CHARLESTON, S.C. – Under the guidance of fifth-year quarterback Jeff Klein, The Citadel engineered a 20-play drive in the final eight minutes of the game to topple the 15th-ranked Blue Hens of Delaware in collegiate football action, Saturday afternoon in Johnson Hagood Stadium.
“This was a great win for our program and it shows the steps we are making in order to be successful,” Citadel head coach Ellis Johnson said. “Our players showed a lot of heart today.”
The Bulldogs fell behind early in the first half when Delaware capitalized on a fumble by tailback Ern Mills and marched 80 yards on 12 plays. The drive was capped off by a 10-yard pass completion by quarterback Andy Hall to wide receiver Brian Ingram to put the Blue Hens ahead, 7-0, at the 6:55 mark in the first quarter.
The Citadel (1-1) fought back and engineered a 13-play drive that covered 80 yards in 5:09. The drive was dominated by tailback Nate Mahoney who accounted for 48 of the 80 yards in the drive. Sophomore fullback Nehemiah Broughton finished the drive off as he plowed ahead for one-yard and the score.
The Bulldogs captured the lead late in the second quarter, when Klein hooked up with wideout Scooter Johnson on a 13-yard fade pattern to the back corner of the endzone to give The Citadel a 14-7 margin at the half.
Delaware (1-2) came out of the gates in the second half and drove 43 yards on 11 plays. The drive stalled at the Bulldogs 30-yard line and the Blue Hens settled for a 47-yard field goal by Scott Collins, the longest of his career.
The Citadel capitalized on a fumbled punt and retaliated with a field goal of their own to push their lead to 17-10. Travis Zobel blasted a 27-yard field goal that ended a four-play drive covering three yards.
Delaware then manufactured their longest drive of the day late in the third when Hall pushed through the line of scrimmage for a 1-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 17-17. The drive consisted of 15-plays, 74 yards and lasted 6:16. Collins added another field goal at the 12:06 mark in the fourth quarter.
The Bulldogs’ final drive lasted seven minutes and forty seconds and was 21 plays. The drive was capped off by Broughton’s second touchdown of the day, a 1-yard dive over the top of the line of scrimmage.
The Citadel gained 151 yards on 45 attempts primarily on the back of Mahoney who gained 128 yards on 24 carries. Mahoney added two receptions for 41 yards.
Appalachian State 36
Eastern Kentucky 28
BOONE, N.C.-Derrick Black’s 48-yard fumble return for touchdown one-minute, 45-seconds into the third quarter gave No. 5 Appalachian State University the momentum it needed to overcome a 14-point halftime deficit to win 36-28 over No. 16 Eastern Kentucky.
Jerry Beard pushed through the right side for a 4-yard run to open the scoring with 5:59 left in the opening stanza.
Beard recorded 24 carries for 99 yards, highlighted by 82 yards in the second half. The opening drive marked the second time in as many games that the Mountaineers scored a touchdown on their first possession.
On the ensuing drive, Eastern Kentucky’s punter Phil Kuhl caught a wide snap and scampered 39 yards up the right sideline for an unorthodox fake punt that went for a touchdown. An errant snap on the point after made the score 7-6.
Furman 57
Elon 7
GREENVILLE – A two-hour lightning delay didn’t faze NCAA I-AA seventh-ranked Furman as quarterback Billy Napier threw for 237 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Paladins to a 57-7 romp over Elon, handing head coach Bobby Lamb his first collegiate victory.
Napier connected with split end Issac West on three of his four touchdown strikes, including a 78-yarder on the Paladins’ first offensive play to give Furman a quick 7-0 lead. The duo later hooked up on scoring tosses covering 71 and 11 yards to put the Paladins (1-1) ahead 35-0 after the first quarter.
“I told the guys in the locker room that we should start every game at 9 p.m.,” Lamb said after his team was forced to wait two hours before kickoff due to lightning and heavy rains. “I was really proud of the defense after what happened last week (Furman’s 49-18 loss to Vanderbilt).
Furman’s 35-point first quarter matched the highest scoring quarter in school history, and West’s three touchdown receptions tied a school record held by two others. Napier, who completed 8-of-10 passes, exited the game along with many of Furman’s offensive starters early in the second quarter after fullback Al Means’ 1-yard touchdown plunge put the Paladins ahead 42-0 at the 12:11 mark.
Wofford 7
South Carolina St. 6
Sophomore quarterback Trey Rodgers scored on a 4th-and-goal carry from the 2-yard line with 2:42 remaining in the third quarter for Wofford’s game-winning touchdown in a hardfought 7-6 victory at South Carolina State tonight in Orangeburg, S.C.
The Terriers improve to 2-0 for the first time since 1991 and only the third time since 1983. Wofford has allowed a total of just six points in its opening two games. S.C. State drops to 2-1.
Rodgers’ touchdown, the only second-half points allowed by the Bulldogs this season, capped an eight-play, 32-yard drive that was set up by a 13-yard Jesse McCoy punt return. Jay Harvey’s successful extra-point attempt gave Wofford the 7-6 lead.
The Terrier defense and special teams were the story in the first meeting between Wofford and S.C. State since 1977.
Jimmy Miner, an All-SoCon selection in each of his first two seasons and a preseason All-America, averaged 47.4 yards on five punts. Two of those kicks were downed by Steve Hoover at the Bulldog 1-yard line, forcing S.C. State to start two of its final three series deep in its own territory.
“We played a very good team tonight,” Wofford Head Coach Mike Ayers said.
William & Mary 62
VMI 31
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – William and Mary senior quarterback Dave Corley, Jr. led a balanced Tribe offensive effort, completing 21 of 27 passes for 346 yards as W&M captured a 62-31 victory over VMI in its home opener at Zable Stadium.
Redshirt freshman tailback Steven Hargrove rushed 11 times for 110 yards and his first career rushing touchdown, while sophomore Jon Smith carried 16 times for 87 yards and three scores.
The Tribe used 214 yards on the ground along with 395 in the air to total 609 yards of offense in the game, averaging 9.2 yards per play on offense.
Junior Rich Musinski led the College with 125 yards receiving on five catches, including an 80-yard catch and run from Corley in the second quarter. Four Tribe scores were for more than 25 yards. In addition to Musinski’s catch, Hargrove had a 50-yard touchdown run near the end of the first quarter while Smith burst through the line for a 29- yard score in the third quarter.
Western Carolina 47
West Virginia Tech 3
Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina (2-1) scored on each of first five possessions en route to a 47-3 victory over West Virginia Tech (1-1) Saturday night at E.J. Whitmire Stadium/Bob Waters Field. The contest, played in heavy rain, was the home opener for the Catamounts and gave head coach Kent Briggs his first home win.
Western Carolina rolled up 529 yards of total offense, compared to 195 for the Golden Bears. WCU quarterbacks Brian Gaither (9-of-15) and Pat Cilento (10-of-16) combined for nearly 370 passing yards. On the other side of the ball, Western’s defense held WVU Tech to only 33 yards rushing on 31 attempts and only allowed the Bears to convert on 2-of-18 third down opportunities.
Tennessee Tech 13
Chattanooga 3
COOKEVILLE, TN – Chattanooga (3-0) lost its third straight game, dropping a 13-3 decision at Tennessee Tech on Sept. 14.
The Mocs managed only a 27-yard field goal by Patrick Shutters. Justin Barnes went the distance as quarterback for Chattanooga in place of starter Ryan McCann. Barnes completed 15 of 33 passes for 147 yards with one interception.
Jason Ball led the Mocs with 62 yards rushing on 22 carries.
Tech scored its lone touchdown in the first quarter on a 5-yard run by Jason Ballard who finished the night with 123 yards rushing.
Hodges added a pair of 30-yard field goals for Tennessee Tech.

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