UTC quarterback Nick Tiano passes against a stingy LSU defense.
photo by UTC Athletics
The 13th-ranked Chattanooga Mocs dropped a 45-10 decision at No. 12 LSU. UTC falls to 0-2, while their hosts improve to 2-0.
Despite the result, there were some positives to take from the contest. Darrell Bridges tallied 88 yards rushing on 15 carries and a touchdown. Joseph Parker added 104 yards receiving on a game-high six catches while amassing 213 all-purpose yards.
Heisman Trophy candidate Derrius Guice had 102 yards rushing on 15 carries with two of the Tigers TDs.
LSU accumulated 222 yards rushing, 454 total in offense.
The Mocs got on the board first. Victor Ulmo capped off a deliberate 14-play, 65-yard, six-minute scoring drive with a 22-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.
LSU answered with back-to-back scores. Drake Davis pulled in a 36-yard post pass from Danny Etling for the first tally. Derrius Guice added a one-yard run capping a quick 57-yard trip down the field.
The Tigers defense stiffened, but so did the Mocs. They slowed their hosts before Guice took advantage of a short field with a six-yard run late in the half. D.J. Chark followed with a big play after his defense forced a UTC punt. Chark took that punt 65 yards for the final score of the first 30.
It was all LSU in the third with Darrel Williams scoring on runs of four and three yards. Bridges got the first TD in 11-plus quarters against LSU on a 16-yard scamper through a huge hole from the left side of the line. That came two plays after Nick Tiano found Parker on a 67-yard strike.
NOTABLE
Three notes from tonight’s contest. Check out the full complement of facts and figures from today’s game in the link above.
- The Mocs are the first team to cross the 50 this season against the vaunted LSU defense after BYU struggles a week ago.
- It’s the eighth time in the past 10 years Chattanooga has faced a top 15 FBS program.
- Last two games against SEC West competition (at LSU, at Alabama), UTC struck first on the scoreboard leading 3-0 both times.
QUOTABLE
Check out all we heard at the quotes link at the top of this story.
"We are a very good football team when we execute. We’re a very good football team when we know our job and when we do our job. We also learned that we’re not a very good football team when we don’t. That’s going to be the most important thing for us is to really just improve our consistency and execute." - Head Coach Tom Arth.
STATS
Here are three stats of note…
- BYU managed just six first downs in LSU’s season opener, a total the Mocs surpassed in their first two drives of the game (7). We ended the night with 12.
- Bridges total was a season high. His 27-yard run in the second quarter was the second-longest play from scrimmage to that point in the season.
- Nick Tiano’s fourth quarter 67-yard pass to Joseph Parker is the team’s longest play from scrimmage on the young season.
NEXT UP
The Mocs return to Gig City for the home opener. UT Martin invades Finley Stadium Saturday for a 6 p.m., kick on ESPN3. Tickets are available at gomocs.com.