th of Coleman's three-year career setting a new school record.
Wofford responded with a 10-play drive of its own to knot the score at 7-7 on Donovan Johnson's eight-yard run. But that's when UTC truly took flight.
Coleman engineered drives of 63 and 72 yards to build a 21-7 halftime advantage. He found Joel Bradford (Chattanooga, Tenn.) from 13 yards out in the first quarter and Faysal Shafaat (Orlando, Fla.) from 14 yards in the second.
But that was the end of the touchdown scoring for the Mocs. Breitenstein scored from four yards out to make it 21-14 with 5:10 to go in the third quarter. Two Nick Pollard (Nashville, Tenn.) field goals from 27 and 23 yards out made it 27-14. The latter came with 9:16 left in the game. Both UTC scoring drives combined to eat 9:45 of clock time.
Wofford struck quickly after Pollard's 23 yard offering. After Wes Dothard (Carrollton, Ga.) dumped quarterback Mitch Allen for a one-yard loss, Breitenstein ran for 18 yards out to the Wofford 49. Johnson broke free for a 51 yard dash to the end zone breaking tackles late to get the Terriers within six, 27-21, with 8:08 still on the clock.
After a three-and-out and short kick, Wofford was in business again in good field position at its own 47. The Chattanooga defense held strong allowing just eight yards in four plays to turn the ball over on downs with 5:14 to go.
Two plays later, Terrier linebacker Alvin Scioneaux tipped a Coleman pass and then intercepted it at the Mocs 48. On the ensuing possession, UTC had Wofford on the ropes on third and 11 at the 49 when Johnson struck with another big play. He darted 31 yards to the Mocs 15.
Wofford was down to its final play, a fourth and three on the Mocs eight. It used a little misdirection with Brenton Bersin sweeping right off a reverse diving forward for four yards to the four. Two plays later Allen snuck in from a yard out for the winning score.
It was a career night for a pair of seniors. Allison's seven catches is a new career high for the former quarterback. Linebacker Ryan Consiglio's (Franklin, Tenn.) 19 tackles were not only a new career mark, but it is also the most by a UTC defender since Josh Cain set the school record with 30 on November 3, 2001 against The Citadel.
Coleman completed four or more passes to four different receivers. Shafaat had a season-best five catches for 48 yards, while Anthony (4-86) and Bradford (4-30) had four apiece. Dothard added 10 tackles on defense including two of Chattanooga's five stops behind the line of scrimmage.
James Zotto had a team-best 10 tackles for Wofford supported by Preston Roseboro with nine. Zotto and Blake Wylie joined Scioneaux with interceptions as the Terriers held a 3-1 advantage in takeaways.
The Mocs have won 17 games over the last three years, which matches the schools total over the previous six (2003-08). The five FCS losses were by a combined 12 points.
SCORING SUMMARY
Quarter
|
Score
|
Time
|
Play
|
1
|
7-0
|
11:57
|
Marlon Anthony 44 yard Pass from B.J. Coleman (Nick Pollard Kick)
Drive: 7 plays, 74 yards, 3:03
Key Play(s): 3/3/V48 - Coleman to Sloan Allison for 5 yards
|
1
|
7-7
|
7:10
|
Donovan Johnson 8 yard Rush (Christian Reed Kick)
Drive: 10 plays, 66 yards, 4:43
Key Play(s): 3/1/H45 - Eric Breitenstein 3 yard run
|
1
|
14-7
|
2:25
|
Joel Bradford 13 yard Pass from Coleman (Pollard Kick)
Drive: 10 plays, 63 yards, 4:38
Key Play(s): 3/3/V34 - Taharin Tyson 3 yard run
|
2
|
21-7
|
8:30
|
Faysal Shafaat 14 yard Pass from Coleman (Pollard Kick)
Drive: 9 plays, 72 yards, 2:44
Key Play(s): Mocs converted lone 3rd down on drive for TD
|
3
|
21-14
|
5:10
|
Eric Breitenstein 4 yard Rush (Reed Kick)
Drive: 5 plays, 69 yards, 1:41
Key Play(s): 1/10/H39: Mitch Allen to Jeff Ashley for 30 yards
|
3
|
24-14
|
1:05
|
Pollard 27 yard Field Goal
Drive: 8 plays, 31 yards, 4:05
Key Play(s): 2/8/V39: Coleman to Marquis Green for 10 yards
|
4
|
27-14
|
9:16
|
Pollard 23 yard Field Goal
Drive: 12 plays, 31 yards, 5:40
Key Play(s): Tyson & Coleman convert 4th & 1s during drive
|
4
|
27-21
|
8:08
|
Johnson 51 yard Rush (Reed Kick)
Drive: 3 plays, 68 yards, 1:02
Key Play(s): 2/11/V31 - Breitenstein 18 yard run
|
4
|
27-28
|
0:37
|
Mitch Allen 1 yard Rush (Reed Kick)
Drive: 9 plays, 48 yards, 3:45
Key Play(s): Coleman intercepted by Alvin Scioneaux at Mocs 48
|
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