Keon Williams runs over the top but is pulled down by Furman’s Austin Williams.When A.J. Hampton was just 12 days old, on Nov. 20, 1993, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga beat the Furman Paladins 45-42 at Chamberlain Field.
Then many years passed without another Mocs home win — and just three wins overall — against the men in purple. Until Saturday.
It wasn’t always easy or pretty — Hampton, a UTC backup linebacker, helped with a blocked punt and recovery deep in Furman territory — but the Mocs finally beat the Paladins in the Scenic City. A homecoming crowd of 12,187 at Finley Stadium saw UTC pick up its second Southern Conference win of the season, 31-9.
“It shouldn’t have taken that long,” Hampton said of the drought in Chattanooga.
Jacob Huesman and Keon Williams led a solid rushing attack that churned out 218 yards, Davis Tull had 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles to pace an often-stifling defense and UTC (4-2, 2-1) did enough for a key conference victory.