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CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – In a game that featured almost 850 yards of total offense, it seemed as though most of the bounces went to host Chattanooga as the Mocs defeated the Eastern Kentucky University football team Saturday evening, 42-24. This was the first meeting between the two teams since 1987.

UTC scored on its opening possession to jump out to an early 7-0 lead. On Chattanooga’s second drive, it looked as though junior defensive back Jeremy Caldwell would tally his second interception of the season. However, the deep pass bounced off Caldwell directly to Joel Bradford who raced 80 yards for another UTC touchdown.

The Colonels stormed back in the second quarter to cut the deficit to 14-9. Following a safety thanks to senior Yameen Thomas, the EKU offense followed up with a 65-yard touchdown drive. Sophomore quarterback #T.J. Pryor finished the drive with a six-yard strike to fellow sophomore Tyrone Goard#.

EKU had a chance to take its first lead of the game on its next possession, but another bad bounce helped out the Mocs. Pryor tried to find sophomore Orlandus Harris on a quick slant only to see the ball ricochet off Harris’ body right to Chattanooga’s J.D. Dothard. Dothard returned the pick 20 yards to the Colonels 39-yard line.

Chattanooga took control of the game from that point forward, scoring on its two final touches before halftime to take a 28-9 lead into intermission.

The Mocs scored again early in the third quarter to build what seemed like a comfortable advantage at 35-9.

Eastern, though, did not fold. The Colonels immediately responded with a seven-play touchdown drive to slice the deficit to 35-16. Facing 4th-and-4 on the UTC 10-yard line, Pryor found Harris in the end zone for his second touchdown pass of the game.

Midway through the fourth quarter, EKU’s special teams stepped up to help the Colonels trim the gap to 35-24. Senior Marcus Williams blocked a Chattanooga punt allowing redshirt freshman Shawn Shupperd to scoop up the loose ball and race 25 yards for Eastern’s second straight score.

Unfortunately, the Colonel defense couldn’t hold Chattanooga on its next drive. The Mocs iced the game with a nine-play, 86-yard march to put the game away, 42-24.

UTC quarterback B.J. Coleman threw for a career-high 375 yards and tied a personal record with four touchdown passes. Bradford set a Chattanooga program record with 254 yards receiving.

For EKU, Harris posted a career-high 10 receptions for 77 yards. Pryor netted 236 yards passing and two touchdowns, but also threw three interceptions.

Eastern Kentucky has next weekend off before opening its home schedule on Saturday, Oct. 2 against Kentucky State.

NOTES:
--Senior defensive back Jaren Gooden recorded his second career interception in the third quarter.

--Sophomore quarterback T.J. Pryor completed 10 consecutive passes in the first half. The streak ended with an interception by Chattanooga’s J.D. Dothard.

--Senior defensive lineman Yameen Thomas tallied his first career safety. EKU last recorded a safety on Oct. 2, 2009 at Eastern Illinois.

--The Colonels have blocked a punt in two of three games this fall. Eastern led the OVC with 10 blocked kicks in 2009.