Final Stats |  Notes |   

Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina amassed 633 yards of total offense and forced four takeaways on defense on Saturday afternoon as the Catamounts remained unbeaten at home and tied atop the Southern Conference standings with a 29-15 Homecoming victory over The Citadel Bulldogs at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field.

WCU improved to 6-2 overall on the season and 4-0 in league action, playing in front of 13,323 fans on Saturday - the 10th largest crowd in Whitmire Stadium history. The Citadel dropped to 2-6 overall, 0-3 in league play.

"What a fun league this is to be a part of. Anyone can beat anyone else every week," said WCU head coach Mark Speir during opening comments following his squads fourth-straight home victory. "The team just battled and kept their composure. This team has a lot of faith and trust in each other. We made some adjustments on defense - that is what Championship teams do, they find a way to win. I'm proud of our coaches, week in and week out putting together great plans and putting our players in the right position."

He added, "It is fun to have a crowd like this in Cullowhee, a packed house. I say it each week and I mean it. I thank the good Lord for putting me in Cullowhee for this time and this place."

Junior quarterback Troy Mitchell accounted for 422 yards of total offense including 291 yards passing on 21-of-29 passing and a game-high 131 yards rushing to pace the Catamount offensive attack. True freshman tailback Detrez Newsome tallied the first 100-yard rushing performance of his career with 123 yards on the ground as a part of 154 all-purpose yards.

All told, the Catamount offense went toe-to-toe with the SoCon's top rushing attack of the Bulldogs. The Citadel finished with 360 yards on the ground while WCU rushed for 342 with both squads finishing with two backs over 100-yards on the ground.

Mitchell's favorite target was slot receiver Terryon Robinson who hauled in 10 passes for a career-high 183 yards. It is his second 100-yard receiving game this year (121 at USF), and the second double-digit reception game of his WCU career. Karnorris Benson added a season-best four catches for 37 yards, scoring on a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter.

Western Carolina broke a scoreless tie midway through the first quarter as Mitchell capped a brief six-play, 52-yard drive with an eight-yard strike to sophomore tight end Tyler Sexton to put the home squad ahead, 7-0. The drive, which started near midfield, was spurred by a 22-yard Mitchell scramble.

However, before the opening stanza would end, the Bulldogs marched 68 yards in 10 plays including seven rushes for their first score. Quarterback Aaron Miller scored from five yards out to pull to within a point. Then, from their normal odd-man front PAT formation, the Bulldogs went for two with Dane Anderson connecting with a sprinting Alex Glover for the two-point conversion and a one-point, 8-7, lead.

The Bulldogs were poised to take a two-score lead midway through the second quarter when running back Isiaha Smith broke free up the middle and rumbled 53 yards. Smith was just a few steps shy of the Purple & Gold clad end zones when WCU cornerback Trey Morgan tracked him down and punched the football loose, preventing the score and creating a turnover that Christon Gill recovered.

Smith finished with 111 yards on the ground for The Citadel.

The two squads would trade interceptions in the final minute of the opening half before WCU had a near-miss in the end zone. With seconds ticking off the clock before intermission and the Catamounts just a yard away, Mitchell found Robinson open in the back of the end zone, but was ruled that he could not complete the catch to the ground, sending the teams to the locker room with an 8-7 marker on the scoreboard.

Despite the three turnovers and two punts in the second quarter, no points were scored. WCU did miss a 32-yard field goal just wide at the 5:47 mark.

Newsome posted two rushing touchdowns in the third quarter as the Catamounts reclaimed a lead they would never relinquish just two minutes in the second half. Newsome capped a five-play, 70-yard drive with a 24-yard run to push WCU ahead, 14-8, and finished off a quick-strike drive of just four players that encompassed 74 yards with a 38-yard romp in the closing seconds of the frame to make it 21-8.

Newsome, a product of Raeford, N.C., posted his fourth, two rushing touchdown performance of the season.

The Citadel would not go away, however, as the Bulldogs pulled back to within a score early in the fourth quarter as Aaron Miller scored on a 27-yard draw play on a third-and-long to make it 21-15. It was Miller's second rushing score of the game, and the QB finished with 104 rushing yards and 83 through the air on 7-of-18 passing.

With the game still hanging in the balance, the Catamount defense rose to the occasion. With the Bulldogs trying one of their patented, grueling ground attack drives, WCU stiffened on a third and eight to force fourth down in WCU territory. On the ensuing play, though, the Bulldogs were whistled for a procedure penalty and ultimately were forced to punt.

Six plays later, the Catamount offense turned that defensive stop into a game-sealing touchdown as Darius Ramsey recorded consecutive double-digit rushes of 36 and 20 yards with the latter finding the end zone. Terryon Robinson caught two passes for 24 yards on the scoring drive. Karnorris Benson hauled in the two-point conversion to provide the final tally, 29-15.

Sophomore linebacker Tyson Dickson led the Catamount defensive charge with a career-best 16 tackles including five solo stops and one tackle for loss. Defensive back Trey Morgan tallied a career-high nine hits with six solo stop and one for loss and was a part of three of WCU's four takeaways. Morgan forced a pair of fumbles and came up with his team - and SoCon-leading - fifth interception of the season in the winning effort.

Senior Christon Gill tallied nine stops and recovered two fumbles for the WCU defense while classmate Ace Clark recorded six stops with a fumble forced and one recovered.

Western Carolina hosts Chattanooga (5-3, 4-0 SoCon) next Saturday, Nov. 1, in a battle of unbeaten league teams with first-place on the line. Kickoff from Cullowhee is scheduled for 2:00 pm.

"We can finally talk about it," said Speir of next week's meeting with the Mocs.

"We are going to enjoy this win over The Citadel tonight, and now get ready for the big game against Chattanooga next week. Who would have ever thought a conference kind of title bout would be in happening in Cullowhee this deep in the season considering where this program has been?"

With another large crowd expected next Saturday, Catamount fans are encouraged to get their tickets in advance--purchase and print online at www.CatamountSports.com or call 800-34-GOWCU.