UTC's Wes Dothard tackles Wofford Brian Kass in the Mocs' 16-13 overtime loss Saturday in Spartanburg, S.C. Photo courtesy Spartanburg Herald Journal
UTC Mocs logoEric Breitenstein's first carry against the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on Saturday ended with a 1-yard loss when Mocs defensive end Davis Tull grabbed him behind the line of scrimmage.
The Wofford senior All-America fullback's second try was a 41-yard burst that moved him into first place on the Terriers' all-time rushing list. Between the 41-yarder and Breitenstein's 2-yard game-winning score in overtime, which gave Wofford a 16-13 victory, UTC's defense didn't let the likely two-time Southern Conference offensive player of the year do too much.
Breitenstein finished with 132 yards on 28 carries.
"He's a great player and our game plan was to slow him down," Tull said. "Other than that one play, we kind of accomplished that. But he got us on the last play."
UTC held Wofford's offense to 68 yards and zero points in the third and fourth quarters. Linebacker Wes Dothard led UTC with 10 tackles, linebacker Shane Heatherly had nine and Tull had eight, including three for lost yardage. Tull has 16.5 tackles for loss this season.
Wofford, which averages 425 yards per game, totaled 249, including 215 rushing. James Lawson, a third-stringer, started and played most of the game at quarterback. He had 31 yards rushing on 12 carries and was 4-for-5 passing for 29 yards.
Regular starter Brian Kass (hip pointer) had four carries for a yard and was 1-for-2 for 5 yards.
In overtime, Lawson delivered with a 7-yard run to the 2-yard line on third-and-4.
Passing productive
Putting up big running numbers against Wofford was probably going to be a challenge, and UTC managed only 103 yards on 24 carries. The Terriers came in leading the SoCon in run defense, allowing only 124.6 yards a game.
UTC was able to move the ball through the air. Terrell Robinson had eight catches for 54 yards and Tommy Hudson caught six balls for 73 yards.
It was the busiest Hudson has been since a six-catch performance against Glenville State.
"I don't think it was plan. I think it just turned out that way," said Hudson, who has 27 receptions this season. "I had a good week of practice and it just happened."
Third-down delivery
Mocs quarterback Jacob Huesman had good numbers for the game -- 22-of-31 passing for 229 yards and 68 yards rushing -- but his third-down numbers were more impressive.
On third down, the redshirt freshman was 9-for-10 for 90 yards, with seven first downs, and he gained 30 yards on seven carries.
Extra points
Mocs linebacker Gunner Miller (shoulder) did not play and left guard Synjen Herren (shoulder) left the game in the first half. ... Wofford honored 22 seniors before the game, the Terriers' home finale. The Mocs have seven seniors on their roster.