CHARLESTON, S.C. -- In spite of a 410-yard overall offensive performance in a back-and-forth slugfest, a late comeback effort for The Citadel (3-4, 2-2 SoCon) fell just one score short against SoCon frontrunner RV/RV Western Carolina (5-3, 4-0 GSC), dropping a narrow 45-38 decision to the Catamounts on Saturday afternoon at Sansom Field at Johnson Hagood Stadium.
"We talk all the time about winning the middle eight – the last four minutes of the first half and the first four minutes of the third quarter," head coach
Maurice Drayton said. "We didn't well in the middle eight and that proved to be the difference in the game."
KEY NOTES
-- Offensively, the unit generated a season second-best 410 yards on 54 plays, punching in five scores and setting up a
Ben Barnes field goal on one occasion; on the ground, the O-Line and Co. battled for 278 yards with four touchdowns while the passing game 132 yards on 5-of-9 through the air for one score
-- Under center,
Cobey Thompkins impressed in both facets of the game, accounting for 111 passing yards for one TD on a 3-of-5 performance while also racking up 79 yards via 11 carries for another score as well; meanwhile,
Quentin Hayes paced the rushing attack with 90 yards and two touchdowns while also posting a 2-of-4 outing for 21 yards through the air
-- For the running backs,
Garrison Johnson Sr. led the group with 72 yards on seven carries, including a 55-yard gash up the middle late in the first quarter;
Beau Herrington contributed a solid 24 yards with a touchdown on seven rushes as well
--
Braylon Knauth and
Javonte Graves-Billips repped the receiving corps with a combined four catches for 121 yards and a TD, including the opening score of the game courtesy of a 61-yard yard play-action success for Thompkins to the former up the seam
-- Defensively,
Cale Williams posted a game-high 11 tackles with six coming solo;
Mikey Rosa slotted in eight of his own as well, including a notable 2.5 sacks, with one pass breakup
-- For the fourth straight game this year, The Citadel led in time-of-possession, maintaining ball control for 30:16 compared to the Catamounts' 29:44
-- Notably, The Citadel defense notched the first interception against SoCon Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Taron Dickens, as
Drew Nyangweso took advantage of a tipped ball in the second quarter deep in Western Carolina territory
-- Finally, The Citadel proved fatal in the red zone and on fourth down, converting 5-of-5 chances on the former while cementing a 3-of-3 rate on the latter
-- #FireThoseCannons --
