The top 10 matchup atop the Southern Conference standings went to the final horn with No. 3 Chattanooga losing 22-14 at No. 8 The Citadel. That drops the Mocs to 6-1 overall, 4-1 in the SoCon and elevates the Bulldogs to 6-0, 4-0 in league play.
"Our guys played hard," coach Russ Huesman stated. "Sometimes when you play hard, it doesn't compute to Ws. We will come back and play better next week.
"It was a group effort. I don't know as coaches, if we put them in the best of situations.
I thought they had a great game plan. You have to give Citadel credit."
Behind 19-14, UTC turned the ball over on downs at Citadel's 37 with 5:18 to play. The Bulldogs methodically marched 48 yards in 11 snaps, ending with a Cody Clark 32-yard field goal. The drive consumed 4:54 seconds of clock time leaving just 24 ticks left.
Clark's touchback gave the Mocs the ball on their own 25 with the full 24 to play. Bennifield completed two passes for 26 yards to the Bulldogs 49. With one second remaining and the clock about to start, UTC hurriedly set up for the snap. Bennifield took it, launched the ball to the end zone, but it was deflected by a defender to end the contest.
Bennifield completed 17 of 28 passes for 240 yards and a touchdown. Derrick Craine led the way on the ground with 35 yards on just eight carries before an injury early in the third quarter. C.J. Board had a career-best 120 yards on six catches with a touchdown.
The Bennifield-Board touchdown came on the first play of the Mocs' second drive. Bennifield rolled left and drilled a deep ball into the wind. Board ran past his defender and underneath it in stride for a 75-yard score.
Dominique Allen's 135 yards paced the Bulldogs' rushing attack that amassed 342 yards. Allen had both Citadel scores, both from one-yard out. Cam Jackson added 69 yards, with Tyler Renew getting 65.
The Bulldogs built a 17-14 halftime lead converting 10 of 11 third downs. UTC slowed that progress to three of nine in the second 30, but could not take advantage offensively with just 86 yards of total offense in the third and fourth quarters.
"We got the first two stops and didn't get anything out of it," Huesman added. "That is a killer right there. We got another stop and almost blocked a punt. We were trying to do everything."
Five Mocs defenders reached double-digits in tackles: Nakevion Leslie (19), Dale Warren (15), Cedric Nettles (13), Vantrel McMillan (12) and Keionta Davis (10). Khalik Williams led the Bulldogs with 11.
The Citadel's ground game controlled the clock. It held a nearly 19-minute advantage (18:57) in time of possession and ran 34 more plays (81-47). Seventy-seven of the 81 plays came on the ground.
Chattanooga returns to the Scenic City next Saturday to host VMI. Kickoff at Finley Stadium is at 2 p.m., on the SoCon Digital Network. Tickets are on sale on GoMocs.com and by calling 266-MOCS (6627). Access links to video, audio (Mocs Sports Network on 96.1 the Legend) and live stats on GoMocs.com's football schedule page.