UTC tops Austin Peay 42-6

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Like a vitamin B-12 shot, an outmanned Austin Peay football team proved to be just the adrenaline boost the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga needed.

The 14th-ranked Mocs worked through the offensive deficiencies of their first two games to blast Austin Peay 42-6 at Governors Stadium on Saturday.

UTC scored twice in the game's first four minutes, had three touchdowns of 30-plus yards and outgained Austin Peay 351-180 in total yards to notch its first win of the season, also extending the Governors' losing streak to 14 games.

"That was so big for momentum," said Mocs quarterback Jacob Huesman, who completed 18 of 23 passes for 224 yards and two TDs. "This felt like the first time we played loose and kind of showed what we're capable of. We significantly underachieved the last two weeks. We were getting a little anxious about it, so this was a big confidence boost for us.

"Finally we showed the defense we're playing for those guys. It felt good to give them some reassurance that they don't have to be perfect today. We needed a win."

After their two quick touchdowns early, the Mocs managed just 47 yards the rest of the first half before scoring their third TD less than a minute before halftime. Austin Peay (0-2) answered those first two scores with a 45-yard TD pass of its own and trailed by just eight for much of the first half before UTC pulled away with touchdowns on four straight possessions, including 21 third-quarter points.

"We wanted to dominate the second half. We didn't want them to have any hope. We wanted to end the game right then," said UTC senior receiver Tommy Hudson, who had a career-high 102 yards on seven catches, including a 33-yard score. He added a 58-yard punt return for a score in the third-quarter barrage.

"This was exactly what we needed," Hudson said.

UTC took the opening kickoff and moved quickly downfield, covering 82 yards in seven plays, including two Huesman-to-Hudson hookups going for 23 yards each and a 21-yard run by Keon Williams on a third-and-4. Williams capped that first drive with a 3-yard scoring run, the Mocs' first rushing TD of the season.

Three plays later, Austin Peay quarterback Darrien Boone was being chased and lobbed an underhand pass that was intercepted by Mocs safety Lucas Webb at the Governors' 33. On the next snap, Huesman connected with a wide-open Hudson for the TD and UTC appeared ready to cruise.

"We started off pretty fast," Mocs coach Russ Huesman said. "Obviously the one long touchdown drive was huge to start the game. Then the next time we got a turnover and scored, which was big. I actually thought the first throw and catch, Jacob to Tommy, was one of the most important plays of the game because those kids had to have confidence."

Austin Peay, which has 18 redshirt or true freshman players in its two-deep, countered with a 45-yard scoring pass from Boone to Javier Booker to cut the lead to 14-6 midway through the first quarter, and that's where the score remained until UTC put together a 13-play, 61-yard drive late in the second, with Williams scoring on third-and-goal from the 1 to extend the lead.

After forcing a three-and-out by the Govs to begin the third quarter, UTC got a pair of big-play scores, beginning with a 42-yard TD pass from Huesman to Xavier Borishade, followed by the punt return for a score by Hudson after another three-and-out for Austin Peay.

The Governors did not pick up a first down in the third quarter and gained just 58 second-half yards. Their total yards for the game were the fewest allowed by the Mocs against a Division I opponent since 2006.

"As a defense we don't want to give up any yards or first downs," said senior defensive end Davis Tull. "A perfect game is to not give up any yards. They got that one big play for points, and we shouldn't have given them that. That play was frustrating, but otherwise we felt good.

"A win is a win, and over the last two weeks we've learned wins can be hard to come by."

Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293.

WORST
Julia Roberts "Steel Magnolias"


Kevin Spacey "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil"


Jessica Simpson "The Dukes of Hazzard"


Emma Stone "The Help"
NOTE: Embed disabled


BEST
Matthew McConaughey "Dallas Buyers Club"



Dixie Carter "Designing Women"


SPLIT DECISION
Kyra Sedgwick "The Closer"


MOST INFLUENTIAL
Vivien Leigh "Gone with the Wind"
photo UTC's Daniel Ring (66) attempts to strip the ball from Austin Peay's Rashaan Coleman (21) as the Moc's Muhasibi Wakeel (38) moves in to help with the stop. The UTC Mocs visited the Austin Peay State Univesity Governors in the inaugural game of their new Governors Stadium.
photo The UTC Mocs warm up before their game with Austin Peay in Clarksville Tenn.

Upcoming Events