Oct. 20, 2007

Final Stats

CHATTANOOGA, TENN. -- Jerome Felton's 1-yard touchdown plunge with 1:25 left in the game lifted Furman to a 28-22 Southern Conference victory over Chattanooga Saturday afternoon at Finley Stadium.

Felton's game winning score capped a 12-play, 48-yard drive that featured four third down conversions, including a 12-yard pass completion to Patrick Sprague on a third-and-10 play to the Chattanooga 25. Quarterback Renaldo Gray added a 16-yard run on a third down draw play to give Furman first and goal at the UTC 4. Three plays later Felton bulled into the end zone for the game winner.

Paladin cornerback Austin Holmes sealed the victory with an interception at the UTC 49 on the Mocs' first play of their final possession.

The victory was the first league triumph over the year for Furman (3-4, 1-2 SoCon) and 13th-straight win for the Paladins over Chattanooga (2-5, 2-2 SoCon).

"That was a typical Southern Conference game in 2007, close all the way to the end," said Furman head coach Bobby Lamb. "I was real proud of the way we made plays down the stretch. The goal line stand was huge, which allowed us to hold them to a field goal, and we made several big plays on our scoring drive -- Patrick Sprague's catch, Renaldo's run. They were very big."

Furman took the opening kickoff and moved 51 yards in 12 plays to set up a Scott Beckler 29-yard field goal that gave the Paladins a 3-0 lead.

Chattanooga knotted the game with a Spencer Nolen 43-yard field goal after covering 48 yards on its opening possession.

The Mocs' Brandon Golder's interception of a Renaldo Gray pass at the Furman 42 set up UTC's next score, which came on an 18-yard catch by Blue Cooper from quarterback Antonio Miller with 4:31 to go in the firsrt quarter. Nolen's PAT missed but UTC held a 9-3 lead.

Furman jumped ahead, 10-9, on the first play of the second period when Renaldo Gray connected with tight end Larry Hedden on a 6-yard pass from Gray.

After an exchange of possessions, Furman's Trent Hawk got off a 52-yard punt to the Mocs' 12-yard line, where Jordan Hazard gathered it in and raced a UTC record 88 yards for a touchdown for a 16-10 lead.

The Paladins closed out the first half scoring with a 13-yard scoring strike from Gray to Patrick Sprague with 1:34 to go. A 39-yard Sprague reception to the UTC xx keyed the 8-play, 80-yard possession that gave Furman a 17-16 halftime lead.

UTC controlled the footbal for much of the third quarter and regained the advantage on Nolen's second field goal of the contest, a 34-yard effort at the 9:39 mark.

After both teams missed field goals, the Paladins' Scott Beckler gave Furman a 20-19 advantage with an 18-yard effort with 9:50 to go. Chattanooga retook the lead on Nolen 18-yard field goal, but only after Furman kept the Mocs out of the end zone after UTC had a first and goal situation at the Paladin 2.

Kyle McKinney's 24-yard kickoff return to the UTC 48 set up the Paladins' game winning drive.

Furman rolled up a 362-296 advantage in total offense.