UTC defensive back Lucas Webb (29) tackles Jacksonville State cornerback Rashod Byers during the Mocs' home game against the Gamecocks on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014, at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga.In a continuation of the second-half struggles from the previous week's game, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga offense never found any footing Saturday night, and the result was a second straight heartbreaking loss.
While the defense kept the game close, the Mocs' offense struggled from start to finish and ninth-ranked Jacksonville State left Finley Stadium with a 26-23 overtime victory. After UTC opened overtime with a Henrique Ribeiro field goal, the Gamecocks punched in a winning touchdown when quarterback Eli Jenkins broke free for a 13-yard run.
With a crowd of 14,285 watching, UTC managed just 111 total yards and didn't gain a first down until the 11-minute mark of the third quarter. That's the fewest yards ever allowed by Jacksonville State against a Division I opponent, and that was after the Mocs gained just 9 second-half yards in the season-opening loss at Central Michigan.
"We're going to have to figure out something offensively," Mocs coach Russ Huesman said. "That was an embarrassment. Sometimes I get on the players in the locker room, but if us as coaches can't get them in better situations to be successful, then we have to make changes. We have to figure something out here.
"Part of it is on our players, but a lot of it was our coaches -- what we're calling and what we're doing. We ain't getting it done. That's the second half of Central Michigan and this whole game. That's awful. We've got to get it fixed."
UTC went three-and-out seven times, including to start the game. After that opening possession, the Gamecocks grabbed an early lead with a six-play, 67-yard drive, capped by a Miles Jones 12-yard scoring run and helped along by a 15-yard facemask penalty on UTC.
While the offense struggled, the Mocs returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the first half. The first of those came when Dee Virgin stepped in front of a Jenkins pass and raced 55 yards down the visitors' sideline for the tying score.
But JSU countered with an 11-play, 88-yard scoring drive, highlighted by Jenkins' 48-yard run and capped by DeMarcus James' 4-yard touchdown run. With the Mocs trailing 17-7 late in the second quarter, Virgin again made a big play by tipping a pass that was intercepted by Lucas Webb and returned 37 yards for a TD.
"We really take pride in our defense, and on that play I saw the quarterback looking over there, so I got there in good position after Dee made a nice play," said Webb, who had a bruise over his right eye and a cut across his nose after the physical game. "Both the teams we've played are really good, but we've given them some help and we have to stop that to be successful.
"We still have all the trust in each other as a team. There are some things we need to do better as a team, on both sides, to get going. We know our goals are still there for us."
By halftime the Gamecocks had outgained UTC 265 to minus-5 in total yards and had run 32 more plays.
The Mocs opened the second half with an onside kick that was recovered by JSU and turned into a field goal, but UTC forced the Gamecocks to punt on four of their next five possessions and fought its way back with two Henrique Ribeiro field goals, including a 22-yarder to tie the game with 12 minutes remaining.
The Mocs looked as if they had completed the rally when Tommy Hudson returned a punt 55 yards for a touchdown with less than a minute remaining, but it was called back for a block in the back.
"I give our defense credit. They played like warriors," Coach Huesman said. "They fought. You can't have 18 offensive plays in the first half and 50 defensive plays. We didn't have a first down in the first half. Who does that? I mean who does that?
"I thought we'd be 2-0. I thought we had a good enough team to be 2-0. We're not. We have to regroup and win one next week [at Austin Peay]. That's all we need to worry about."
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293.