Oct. 25, 2003

Box Score

Statesboro, GA - Nehemiah Broughton scored ran for 127 yards and two touchdowns, including the game winner with 1:09 to play, to give The Citadel a dramatic 28-24 win Saturday over Georgia Southern.

The Southern Conference win, the Bulldogs' fourth straight, kept them on the heels of Wofford in the conference race. The Citadel is now 5-3, 4-1, and they will host the league leaders next week.

The No. 6 Terriers ran their league record to 5-0, 7-1 overall, with a 24-14 win over Appalachian State on Saturday. The Bulldogs, who had not won four straight since 1992, are all alone in second place. Georgia Southern is now 4-4 overall and 2-3 in league play. The Eagles had won the last six league crowns.

The Citadel led 21-0 only to have the Eagles rally to go ahead 24-21 before a Homecoming crowd of 15,988.

And, it looked like Georgia Southern was going to pull off the win when it got the football back with 7:46 remaining and reeled off three consecutive first downs.

However, on first and 10 at the Eagle 47 the Bulldogs forced a fumble as an unidentified player stripped Georgia Southern backup fullback Brandon Andrews of the ball. Anthony Roberts recovered for The Citadel at the Bulldog 48. Broughton scored on a one-yard run nine plays later.

"I don't know who stripped the ball," said Citadel Coach Ellis Johnson. "From my angle it there was a big hole, but one of our guys slid over and got his arm out to strip the ball."

The Citadel, seeking only its third Southern Conference championship and first since 1992, scored on its first three possessions behind the play of quarterback Willie Simmons and Broughton.

Simmons, who completed 15 of 26 passes for 182 yards, hit his first nine as he directed scoring drives of 67, 80 and 80 yards.

The first touchdown came on a 13-yard pass to Scooter Johnson. It was Johnson's 15th career touchdown catch which tied the Citadel school record. Simmons scored on a two-yard run and Broughton went in from two to give the Bulldogs a commanding 21-0 advantage.

Georgia Southern scored on a 13-yard run by Kevin Anderson with 1:31 left in the first half.

Quarterback Chaz Williams, who had missed the last three games with a knee injury, entered the game with 3:12 in the half to spark the Eagles. Wiliiams was the league's Offensive Player of the Year last year.

Williams scored on a two-yard run in the third period and the Eagles tied it 21-21 one minute into the fourth period. Georgia Southern then took the lead at 24-21 on a 22-yard field goal by Sean Holland following a blocked punt.

Brougton finished with 127 yards while Simmons added 25 yards rushing to 182 passing. Jermain Austin added to his league leading rushing total as he had 160 yards to give him 1,067 for the year. Williams added 107 which included a 64 yard run.