Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina twice erased 11-point deficits on Saturday afternoon, the second coming on an 85-yard scoring strike from quarterback Rogan Wells to Kenny Benjamin out of the backfield as the Catamounts rallied and then held on for a thrilling 43-42 Southern Conference victory over the Furman Paladins at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field.
 
Saturday's win – the third-straight for the streaking Catamounts – wasn't secured until the game's final play as the first career field goal attempt of Paladin kickoff specialist Alex Lepvreau fell short of the cross bar from 62 yards away.
 
Wells accounted for 477 total yards and three touchdowns including a 33-yard scoring romp early in the third quarter, adding TD passes of five yards to TE Owen Cosenke and the aforementioned game-winner on the 85-yard catch-and-run by Benjamin. Catching five passes for 126 yards and adding 19 rushing yards, Benjamin recorded 145 all-purpose yards while Terrence Horne led the team with 170 total yards including 18 yards rushing, 71 receiving, and 81 on kickoff returns.
 
Wells led the Catamounts with 91 rushing yards while TJ Jones scored twice, both coming on one-yard rushes including the second on a leap over the pile into the purple and gold end zone.
 
Furman (4-5, 2-4 SoCon) used a dominant ground game that chewed up a combined 316 yards and scored five times through the first three quarters. Dominic Roberto rushed 24 times for a game-high 196 yards and four of the scores on the ground to pace the Paladins with Devin Abrams adding a four-yard score in the second quarter as the Paladins led 28-17 inside the final five minutes of the first half.
 
Jones capped a 12-play, 83-yard drive with a one-yard scoring run with 18-seconds to play before intermission to pull the Catamounts back within four, 28-24, at halftime.
 
On the opening drive of the second half, Rogan Wells scampered in from 33 yards away to put the Catamounts back in front, 31-28. However, the Paladins cashed-in a pair of WCU turnovers for 14 points and a 42-231 lead late in the third quarter.
 
Western Carolina (3-6, 3-3 SoCon) would score the game's final 12 points on a second scoring rush by Jones and the Benjamin reception.
 
The Catamount defense and special teams had to stand tall over the closing moments with Ronald Kent Jr., forcing a fumble on a 28-yard punt return that prevented Furman from finding the go-ahead score as Micah Nelson emerged from the scrum with the football. And later, the defense stiffened near midfield forcing the Paladins into the long field goal spotted on the wrong side of the 50.
 
Three Catamounts finished with double-digit tackles with a fourth finishing just one shy. Senior LB Kareem Taylor was credited with a career-high 15 tackles – his sixth game in double figures – adding a sack late with Furman trying to drive into field goal range on the final possession. Jacob Harris posted 11 total tackles and opened the game's scoring on a 41-yard interception return for a touchdown that gave WCU the early advantage.
 
Senior Ivan Hogans continued his strong season with 10 stops including a tackle for loss with classmate Trevor Childers posting nine tackles and one TFL.

The Catamounts halted a five-game slide in the head-to-head series with Furman with the team's third-straight victory representing its longest win streak since 2018.
 
Western Carolina remains at home next Saturday, Nov. 13, for the annual gridiron grudge match rivalry game, the "Blue Ridge Border Battle" against nationally-ranked ETSU (8-1, 5-1 SoCon). WCU will celebrate its annual Hall of Fame Day and will honor its seniors in a special pregame ceremony. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. in Cullowhee.
 
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