MOCS GAME IN BITS & PIECES

SATURDAY’S STAR

LSU’s D.J. Chark was everywhere with 103 yards on three catches and a 65-yard punt return for a score in the second quarter. He had a 48-yard catch in traffic in which he outjumped a pair of UTC defenders to put the ball deep in Mocs territory, and he had another punt return for a score that was called back due to a penalty.

SATURDAY’S STAT

There weren’t many scoreboard positives for UTC, but there was a big one in the fourth quarter. Darrell Bridges’ 16-yard run was the first score that LSU had allowed in 11 quarters, going back to the end of the 2016 season.

TURNING POINT

After back-to-back stops by the UTC defense, Nick Tiano was intercepted by LSU’s Andraez Williams on the first play of a second-quarter drive in UTC territory. The Tigers needed four plays to score from 39 yards out, which stretched the lead to 21-3.

HIGHLIGHT PLAY

On a day in which the LSU deep-ball passing attack was clicking, it was Chark’s return skills that dazzled the most. On the punt-return touchdown that counted, he darted in and out of a couple of potential tacklers and was off to the races, 65 yards for the score.

WHAT IT MEANS

Very little. This wasn’t, on paper, a game that UTC was supposed to win. There were areas the Mocs showed strides, particularly in the running game, and that will bode well going into the rest of the regular-season schedule.