TE Brayden Blackman (86) caught two passes for 27 yards, delivering a big hit against a would-be tackler on Saturday afternoon.

Ashley Evans, WCU Communications and Marketing

Football 11/2/2024 11:30:00 PM Daniel Hooker, Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations

Postgame Notes - vs. No 25/18 Chattanooga

Postgame Notes
(– / RV) Western Carolina 38, No. 25/18 Chattanooga
E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field
Cullowhee, N.C. | Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024
Att: 11,198

With the Win:

Western Carolina won its third straight game over Chattanooga with each of the three victories coming with the Mocs carrying a national ranking into the meeting – in the regular-season finale #15/17 in 2022 … #20/24 in 2023 … and #25/18 in 2024 … WCU's three-straight series wins match the Catamounts' longest series win streak since winning three in a row from 2000-02;
The Catamounts moved to 20-30 all-time in the series with Chattanooga while collecting its 12th home win among the 26 series meetings played in Cullowhee (12-14);
WCU's last three wins over Chattanooga have been by single-digits – and a combined nine points – four points (38-34, 2024), two points (52-50, 2023), and three points (32-29, 2022);
WCU scored its second victory over a nationally-ranked NCAA FCS team this season, coupled with the road victory over #22 Elon back on Sept. 14 … WCU has faced FIVE nationally-ranked teams;
Western Carolina (4-1, .800) remains one of just two remaining Southern Conference teams with one loss, matching league-leading Mercer (5-1, .833) while sitting percentage points back of the Bears … Chattanooga (4-2) and ETSU (3-2) both have two losses in a tie for third;
The Catamounts won on Homecoming for the second time in the past three years, improving to 22-27-1 all-time on Homecoming dating back to 1974 at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field … It was just the second Homecoming win in the last eight seasons for WCU … the Catamounts evened their record against Chattanooga on Homecoming at 5-5 dating back to 1985.

Post-Game Notes:

Western Carolina fell behind by 14 points in the first quarter against Chattanooga, its second-largest deficit of the season (17 at NC State) and the largest deficit it faced in a winning effort … WCU trailed by 11 at Elon in a win and three points against Wofford … the Catamounts did not trail in wins over The Citadel and Furman;
WCU was flagged for a season-high 13 penalties against Chattanooga, amassing 130 … It's the fourth time this season the Catamounts had double-digit penalties, am
Redshirt freshman quarterback Taron Dickens made his first collegiate start in the come-from-behind upset win over nationally-ranked Chattanooga, in for starter Cole Gonzales who was injured at the end of the Mercer game with Dickens finishing the road contest;
Dickens recorded a rush, a pass, AND a reception in the win over Chattanooga … He recorded a career-high 19 rushes for a team-best and career-high 41 yards … His 34-of-48 passing for 431 yards and five TDs were each the most of his collegiate career … He also collected his first career reception as he had a pass attempt deflected at the line of scrimmage right back to him where he advanced the ball for an eight-yard gain;
Dickens 431 yards passing set an individual Whitmire Stadium record, eclipsing the previous benchmark of 427 by Tyrie Adams against Gardner-Webb back in 2016 … His 431 yards also rank him FIFTH in school history for single-game passing yards;
Dickens spread his 34 pass completions around to 12 different receivers with nine posting multiple catches and his five TDs going to three different receivers … Even with over 400 passing yards, the Catamounts did not have a 100-yard receiver;
Dickens is the third of WCU's last four freshman or redshirt freshman quarterbacks to win in their first collegiate start – he joins Troy Mitchell (vs. Mars Hill, 2012) and Brandon Pechloff (at The Citadel, 2010) … Tyrie Adams fell at ECU in his first game back in 2016;
WR De'Andre Tamarez had a career day with three touchdown receptions, his first multi-TD performance … Three of his five catches ended in the end zone including the game-winning score … Tamarez now has nine career receiving touchdowns;
WCU's offense went over the 500-yard mark for the third time this season, each coming in the last three games – 801 yards at Furman, 582 yards at Mercer and 548 against Chattanooga … It was the 21st time under Kerwin Bell that the Catamounts have eclipsed the 500-yard mark;
Western Carolina passed for over 400 yards against a Chattanooga defense that entered the weekend ranked second in the league by limiting teams to under 200 yards per game … the Catamounts also passed for five TDs after having only surrendered eight combined on the season entering the game;
WCU's defense finished with a season-best three interceptions … the Catamounts have picked off a pass in seven of the nine games this season with multiple interceptions three times;
CB Jordy Lowery came up with his team-leading third interception of the season with both S Mateo Sudipo and DB Ken Moore Jr. tallying their second interceptions of this season … Moore now has three career interceptions, matching Lowery for career picks;
Kicker Christian Lowery returned to the lineup after missing four games, securing eight points including a career-best 5-for-5 on PATs and adding a 34-yard field goal;

Miscellaneous Notes:

WCU's captains for Saturday's game were senior DB #4 CJ Williams … senior DL #8 Jaquarius Guinn … senior DL #19 Chris Morgan … and senior OL #72 Blake Whitmore;
Linebacker #5 Hayward McQueen Jr., carried the American flag during the team's run out and two-way player – defensive back and long-snapper – #32 Walter Gibson carried the North Carolina state flag;
Western Carolina won the opening coin toss and elected to defer to the second half … Chattanooga received the opening kickoff with the Catamounts getting the football to start the second half.