Sept. 23, 2000

Box Score

CULLOWHEE, N.C. (AP) - Donnie Bryant rushed for 120 yards on 23 carries and Western Carolina scored 24 straight points en route to a 39-27 victory over East Tennessee State on Saturday night.

East Tennessee State (2-2, 1-1 Southern Conference) took an early 12-7 lead after Howard Nix returned a blocked punt 31 yards for a touchdown and Corey Carter added a score on a 9-yard run to start the second quarter.

But then the Catamounts seized control.

Quarterback David Rivers capped a nine-play 65-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown run to give Western Carolina (2-2, 1-1 SC) a 13-12 lead it would never relinquish.

Bryant added a 23-yard touchdown run and Josh Jones hit a 46-yard field goal as Western Carolina took a 23-12 halftime lead.

The Catamounts extended the lead to 30-12 early in the third quarter.

But East Tennessee State refused to fold, scoring two straight touchdowns, the second on a 20-yard pass from Todd Wells to Michael Rader, to close within a 30-27 with 8:59 remaining.

Another Jones field goal and a 30-yard scoring pass from Catamounts' backup quarterback Justin Cella to Michael Banks ended East Tennessee's hopes.