Nov. 6, 2010

Final Stats |  Notes |   

Greenville, S.C. - Tersoo Uhaa rushed for two scores and added a third receiving as the Furman Paladins pulled away from Western Carolina in the second half for a 31-17 victory in Southern Conference action at Paladin Stadium. Furman scored 17-unanswered second half points to erase Western Carolina's three-point halftime lead to upend the Catamounts for the fifth-straight time.

It was a tale of two halves for WCU, which dropped its fourth-straight game on the seasons. After racking up 234 yards of total offense in the first half - including 134 yards on the ground, the second-most rushing yards for a single-game by WCU this season - the Catamounts were stymied in the second half as the Paladin defense shut down the balanced attack.

Furman held WCU scoreless after intermission and limited the Catamounts to just 55 yards of total offense including minus-2 yards rushing.

Making his first collegiate start, Furman quarterback Dakota Derrick threw for 122 yards and two scores to pace the Paladin offense which came alive in the second half. All told, Furman gained 201 yards of total offense in the second stanza including 149 on the ground and 52 in the air.

Uhaa finished with 62 yards rushing and two scores, adding one reception for six points for Furman.

Western Carolina (2-7, 1-5 SoCon) scratched the scoreboard first, utilizing its longest scoring drive of the season in terms of plays (13) and time of possession (7:03). Gaining yards on 10 rushing plays with just two pass attempts, starting quarterback Zac Brindise moved the offense to the Furman three-yard line, but had to settle for a 21-yard Blake Bostic field goal to take an early, 3-0, lead.

The Paladins promptly answered, though, rallying back to take the lead, 7-3, on an 11-play drive that marched 66 yards and included a five-yard Catamount defensive offside penalty on fourth down inside the 10-yard line that handed the Paladins a first-and-goal situation. Uhaa raced in from six yards out on the ensuing play for the lead.

Midway through the second quarter, Derrick found David Hendrix from 18 yards out to hand the Paladins a two-score advantage, 14-3, before the Catamount offense got back on track.

Back-to-back rushing scores by sophomore Michael Johnson and junior Nate Harris helped the Catamounts surge back in front, 14-10. Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Deja Alexander was key on both aforementioned scoring drives. The Jacksonville, Fla., native hauled in an acrobatic catch between two Furman defenders for a 37-yard gain that helped set up the 11-yard Johnson scamper run that pulled the Catamounts back within four, 14-10, with six minutes remaining before intermission.

On the Catamounts next possession - which began after Marquel Pittman had to pounce on his muffed punt attempt in traffic - Brindise took a flea-flicker pitch from Johnson and found Alexander over the middle for a 41-yard gain that helped set up Harris' 8-yard scamper as WCU reclaimed the lead, 17-14, an advantage it took into the halftime locker room.

Brindise finished 10-of-20 for 157 yards, adding a career-best 43 yards rushing on nine attempts. He was not sacked on the afternoon and managed to find five different receivers. Harris rushed six times for 40 yards including his second career TD, while Johnson had 13 touches for 38 yards, scoring on the ground for the third-consecutive game.

After the break, it was all Furman, though, as the Catamounts were unable to muster any points on five second half possessions. Three of WCU's drives ended in punts after just three plays with the team's lone turnover - a fumbled hand-off exchange in the backfield - and a missed field goal attempt thwarting the additional two possessions.

Conversely, the Paladins were able to come away with 17 points on two touchdowns and a field goal the first three times their offense touched the football after intermission. Furman drove the opening kickoff 63 yards in nine plays to take the lead for good, 21-17, before adding a field goal on a near mirror image of a drive on its next possession.

The Paladin defense then set its offense up with a perfect game-sealing scoring opportunity as defensive lineman Josh Lynn scooped up a Catamount fumble and raced 41 yards to the six-yard line where Derrick found Uhaa on the next offensive play for the 31-17 advantage.

The Catamounts appeared to get a break and a great opportunity to snap the string of 17-straight Paladin points early in the fourth quarter after Furman had a snap sail over punter Chas Short's head setting the Catamounts up with terrific field position at the 28-yard line. However, eight plays including four incomplete passes later, WCU missed a 32-yard field goal to keep the scoreboard at 31-17.

Defensively for the Catamounts, senior Angelo Brown paced the squad with a career-best 13 tackles including five solo stops. Junior Brandon Vaught added 11 stops with classmate Ricky Schwarz finishing with eight including a tackle and a half for loss. Seniors Charles and C.J. Johnson both recorded sacks for the Catamounts, with junior Torez Jones coming away with his team - and SoCon leading - seventh interception of the year.

Western Carolina returns home next Saturday, Nov. 13 to host Georgia Southern at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field in Cullowhee. WCU will honor its six newest inductees into the Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday morning, as well as during halftime. Former football players Tom Bodine (1991-94), Tobe Childers (1957-60) and Kerry Hayes (1991-94) as well as former men's basketball standouts Anquell McCollum (1992-96) and Gaston Seal (1969-63) and women's golfer Rebecca Twiner Hastings (2000-04) will all be enshrined on Saturday.

Saturday's game is also Senior Day for 14 Catamount football seniors who will be honored in a special pregame ceremony.