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The Cats appeared on their way to an easy win with a 38-21 halftime lead. They recovered a surprise onside kick to start the second half and Rivers quickly found Seward for 50 yards to the five. They couldn't reach the end zone, but Josh Jones kicked a 19-yard field goal for a 41-21 advantage with 13:09 to go in the third stanza. Western's high-scoring offense would add no more points.
WCU's next possession ended when Frank Goodwyn picked off Rivers' pass at the Moc 18. The Cats got the ball back when Fryer interception a Sanders pass at Western's 15.
Chattanooga forced a punt and reached the WCU 31 before yielding possession on downs. A holding penalty moved the ball inside the 10. On the first play of the fourth quarter, David Fontenot blocked Justin Kohler's punt for a safety cutting the gap to 41-23.
The Mocs drove 62 yards in 10 plays following the free kick. Sanders completed passes of 16 yards to Charles McNeill and 11 yards to Flowers before finding Cos DeMatteo for 22 yards to the one. Jason Bail scored from there. Matt Vick, who was four of four on extra points, made it 41-30 with 11:07 on the clock.
A short point by Kohler gave Chattanooga good field position at its 43 with just under seven minutes to play. Sanders completed four straight passes, the last two to DeMatteo for 21 and 10 yards, narrowing WCU's lead to 41-36 with 5:36 remaining.
The Mocs were given an opportunity to pull out the win when Rivers fumbled and Billy Hutchins recovered at the Chattanooga 21 at the 3:28 mark. Sanders completed a pair of passes on fourth down as he directed his team to a second-and-four at the nine. That's when Fryer stepped in front of a Sanders pass to save the day.
Rivers gave signs of things to come when he completed a 41-yard pass to Banks on the game's first play. That led to Jones' 36-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead with 13:15 to go in the opening period.
Chattanooga responded with a 78-yard drive in six plays capped by Sanders' 55-yard pass to Ronnie Strickland for a 7-3 edge with 10:36 left in the quarter.
The Cats came right back with a 75-yard drive in nine plays, and the shootout was on. Walter Gary ripped off a 23-yard run, and Boateng picked up 13 yards. Rivers completed passes of 12 and 11 yards to Banks before scoring on an eight-yard run with 5:46 to play in the period. Jones kicked the first of his five extra points, and the Cats had the lead for good at 10-7.
A 28-yard pass from Rivers to Seward put the finishing touches on an 88-yard drive in 10 plays for a 17-7 advantage with 14:44 to go in the half.
Moments later Ahmed Green picked off a Sanders pass and brought it back 22 yards to the Moc 15. A two-yard run by Gary upped the margin to 24-7 with 12:33 remaining in the half.
A 22-yard pass from Sanders to Strickland with 9:36 on the clock narrowed the gap to 24-14. The 63-yard drive took six plays, including passes from Sanders to Flowers covering 13 and 12 yards.
Just two plays after the kickoff, an 81-yard pass from Rivers to Banks put the Cats up 31-14 at the 8:27 mark.
The margin grew to 38-14 on a one-yard run by Rivers with 4:40 on the clock. Rivers completed passes of 19 yards to Brian Rucker and 21 yards to Gary to key the 58-yard drive in five plays.
The Mocs cut the gap to 38-21 on Sanders' 11-yard run with 1:55 to play in the half. Sanders had another 11-yard gain and completed passes of 38 yards to Flowers and 14 yards to Strickland in the seven-play, 85-yard drive.
Lorenzo Ferguson and Fryer were in on eight tackles for the Cats. Chattanooga's Marcus Ellerbe led all tacklers with 10.
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Photo by Mark Haskett