Mocs fall short in loss to No. 6 Wofford

The Chattanooga Mocs dropped a hard-fought 21-10 decision to No. 6 Wofford at Finley Stadium on Saturday afternoon. A hot start for both teams soon became a defensive standstill.

It was 14-10 Terriers after Lennox Mcafee plunged in from four yards out. That score came with 10:54 left in the second quarter, but all went quiet for both offenses from there.

Wofford was driving early in the fourth quarter when Michael Bean stuffed Andre Stoddard for no gain on a second-and-1 at the UTC 37. The Terriers went with the razzle-dazzle on third-and-1 as T.J. Luther came around on the reverse and streaked down the right sideline. He cut back inside the 10 where he was stripped of the ball by Marshall Cooper. D.J. Jackson scooped it up at the two and returned in 18 yards to the Wofford 20.

However, the Mocs could not build on that momentum. A three-and-out was followed by quarterback Joe Newman keeping on the triple option play around the left end. Sixty-six yards later, the Terriers led 21-10.

The home team was not deterred. It immediately began its best drive of the second half. Nick Tiano’s twoyard screen to Bryce Nunnelly netted a first down. Two plays later, Tyrell Price bulled his way for three yards and another first at his own 46.

Tiano then looked deep for Wil Young. He forced his defender into a pass interference call and the Mocs were in business in Terrier territory. The defense held as a fourth-andtwo offering just eluded the grasp of Nunnelly. That essentially ended the contest for the Mocs as Wofford ran 17 of the final 18 plays.

The Terriers amassed 511 yards of total offense, 442 on the ground. The Mocs were limited to 186 with a season-low 21 rushing.

The first four possessions of the game led to scores. The Mocs started the game on their own 25 and marched 75 yards in a seasonlong 6:57 for the early lead on Tiano’s 11-yard hook up with Nunnelly.

Wofford responded with its own 72-yard answer on the ensuing possession with Newman scoring on a 12-yard dart. Victor Ulmo drilled a 42-yarder on the second drive as the offense stalled at its own 25. The visitors then drove 80 yards with Mcafee’s aforementioned score making it look like a shootout was starting at Finley Stadium before both defenses settled in.