UTC Defeats VMI, 30-13; Mocs Seniors Gain 34th Career Win

Mocs Bagley Rushed for 186 yards; 2 TDs

  • Saturday, October 22, 2016

UTC junior running back Richardre Bagley rushed for a career-high 189 yards and two touchdowns to lead the host Mocs to a 30-13 Southern Conference win against VMI at Finley Stadium before 10, 505 fans.

"It's a huge confidence booster," Bagley said. "All credit goes to our great offensive line and receivers blocking down field. The coaches did a great job preparing us. Everyone did their role.  It was a great team effort."

Mocs quarterback Alejandro Bennifield threw one touchdown pass and ran for another and Henrique Ribeiro kicked a 30-yard field goal to complete the scoring for the victors.

The Mocs led 17-0 at half, but the Keydets pulled within 10 at 23-13 late in the third quarter. The Keydets struck first after the break as Al Cobb found Javeon Lara on the first play of their second drive for 79 yards down the middle of the field. Bagley's first score came on the ensuing possession, a 27-yard run to make it 23-7 after a blocked PAT.
 
Cobb directed an 82-yard, 12-play drive resulting in a 1-yard run after a penalty thwarted a C.J. Fritz fumble recovery in the end zone. Fritz intercepted the two-point conversion attempt to make it a 23-13 game.
before Bagley's second touchdown run of 45 yards at 8:11 of the fourth quarter to seal the win.

It was all Bagley and the defense from there. After turning the Keydets over on downs on a 4th-and-1 at their 45, the Mocs turned to the junior runner. He went around the right side and 45 yards later it was 30-13.
 
While the hosts rolled up 297 yards on the ground, they were stingy defensively with just 11 rushing yards allowed.  That's the fewest by an opponent this season.
 
"We came out ready to play, ready to execute" Keionta Davis stated. "The coaches did a great job of getting us prepared throughout the week. We knew we had to win this game. It was a very important game…a conference game. Playing the way we did today was due to the way we prepared during the week."

Davis had three of the six sacks and three hurries. Dale Warren, Nakevion Leslie and Isaiah Mack each added one, with Warren matching Davis' three total tackles for loss. Leslie also forced a fumble and had a near interception.
 
Bennifield threw for 224 yards with 21 completions on 33 attempts. Tyler Roberson came in relief of Bennifield in the fourth quarter, running for 43 yards of his own on just four totes. James Stovall led the receiving corps with six catches for 61 yards as Bennifield found eight different receivers today.
 
Cobb threw for 238 despite the pressure with 18 connections in 35 tosses. Aaron Sanders was his most frequent target with seven receptions for 61 yards. Daz Palmer ran five times for a team-high 12 yards as the 11 total came in 23 tries.
 
UTC is now 7-1, 5-1 in the SoCon, while VMI moves to 3-4, 1-3 in league play. The Mocs are currently second in the conference standings behind The Citadel which won in overtime, 24-21, at Wofford.
 
The Mocs are back on the road next week traveling to Western Carolina. Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m., on the CW Chattanooga and the SoCon Digital Network.

Seniors Win No.34: With today's win, the UTC seniors are the first senior class to gain 34 wins in a four year span.  The 2015 and 1980 seniors each had 33 wins in four years. The 1929 Mocs seniors won 30 games in four years (fifth best all-time) ... The above mentioned four teams earned three conference titles each ...The 1926-27-28-29 seniors won SIAA titles under Frank Thomas (1927-28) and the 1929 crown under Harold "H.D." Drew ...The titles for 1980, 2015 and 2016 seniors have all been in the Southern Conference Era.... The 1981 Mocs seniors had 31 wins for fourth best and won two SoCon crowns (1978-79). ... UTC coach Russ Huesman was a senior in 1981.

First UTC Score:.Bennifield's 21-yard scoring toss to Bingo Morton opened the scoring at 4:52 of the first quarter for a 7-0 lead after Henrique Ribeiro made good on the extra point attempt.

Bennifield then ran 14 yards for the Mocs second score at 14:20 of the second quarter to cap a 9 play, 80 yard drive to up the score to 14-0. Ribeiro kicked a 30 yard field goal at 9:19 before half.

Second Half: VMI and the Mocs each scored twice in the final 30 minutes.

VMI''s Al Cobb connected with Javeon Lara on a 79 yard scoring play at 9:34 of the third quarter and then the Keydets signal caller ran 1 yard to the UTC end zone at 2:29 to pull within 10 at 23-13.

Bagley's scoring run of 27 yards at 6:19 of the 3rd quarter pushed the Mocs lead to 23-7 and his aforementioned 45 yard run sealed the win.

Good Mocs  Defense: The Mocs held VMI 11 yards rushing as The Keydets had no yards rushing and only 39 yards passing in the first half. VMI did not gain a first down until early in the second quarter.

Mocs Defense II: The UTC D had its lowest rushing yards allowed today with 11 yards on 23 carries ... Shorter gained 14 yards on 30 carries in the season opener.

VMI QB Al Cobb heated up in the second half with 199 yards passing and the one TD toss after only 39 yards through the air in the first 30 minutes

UTC.s Alejandro Bennifield was 21 of 33 for 22 passing yards and the one TD toss.

First TD Catch: Bingo Morton's TD catch in the first quarter is his first scoring catch.

Mocs Receivers:Eight Mocs had at least one catch today ... James Stovall led the way with six catches for 61 yards .... Xavier Borishade was 4 for 33 yards and DeJuan McQuarters was 3 for 22 yards ... 

VMI Receivers: Aaron Sanders led The Keydets with seven catches for 61 yards and Dane Forlines was 5 for 47 yards.

Mocs Rushing: Bagley led both teams with 189 yards on 23 carries ... Mocs Tyler Toberson added 43 yards on four carries.

VMI was led by Daz Palmer with 12 yards on five carries.

Mocs Tackles and More; Dale Warren led the Blue and Gold with five tackles and added one quarterback sack and three tackles for a loss .. Keionta Davis had four tackles, three sacks and three tackles for loss ... The Red Bank HS grad now has 28.5 career sacks.

VMI Tackles and Mpre: The Keydets were led by Allan Cratsenberg with a game-high 14 tackles .... Ryan Francis added 10 tackles.

Series Record: UTC leads VMI, 15-7-1

UTC 30, VMI 13

VMI 0 - 0 - 13 - 0 -- 13

UTC 7 - 10 - 6 - 7 -- 30

UTC  (7-1, 5-1)   VMI (3-4, 1-3)

contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net

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