SATURDAY’S STAR
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga running back Tyrell Price had 173 yards of total offense against Western Carolina University, including a career-high 135 yards on 29 carries. It was a spectacular performance for Price, who had rushed for only 101 yards in the past three games combined.
SATURDAY’S STAT
The UTC defense held the Catamounts, who were averaging a Southern Conference-best 35.8 points per game, to six points on a pair of field goals and 238 yards of total offense – less than half of their season average.
TURNING POINT
The Catamounts had driven to the UTC 1-yard line and had first-and-goal, but a bad exchange between the quarterback and running back led to a fumble that was recovered by the Mocs, who turned the takeaway into three points.
THE BIG PLAY
The Mocs’ Joseph Parker had a nice over-the-shoulder catch for his first touchdown of the season, torquing his body and making the grab before falling out of bounds.
BOTTOM LINE
The Mocs enter an off week on a high, with both sides of the ball doing what was necessary to get the win. There’s still plenty to clean up, but the team gets a level of feel-good and a week to rest before hosting Virginia Military Institue for homecoming.
HOW THEY SCORED
FIRST QUARTER
UTC – Safety, Jerrell Lawson tackles Tyrie Adams in end zone, 10:59
Key play: After forcing a fumble and recovering, only to lose the ball again, the Mocs pinned the Catamounts at their own 4-yard line. On third down, Lawson blitzed and got to Adams for the team’s first safety since Dale Warren blocked a punt against Fordham in the 2015 Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
UTC 2, WESTERN CAROLINA 0
UTC – Joseph Parker 28-yard pass from Nick Tiano (Victor Ulmo kick), 6:31
Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:28
Key play: The Mocs averaged 10.1 yards per play on the drive and never faced a third down, with Parker hauling in an over-the-shoulder catch for his first score since the 2017 season finale against East Tennessee State.
UTC 9, WESTERN CAROLINA 0
SECOND QUARTER
UTC – Ulmo 39-yard field goal, 11:29
Drive: 8 plays, 77 yards, 4:03
Key play: Tiano passed to Parker for 17 yards on a third-and-22 that was enough to give Ulmo a try, and the sophomore from Baylor School hit his 17th collegiate field goal.
UTC 12, WESTERN CAROLINA 0
UTC – Parker 3-yard pass from Tiano (Ulmo kick), 9:27
Drive: 3 plays, 4 yards, 1:20
Key play: Kareem Orr recorded his fourth interception of the season and took the ball to the Catamounts’ 4-yard line.
UTC 19, WESTERN CAROLINA 0
WCU – Will Horton 47-yard field goal, 0:43
Drive: 6 plays, 5 yards, 2:47
Key play: Daquan Patton had a 37-yard punt return to start the Catamounts deep in UTC territory, but the Mocs had a sack and two more tackles for loss to stop the drive.
UTC 19, WESTERN CAROLINA 3
THIRD QUARTER
UTC – Tyrell Price 3-yard run (Ulmo kick), 0:15
Drive: 12 plays, 59 yards, 7:05
Key play: The Catamounts were called for pass interference while trying to cover Wil Young on a slant route on a third-down incompletion. The Mocs scored three plays later.
UTC 26, WESTERN CAROLINA 3
FOURTH QUARTER
WCU – Horton 38-yard field goal, 11:50
Drive: 8 plays, 50 yards, 3:25
Key play: WCU starting quarterback Adams returned to the game and completed a 37-yard pass to a wide-open Nate Mullen, who fell down at the Mocs’ 6-yard line.
UTC 26, WESTERN CAROLINA 6