Oct. 31, 2009

Final Stats |  Notes

Chattanooga, Tenn. - Chattanooga running back Chris Awuah capped a 16-play, 77-yard drive, scoring on a nine-yard game-winning touchdown run Saturday afternoon as the Mocs scored 15-unanswered fourth quarter points to down Western Carolina, 24-20, at Finley Stadium / Davenport Field.

"I thought offensively that we didn't play well in the second half. We got the one TD but we didn't move the consistently," said WCU second-year head coach Dennis Wagner. "(Chattanooga) did a nice job against us. In the second half, they didn't do anything different, they just did it better. Defensively, we couldn't get off the field."

After Western Carolina took an 11-point lead on Chris Everett's first career touchdown reception with four minutes remaining in the third quarter, UTC (5-3, 3-3 SoCon) answered quickly with a 41-yard strike from B.J. Coleman to Chris Pitchford to close within five, 20-15.

Chattanooga's Craig Camay connected on his fourth of four field goals on the day, splitting the uprights from 28 yards out to pull UTC to within a pair setting up Awuah's game-winning rush.

WCU quarterback Zack Jaynes finished 15-of-28 for 142 yards and the touchdown strike, while Marquel Pittman hauled in five passes for 35 yards. Johnson rushed for 66 yards and a touchdown on the afternoon.

Western Carolina (1-7, 1-5 SoCon) scored its first, first quarter points of the season as a part of 13-unanswered to stake itself to a 13-0 edge midway through the first half. Junior Blake Bostic booted a pair of field goals to take an early, 6-0, lead, and freshman Michael Johnson sprinted in from a yard out on a fourth-and-goal play with 7:31 to play before intermission. Johnson's rush was set-up by a career-best 46-yard reception by freshman D.J. McLendon, who tallied 54 yards on two catches in the loss.

The Catamounts held their first halftime lead, 13-3.

Senior Adrian McLeod finished with 14 tackles including half a tackle for loss for WCU, while classmate Chris Collins tallied his ninth career forced fumble. Junior Mitchell Bell ended the Catamounts' seven-game interception drought with a first quarter pick that set up the opening Bostic field goal.

Chattanooga's B.J. Coleman completed 22-of-41 pass attempts for 248 yards as the Mocs outgained WCU, 301-to-212 on the day. Sixteen of Coleman's passes went to Blue Cooper, who tallied 143 yards in the win.

Western Carolina returns home next Saturday, Nov. 7, to host the nationally-ranked Elon Phoenix at 1:00 pm at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field on Hall of Fame Day.