The 18th-ranked Chattanooga Mocs lost a duel 38-34 at Western Carolina Saturday afternoon in Whitmire Stadium. The contest went down to the final minute, but the final play went the Catamounts way.
It was an offensive air battle with defensive flair thrown in as the two teams combined for 745 passing yards with 431 by the Catamounts and 314 for the Mocs. Both teams forced three turnovers with the big one coming at the end.
“They made one more play than we did (is what it comes down to),” Coach Rusty Wright said afterwards to the assembled media.
“Those kids did everything I asked them to. I’m not blaming anyone in that locker room, we just need to do a better job with them in some situations.”
The two teams came out with backup quarterbacks starting and traded interceptions on their opening series. Luke Schomburg struck first though with a laser strike to Chris Domercant from 38 yards out. Taron Dickens engineered a follow up drive but the Mocs defense was up to the challenge.
Nearly in the red zone, Marlon Taylor shot through the middle of the line causing a fumble in sacking Dickens. True freshman defensive end Leroy Harris III scooped it up on the 25 and rambled 75 yards for the score and a 14-0 lead.
The Cats bounced back with 10 second quarter points before an interesting sequence. They looked for their first lead when Josh Battle stripped a runner just shy of the goal line with Jordan Walker recovering in the end zone.
Schomburg looked deep on the ensuing and was intercepted, however, a Catamount defender got called for a roughing the passer penalty and another 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct sent the Mocs into Western territory. That was followed shortly by a pass interference getting the Mocs deep into scoring position.
The 2-minute warning was followed by Justus Durant’s 16-yard dash into the end zone to make it a 2-score game again. Western had an answer. A crazy fourth down conversion with quarterback catching his own pass to convert saw the drive end with a screen left cutback across the field for a 32-yard catch and run for De'Andre Tamarez.
The Mocs converted an onside kick to start the second half but couldn’t get more than a field goal out of the extra possession. Western scored on its next two drives to flip a 24-17 deficit into a 31-24 advantage.
Chattanooga answered with 10 unanswered points for a 34-31 lead with 9:46 to go on a Jude Kelley field goal. Western again answered with a score of its own with Dickens and De’Andre Tamarez hooking up for the third time, all in the final 30:03 of the contest.
The Mocs got the ball back inside two minutes at their own 20. Four plays and 62 yards later, it was 1st and 10 at the Western 18. Schomburg threw to the sideline for tight end Jay Gibson, but Ken Moore, Jr., jumped the route and made the final play to win the game.
SCORING SUMMARY
1Q | 9:04: Luke Schomburg 38yd Pass to Chris Domercant (Jude Kelley Kick) | 7-0
1Q | 2:14: Leroy Harris III 75yd Fumble Return (Kelley Kick) | 14-0
2Q | 14:35: Christian Lowery 34yd FG | 14-3
2Q | 9:01: Taron Dickens 15yd Pass to Isaiah Johnson (Lowery Kick) | 14-10
2Q | 1:55: Justus Durant 16yd Run (Kelley Kick) | 21-10
2Q | 0:03: Dickens 32yd Pass to De'Andre Tamarez (Lowery Kick) | 21-17
3Q | 14:06: Kelley 47yd FG | 24-17
3Q | 7:24: Dickens 3yd Pass to Tamarez (Lowery Kick) | 24-24
3Q | 4:27: Dickens 11yd Pass to A.J. Columbo (Lowery Kick) | 24-31
3Q | 2:42: Schomburg 37yd Pass to Reggie Davis (Kelley Kick) | 31-31
4Q | 9:46: Kelley 44yd FG | 34-31
4Q | 6:56: Dickens 8yd Pass to Tamarez (Lowery Kick) | 34-38