STARKVILLE, Miss. (Nov. 19, 2022) – The ETSU Bucs football team closed out the 2022 season with a 56-7 loss at Mississippi State on Saturday, ending the season on a five-game losing streak.
The Bucs struggled offensively, finishing with 154 yards of total offense with 111 of those yards coming from the ground. Bucs QB Tyler Riddell (Tampa, Fla.) only had 11 passing attempts, with five completions for 47-yards and two interceptions.
It was the Mississippi State Bulldogs that had the offensive upper hand with 418 yards of total offense, 301 of those coming from QB Will Rogers who went 30/37 with five passing touchdowns.
The Bucs had difficulties advancing the ball as the Bulldogs held them to only 11 first downs all day. The time of possession favored the Bucs, but that wouldn’t be enough to keep the fast-paced offense of Mississippi State from running up the score.
Entering the half, the Bucs trailed the Bulldogs 35-0, and the score would eventually reach 56-0 before the special team unit would put the Bucs on the board with a blocked punt by Ja’Varius Harrison (Quincy, Fla.).
The (3-8) season was not what the Bucs anticipated, especially following the 11-2 effort from last season when the Bucs reached the FCS Quarterfinals before falling to the eventual FCS Champion North Dakota State.
Following the surprising retirement by former head coach Randy Sanders, the Bucs were put into a rare situation that forced a team to rebuild following the most successful season in program history. The Bucs and new head coach George Quarles have shown many growing pains in his first season leading the team.
Suiting up for his final game as a Buc, running back Jacob Saylors (Jasper, Tenn.) certainly did not have the ending he hoped for, but he remains one of the best to ever wear Blue and Gold in the backfield.
Saylors ends his career with the Bucs with 6,058 all-purpose yards and 33 rushing touchdowns. He is now ranked third all-time in rushing, single-season rushing and single-season rushing touchdowns. He added 1,307-yards in his senior season and 15 touchdowns along with 162 receiving yards along and one touchdown. No matter what comes next for the talented running back, Jacob Saylors will always be a Buc.
Until we all fill up Greene Stadium again next fall, some of us as alumni on the next go, just remember those two words and six letters: GO BUCS!
