Oct. 8, 2005

Final Stats

Statesboro, Ga. - Western Carolina and Georgia Southern each pushed across a touchdown on their first possessions, but the 21st-ranked Eagles would go on to score on six of their next eight possessions to claim a 45-7 victory over the 29th-ranked Catamounts Saturday afternoon at Paulson Stadium.

For the Eagles, quarterback Jayson Foster rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns, while completing 3-of-4 passes for 67 yards and two scores. Senior fullback Jermaine Austin added 117 yards on the ground.

The Eagles (4-2 overall, 3-1 SoCon) tried to set the tone of the game right off the bat. Teddy Craft returned the opening kickoff 40 yards. Later on 4th-and-1 from the Western 22 yard line, Foster ran a bootleg to his right and found a wide-open Reggie McCutchen for a 23-yard touchdown pass.

However, Justin Clark and the Catamounts answered with a 10-play scoring drive of their own with Clark hitting Darius Fudge on a screen pass that went for a 15-yard touchdown to tie the game with 6:45 left in the first. From there Southern's defense blanked the Catamounts (2-3, 1-2).

After getting good field position with a solid kick return on their second possession, the Eagles would regain the lead for good, going to the air again. Foster found McCutchen for a 22-yard touchdown pass. Early in the second quarter Foster and the Eagles caught a break. Primus Glover dropped an apparent interception, thrown by Foster, in the endzone. On the next play Foster scrambled for an 18-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 21-7.

Late in the quarter, the Eagles converted three fourth down attempts during their 15-play, 79-yard drive, including one that made it by the nose of the football at the Western eight yard line. Darius Smiley rolled left and hit Lynon Jefferson for an 8-yard TD pass.

The Eagle defense started the third quarter holding the Catamounts on a three-and-out. Foster capped a 9-play, 62-yard drive scoring from 21 yards out. He also converted another fourth down during that possession, extending the Eagles' streak to 5-for-5 in the game. Southern finished the game 7-for-7 in fourth down conversions.

Jonathan Dudley hit a 25-yard field goal in the third quarter, extending his career streak to 13-for-13 all-time. Senior Steve Steele scored his first collegiate touchdown, a 4-yard run late in the fourth for the final margin.

Western was led offensively by Fudge. The junior rushed for 68 yards, averaging 6.2 yards per carry, and scored the Cats' lone TD with a 15-yard reception on a screen pass. Defensively, Western had five players in double digits for tackles, including Rico Reese and Lamar Barnes each with 11. Andre Brown, James Conklin and Shelton Gaffney each had 10 stops.

Clark completed 13-of-22 passes for 149 yards before leaving the game with a concussion. The junior left the game in the fourth quarter, was evaluated in Statesboro and released. He will undergo further tests on Monday with the Catamount athletic trainers and doctors.

In other injury news, WCU receiver Eddie Cohen, who was injured in the fourth quarter, was also evaluated and released Saturday evening from a Statesboro hospital. Like Clark, Cohen will be further evaluated on Monday.

Western Carolina takes next weekend off before returning to action on October 22 at Chattanooga.