Chattanooga Dominates Furman

CHATTANOOGA, TENN.–Chattanooga claimed a 31-9 Homecoming win over Furman in front of 12,197 Saturday night at Finley Stadium.

Chattanooga sophomore quarterback Jacob Huesman led the way for the Mocs, rushing for 73 yards and a pair of TDs to lead the Mocs to the 22-point win, helping them remain just a half-game back of league leaders Samford and Wofford. With the win, the Mocs improved to 4-2 overall and 2-1 in Southern Conference play, while Furman fell to 2-4 and 1-2 in conference action.

The win by the Mocs ended a streak of nine-straight wins by the Paladins in the Scenic City, dating back to the 1993 season, when the Paladins were 45-42 losers to the Mocs at historic Chamberlain Field.
For the second-straight season, Huesman had a strong offensive performance leading the Mocs’ offense, posting scoring runs of 37 and 12 yards in the contest, with his 37-yard scamper in the third quarter breaking open what had been a close game, stretching the Chattanooga lead from 14-6 to 21-6 with 7:59 remaining in the quarter.

Huesman was also effective throwing the football in the contest, connecting on 13-of-17 throws for 84 yards. Huesman led a Mocs offense which finished the evening with 302 yards of total offense.

Making his second start under center for the Paladins was true freshman Duncan Fletcher, who finished the contest by completing 8-of-17 passes for 62 yards and was intercepted once in the contest. Fletcher was sacked six times in the road loss.

Furman failed to score a touchdown in a game for the first time since a 10-3 loss in the 2003 regular-season finale against Wofford, and were held to a season-low 189 yards of total offense in the loss.

The Paladins were led offensively by freshman running back Marcus Anderson, who rushed for 72 yards on 11 attempts, while linebackers Carl Rider and T.J. Warren led the Furman defense, posting 16 and 11 tackles, respectively, in the setback. Rider also registered two of the Paladins’ four sacks on the night.

The Mocs took the game to the Paladins from the outset, taking the game’s opening kickoff and marching 75 yards on 11 plays, with Huesman’s 12-yard scoring run capping the drive to give the Mocs a 7-0 lead.

After Furman went three-and-out, the Paladin defense found its back against the wall once again, but on a fourth-and-goal from the Furman one, Huesman was stopped shy of the goal line, and the Paladins’ defense would hold.

However, the Paladins were forced to punt the ball back to the Mocs once again with Ray Early having to punt the ball deep in his own end zone, affording the Mocs good field position. The Mocs would use little time in moving 36 yards, as the drive would be capped by a Kendrix Huitt three-yard scoring run, building a 14-0 lead just two minutes into second quarter.

Chattanooga would allow Furman a chance to get back into the game, with three turnovers, however, the Paladins could only muster a pair of Ray Early Field goals from 50 and 36 yards, making it a 14-6 with 2:00 to play in the half.

Early’s first field goal was set up by an Austin Williams INT at the Furman 46, while Early’s second field goal would be set up by a Chaz Moore fumble, which would be recovered by Warren at the Chattanooga 41. The Paladins would move to the Chattanooga nine yard line before having to settle for an Early 36-yard field goal.

It appeared Furman was ready to cut into the Chattanooga lead even further, when on the ensuing Mocs possession, defensive tackle Jordan Hawkins sacked Huesman and forced a fumble which was recovered by Paladin defensive end Ira McCune, giving the Paladin offense the ball at the Chattanooga 35 with 1:04 remaining in the half.

Fletcher completed a 12-yard pass to Ryan Culbreath to get the Paladins down to the 23, however, a penalty and a pair of sacks and a lost fumble saw the Paladins come away empty.

Huesman would provide another highlight in third quarter, breaking free on an option play around the left side for a 37-yard scoring scamper to give the Mocs a 21-6 lead with 7:59 remaining in the third. The run capped a nine-play, 82-yard drive by the Mocs.

The Mocs would add a 35-yard field goal by Nick Pollard a little less than three minutes later, capitalizing on a partially blocked punt by A.J. Hampton, making it a 24-6 Chattanooga lead with 5:09 to play third quarter.

Furman would drive 49 yards in eight plays on the ensuing offensive possession, but would once again see the drive stall and had to settle for a 43-yard field goal by Early, bringing the Paladins to within 15 points, at 24-9, with 2:05 remaining in the third.

However, it would be as close as Furman would get, as Mocs running back Keon Williams would tack on a late insurance score for the Mocs after Fletcher’s lone INT of the evening, making it a 31-9 game with 2:24 remaining.