The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team’s first possession of Saturday’s game at Finley Stadium ended with an interception at Virginia Military Institute’s 6-yard line. UTC’s defense then spent the next 7 minutes and 40 seconds of game clock chasing the winless Keydets as they moved 82 yards the other way.
It was not the start the Mocs wanted after being honored as the STATS Perform FCS national team of the week — and sweeping the Southern Conference offensive, defensive and special teams players of the week awards — in the wake of a 41-18 dismantling of host Western Carolina last weekend.
It also was not how their day ended.
Taylor Crumedy caught four passes for 124 yards and a touchdown, UTC ran for 218 yards, and its defense held VMI to 117 rushing yards on 43 carries in a 24-10 win before 5,554 at Finley. It was enough to keep the Mocs (6-3, 5-1 SoCon) in the hunt for a league championship and a spot in the 24-team bracket for the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
“Win. Found a way to get it done,” UTC coach Rusty Wright said. “Biggest thing is we found a way to play and win a football game when we didn’t play our best.”