The Buccaneer football team dropped to 0-2 in Southern Conference action with a 33-14 loss to Appalachian State last Saturday afternoon at Kidd Brewer Stadium.
The Mountaineers netted 421 total offensive yards, 241 rushing and 180 passing, to improve to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in the conference.
Appalachian State held a 17-0 lead at halftime behind tailback Jerry Beard’s 100-yard rushing performance in the first half, running back Joey Hoover’s two touchdowns and a 39-yard field goal by Erik Rockhold.
The Mountaineers made it 23-0 with 4:37 to go in the third quarter when quarterback Joe Burchette found Sterling Hayward in the end zone for a 22-yard strike. ASU, however, missed the extra point.
The Bucs finally got on the scoreboard with four seconds to go in the third quarter on a one-yard rushing touchdown from quarterback Matt Wilhjelm, who completed seven of 20 passes for 80 yards with two interceptions on the day.
Con Chellis made the score 23-7 with the extra point.
It was the Bucs first touchdown since the Bucs hosted Gardner-Webb on Sept. 8.
The drive was kept alive as the Bucs were facing third down and 12 yards to go on the ETSU 49-yard-line when Wilhjelm found wide receiver Cecil Moore for 22 yards, bringing the Bucs to the ASU 29-yard-line.
Appalachian State was not finished, though.
The sixth-ranked Mountain-eers made the score 26-7 with 10:29 to go in the game off a 20-yard field goal by Mark Wright.
ASU then added another touchdown on a 20-yard run by Sean Jackson and after the extra point, the Mountaineers led 33-7.
The Bucs (1-3, 0-2) added their second touchdown of the game with 49 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter when quarterback Jatavis Sanders, who saw his first action of the season against ASU completing seven of 10 passes for 175 yards, found tight end Allen Johnson in the end zone with a six-yard pass.
Chellis’ extra point made the score 33-14, the game’s final.
Moore, who leads the conference in receiving (66.7 ypg), was one of the lone bright spots for the Bucs as he had nine catches for 136 yards.
Fullback Scott Carter led the Bucs’ rushing attack with seven carries for 22 yards. Wilhjelm rushed for 20 yards on eight carries.
Linebacker Mike Cornegay and defensive back Ocasio Cofield led the Bucs’ defense with seven tackles each.
The Bucs will next host The Citadel on Thursday with the kickoff set for 7 p.m.
Appalachian State will travel to Furman on Saturday with the kickoff set for 3 p.m.

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