CONTRIBUTED ETSU ATHLETICS

JOHNSON CITY – The ETSU Bucs Football Team dropped a tough 35-17 home Southern Conference matchup against Wofford on Saturday afternoon at William B. Greene, Jr. Stadium. The Terriers ran loose for 409 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns to defeat the Buccaneers.

Wofford’s quarterback Joe Newman rushed for four touchdowns in the first half, all on four consecutive drives to account for 28 first-half points for the Terriers.

ETSU’s only response in the opening 30 minutes came via Tyler Keltner’s (Tallahassee, Fla.) 27-yard field goal to trim the deficit to 14-3. The Terriers scored 14 unanswered points to take the commanding 25-point first-half lead.

The Buccaneers responded well out of the locker room in the second half, scoring 14 unanswered points of their own to trim the deficit to 28-17. ETSU’s first strike was a 2-yard touchdown run by Quay Holmes (Powder Springs, Ga.) to account for the Bucs’ first touchdown of the game.

The second ETSU touchdown arrived just 37 seconds into the fourth quarter as Trey Mitchell (Knoxville) escaped a would-be sack to find Holmes wide open in the endzone for a 26-yard touchdown throw, his first touchdown pass in three games.

After the Bucs forced a three-and-out on the next drive to get the ball back, the offense stalled, having to punt the ball back to the Terriers following a three-and-out of their own.

Wofford would go on to put the game away with a 15-play, 92-yard drive that ate up 7:47 in the final quarter to take the 35-17 lead following Miller Mosley’s 4-yard touchdown.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

First Quarter

• Wofford 7, ETSU 0: The Terriers struck first on their second drive of the game as quarterback Joe Newman punched the ball into the endzone with a one-yard rush. Newman’s touchdown rush capped off an 8-play, 56-yard drive that included 33 yards through the air.

Second Quarter

• Wofford 14, ETSU 0: Joe Newman tacked on his second rushing touchdown of the game early in the second quarter with a 59-yard burst to the endzone to double the Terrier lead. Newman was responsible 67 yards on the ground and 16 yards through the air.
• Wofford, 14, ETSU 3: The Bucs jumped on the board in their first drive of the second quarter thanks in large part to Quay Holmes 59-yard kickoff return. Tyler Keltner finished off the 5-play, 25-yard drive with a 27-yard field goal, his sixth made attempt on the season.
• Wofford 21, ETSU 3: Wofford retaliated with seven points of its own on Joe Newman’s third rushing touchdown of the first half. Newman’s 8-yard touchdown run capped off a 5-play, 75-yard drive.
• Wofford 28, ETSU 3: The Terriers scored the final points of the opening half as Joe Newman scrambled for a 15-yard touchdown run, his fourth of the game. Newman’s rush capped off a 4-play, 45-yard drive that lasted just 1:39.

Third Quarter

• Wofford 28, ETSU 10: Quay Holmes punched the ball in the endzone for ETSU’s first touchdown of the game, a 2-yard power run up the middle. Holmes’ touchdown was the second of the season for the sophomore back, capping a 9-play, 75-yard drive.

Fourth Quarter

• Wofford 28, ETSU 17: Trey Mitchell threw his first touchdown pass in three games to ignite the ETSU crowd after he escaped a potential sack in the backfield to find Quay Holmes in the endzone for a 26-yard strike. Mitchell’s pass to Holmes concluded an 89-yard drive that lasted 10 plays and 4:09.
• Wofford 35, ETSU 17: The Terriers put the game away with a 15-play, 92-yard drive that lasted 7:47 as Miller Mosley scrambled for a 4-yard touchdown.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• Wofford ran 20 more plays than the Blue & Gold (69-49) and outgained the Buccaneers, 464-258 … The Terriers rushed for 409 yards, while holding ETSU to 95 on the ground … The 409 rushing yards were the most given up by the Bucs since allowing 427 against The Citadel on Oct. 29, 2016.
• The Terriers won the time of possession, 37:26-22:34, including holding the advantage in the first half, 20:44-9:16 … Wofford held the ball for 11:32 in the first quarter.
• Wofford went 5-of-11 on third-down chances (2-of-2 on fourth down), while holding the Bucs to 2-of-10 on third down (1-of-2 on fourth down) … After the Bucs held Wofford to 2-of-7 on third down in the first three quarters, the Terriers converted three of their last four opportunities.
• Wofford has now won the last nine meetings and leads the all-time series, 15-13 … The Terriers are the only Southern Conference team ETSU has not beaten since returning to the league in 2016.
• ETSU surrendered 11 plays of 10 yards or more, including four over 20 yards and two over 50 yards.
• Artevius Smith came away with his third interception of the season – all coming in the last three weeks … Smith came down with Newman’s hail mary attempt to end the first half … Smith also led the Bucs with nine tackles.
• Jacob Saylors and Quay Holmes accounted for 279 all-purpose yards … Holmes totaled 176 yards (44 rush, 26 receiving, 106 kickoff return yards), while Saylors finished with 103 (64 rush/39 kickoff return yards).
• Quay Holmes recorded both ETSU touchdowns as he scored on a two-yard run in the third quarter and hauled in a 26-yard reception in the fourth quarter.
• Freshman kicker Tyler Keltner has now made his last four field goals after connecting on a 27-yard kick in the second quarter.
• Wofford quarterback Joe Newman rushed for four of the Terriers’ five touchdowns and finished with 185 yards on the ground … Newman totaled 122 yards and four touchdowns in the first half, while ETSU only totaled 53 yards in the first half (22 rushing yards).
• After being forced to punt on its opening driving, Wofford totaled 260 yards on its next 22 plays and went ahead 28-3 at halftime … Terriers quarterback Joe Newman accounted for 171 of Wofford’s 331 yards of total offense in the first half, while accounting for all four rushing touchdowns.
• Wofford didn’t have its first 3-and-out until the Terriers’ eighth drive of the game … ETSU had four three-and-outs for the game.
• In the third quarter, ETSU outgained Wofford 137-21 … The Bucs averaged 6.9 yards per play, compared to the Terriers posting 2.3 yards per play in the quarter.
• ETSU has now posted sellouts in 12 of its 16 games inside Greene Stadium

NEXT GAME UP

ETSU will hold its bye week this upcoming weekend and will return to the field on Oct. 17 when the Bucs travel to in-state rival Chattanooga for a Thursday night kickoff in Chattanooga, Tenn. Kickoff in Chattanooga is scheduled for 7 p.m.