SATURDAY’S STAR
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga defensive end Isaiah Mack had three sacks, a half-sack shy of a school single-game record, and had nine total tackles in the win.
SATURDAY’S STAT
The Mocs had seven sacks and held Virginia Military Institute to negative-16 yards rushing – the fewest allowed since Marshall had negative-20 in a 23-7 UTC win on Nov. 2, 1985.
TURNING POINT
It wasn’t a point as much as a half. The Mocs had consecutive drives in the second half totaling more than 14 minutes in time of possession and resulting in touchdowns that built a 13-point lead.
THE BIG PLAY
On back-to-back VMI possessions in the fourth quarter, the Mocs had fourth-down sacks that stopped drives – first a shared sack by Khayyan Edwards and Mack and then one by Jordan Jones.
WHAT IT MEANS
The Mocs are guaranteed a winning season for the seventh time this decade, but it’s far from their main goal. Games at Furman and at home against Mercer in the next two weeks will define UTC’s playoff fate, but Saturday left a good taste after a tough game.
HOW THEY SCORED
FIRST QUARTER
VMI – Quan Myers 1-yard run (Grant Clemons kick), 7:40
Drive: 13 plays, 70 yards, 4:43
Key play: VMI quarterback Reece Udinski was effective on the drive, but the Mocs didn’t help themselves by giving the Keydets 20 yards in penalties, including an unsportsmanlike conduct that resulted in an ejection for lineman Derek Mahaffey.
VMI 7, UTC 0
VMI – Tyren Cloud 29-yard interception return (Clemons kick), 6:38
Key play: UTC quarterback Nick Tiano’s pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage and picked off by Cloud, who was able to dive into the end zone before absorbing a big hit by Tiano as he was crossing the plane.
VMI 14, UTC 0
UTC – Bryce Nunnelly 64-yard pass from Nick Tiano (Victor Ulmo kick), 5:10
Drive: 3 plays, 70 yards, 1:23
Key play: A play-action fake freed Nunnelly, who was able to jog in for his seventh touchdown of the season.
VMI 14, UTC 7
SECOND QUARTER
VMI – Jakob Herres 7-yard pass from Reece Udinski (Clemons kick), 14:55
Drive: 14 plays, 79 yards, 5:08
Key play: A pass-interference call on C.J Fritz negated a third-and-19 stop and gave the Keydets first-and-goal. They scored two plays later.
VMI 21, UTC 7
UTC – Tyrell Price 1-yard run (Ulmo kick), 6:21
Drive: 17 plays, 75 yards, 8:34
Key plays: Price had a 3-yard run to convert on fourth-and-1, and the Keydets committed key penalties, including a pair of pass-interference calls.
VMI 21, UTC 14
UTC – Wil Young 17-yard pass from Tiano (Ulmo kick), 1:15
Drive: 7 plays, 81 yards, 2:39
Key play: Tiano was 4-for-5 on the drive for 74 yards, and the Mocs never faced a third down.
VMI 21, UTC 21
THIRD QUARTER
UTC – Price 5-yard run (kick failed), 4:13
Drive: 14 plays, 72 yards, 8:10
Key play: The Mocs converted three third downs into firsts on the drive, including former Baylor standout Gage Upshaw making his first collegiate catch to convert on third-and-5.
UTC 27, VMI 21
FOURTH QUARTER
UTC – Alex Trotter 19-yard run (Ulmo kick), 5:57
Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 6:21
Key plays: A Tiano sneak on fourth-and-1 extended the drive, and then Trotter burst through a hole in the middle of the defense and ran in untouched for his first college score.
UTC 34, VMI 21
VMI – Devone Humphrey 2-yard pass from Udinski (kick failed), 1:06
Drive: 13 plays, 91 yards, 2:35
Key plays: The Keydets converted a trio of third downs on the drive, including the short pass to Humphrey in the back of the end zone.
UTC 34, VMI 27