ETSU way above average in pulling out close wins
Everything would suggest that East Tennessee State is having an average football season.
Everything except the win-loss record and the national ranking.
The 22nd-ranked Buccaneers are 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the Southern Conference heading into Saturday’s important contest at Mercer. They are one of two teams unbeaten in the league at home, along with Wofford — the site of the Bucs’ lone conference loss.
Each of their victories has come in tight, sometimes dramatic, fashion.
How average are they? In six conference games, the Bucs have scored 161 points while allowing 161.
The difference has been in seemingly little things. Against Virginia Military Institute, three defensive stops inside the Bucs’ own 30-yard line and a late-game interception by Karon Delince sealed a 27-24 win. They trailed 27-6 a week later against Furman but scored the game’s final 23 points and had a late safety to pull out a two-point victory.
The Bucs jumped out to a 17-0 lead against the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga until the ETSU offense stalled, but the defense had five sacks as they held off the Mocs 17-14. The wins against The Citadel and Western Carolina also came with big plays late.
The outliers were nonconference wins over Division II Mars Hill and lowly Gardner-Webb by a 72-7 combined margin and a 59-3 loss at Football Bowl Subdivision member Tennessee.
“We’ve made a living out of winning close ones — no question about that,” ETSU first-year coach Randy Sanders said at his weekly news conference. “I guess we’ve had two games that weren’t exciting right until the end. One of them I was about ready to leave a little bit before it was over, and the other one I wish we could have stayed and played a while longer because it was fun.
“Whether it’s a one-point win or a 40-point win, it doesn’t matter. Wins are wins, losses are losses, and it would be nice to be able to relax a little bit. For the most part, I sleep pretty well after the games, because I’m usually tired when they’re over.”
Players of the week
Western Carolina quarterback Tyrie Adams and Furman linebacker Donavan Perryman and kicker Grayson Atkins were named the SoCon players of the week.
Adams was honored for the second straight week after 390 yards of total offense in the Catamounts’ 45-43 triple-overtime loss at ETSU. He threw for 229 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for 161 and another score.
The Paladins’ Perryman had 12 tackles, a sack and a recovered fumble that he returned for a touchdown, while teammate Atkins averaged 50.9 yards on seven punts with a career-long 81-yarder in the 28-17 win over The Citadel. He also went 4-for-4 on extra points.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3.