Wacky second quarter goes Elon’s way

The second quarter of eighth-ranked Elon’s 42-7 win Saturday over the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga started with a bang by the Mocs but ended with the Phoenix in command. In between were a bunch of plays that changed the game.

“Every break seemed to go their way,” UTC cornerback Buster Skrine said. “Every one.”

On the first play of the quarter, the Mocs, facing a third-and-goal from the 4, scored on a pass from Jare Gault to Clint Woods. A second later, the bench all but emptied as the team stormed the end zone in celebration, which drew a 15-yard penalty.

On the ensuing possession, Elon running back Brandon Newsome fumbled but the ball bounced right back to him and the play resulted in a 7-yard gain.

Things then really began to turn Elon’s way. Mocs linebacker Jarvis Newson tipped a pass deep in UTC territory, but the ball was just out of the reach of teammate Joseph Thornton trying for the interception. Elon scored on the following play and intercepted a Gault pass on the ensuing possession.

Elon quarterback Scott Riddle was drilled by Tony Swafford and fumbled on Elon’s next possession, but wide receiver Bo Williamson was there not only to recover it but to run 5 yards for a first down.

The luck appeared to swing UTC’s way a moment later when Newsome fumbled and Rodney Beamon recovered for the Mocs, but it didn’t last. After the game, receiver Blue Cooper couldn’t even explain what happened next.

On second down he tried to catch a low pass from Gault, but as he went to the ground the ball squirted up and was intercepted. Two plays later, Elon scored a touchdown and led 20-7 at halftime.

“That was just a freak thing,” Cooper said. “When I caught it I went to roll. I guess I landed on my back and (the ball) hit my chest and bounced up perfectly straight to the guy.”

Catch of the day

Elon wide receiver Terrell Hudgins did two significant things Saturday.

The junior became the school’s all-time leader in touchdown receptions with his two against the Mocs, giving him 33 for his career. He also dropped the jaw of much of the small crowd — which appeared to be no more than 1,500 — inside Finley Stadium.

On a third-quarter third-and-3 at the UTC 25-yard line, Riddle lofted the ball left to the 6-foot-3 Hudgins, who was being covered by Buster Skrine. The ball went toward Skrine’s back — Skrine was called for interference on the play — but that didn’t keep Hudgins from making an amazing grab. He essentially pinned the ball to Skrine’s back and made a one-handed grab for a touchdown that put the Phoenix up 26-7.

“It hit him right in the back,” said Hudgins, who leads the Southern Conference with 58 receptions. “I just got my hand on the other side of it, used him to keep the ball, and then by the time I cuffed it, I was in the end zone.”

This and that

Saturday was Military Appreciation Day at Finley Stadium and two wounded veterans from Tennessee, Kurtiss Lamb of Dresden and Sue Downes of Gallatin, participated in the pregame coin toss. ... The Mocs are off this Saturday and will spend Monday helping with the Special Olympics state bowling tournament at Holiday Bowl Brainerd, coach Rodney Allison said. ... Thornton led UTC with 10 tackles. Doug Faatiliga and Swafford had nine and eight.