The Bucs came into their final home game of the season looking to beat Virginia Military Institute, with having a potential winning season record in jeopardy. The Bucs came into Saturday’s matchup with a 3-5 record, looking to continue VMI’s winless season.
“Coming in we expect a tough game, especially how they beat us last season,” said Head Coach Carl Torbush.
The first quarter the Bucs got on the board first when JJ Jerman (Seymour, Tennessee) hit a field goal to give the Bucs a 3-0 lead. With under a minute to play in the first quarter, Nasir Player (Columbia, South Carolina) intercepted a pass for a four-yard return to give the Bucs a 10-0 lead after the extra point.
VMI closed out the second quarter with a field goal, but still trailed 10-3 going into the half. VMI kept up their momentum, hitting a 35-yard field goal to bring the Bucs lead down to four points. The Bucs were able to extend their lead when Falon Lee (Macclenny, Florida) scored a one-yard touchdown run. That drive took up five minutes of game clock.
Jajuan Stinson (Knoxville, Tennessee) scored with less than 11 minutes to play off a two-yard touchdown run to extend the Bucs lead to 24-6.
For the Bucs, it was a solid day running the ball, Lee rushed for 93 yards and Stinson scored a rushing touchdown.
ETSU rushed the ball 50 times, allowing them to control the clock the majority of the game. It was not the Bucs strongest game throwing the ball, having only eight completed passes. Six of those completions went to Vincent Lowe (Chesapeake, Virginia) with 83 receiving yards on the game.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Bucs intercepted two passes.
With the win, the Bucs stay in position to have a winning record this season, while VMI suffered their 10th loss of the season.
The last two regular season games for the football team are away at Samford this weekend, and Chattanooga the following weekend.
ETSU welcomed more than 47,000 fans during the inaugural season at William B. Greene, Jr. Stadium. The Bucs hosted six games at the stadium, an average of just under 8,000 fans per game.
