ETSU sets passing mark in win over Western Carolina

CULLOWHEE, N.C. — East Tennessee State went to the air to win its third straight game. Jacolby Criswell and Jackson Byrd combined to throw for a single game school record six touchdowns to lead the Buccaneers to a 52-35 Southern Conference victory at Western Carolina in front of an announced audience of 10,543 on Saturday afternoon at E.J. Whitmire Stadium. Western Carolina (6-5, 5-2), which entered the game ranked 25th in the latest Stats Perform FCS Top 25 poll, scored 28 second quarter points to take a 28-24 halftime lead. ETSU (6-5, 4-3) dominated after the break, outscoring the Catamounts, 28-7, to pull away and bring the "The Rock" back to Johnson City, the trophy that goes to the winner of the Blue Ridge Border Battle. The teams combined for 1,167 total yards and 87 points, with the Buccaneers throwing for 394 yards and running for 244 to finish 638 yards. That was the most yards for an ETSU offense since football returned in 2015, and was shy of the all-time mark of 722 set against West Virginia Tech in 1999. Criswell started for ETSU, throwing for 279 yards and three touchdowns, and Byrd entered in the second half, completing 5-of-8 passes for 123 yards and three more scores. Jason Albritton led ETSU on the ground with 125 yards and a touchdown, while Jeremiah Harrison (5-139) and Hakeem Meggett (4-113) each caught a pair of scoring passes. Cole Keller (4-51) and Ephraim Floyd (4-37) each had a touchdown catch apiece, while former Dobyns-Bennett and University of Tennessee tight end Charlie Browder chipped in four catches for 52 yards. ETSU was able to withstand another big game from Western Carolina signal-caller Taron Dickens, who threw for 426 yards and two touchdowns, and also led the Catamounts with 48 yards on the ground. Trevor Moffitt led the Buccaneers with 10 tackles and three pass breakups, while Ty Anderson and Jivon Oggs added eight stops apiece. Mike Jenkins had seven tackles, and Nick Hunter recorded a sack and forced a fumble. Elijah Taylor blocked a first half punt, and Jackson Crosby did the same to a second half field goal attempt. It was a game of runs, with ETSU taking a 10-0 lead to start the game following a 21-yard field goal by Ewan Johnson and a 38-yard scoring strike to Harrison. Western Carolina followed with three straight scores, a pair of 1-yard scores by Jordan Durham-Martin and Markel Townsend, followed by a 43-yard fumble recovery by Cam'Ron Dabney to put the Catmounts up 21-10 with 7:11 left in the second quarter. Western Carolina sandwiched a 58-yard touchdown pass from Dickens to Jaylin Terzado between scoring strikes of 38 yards to Meggett and six yards to Keller by Criswell to put the Catamounts ahead at halftime, 28-24. Byrd, a 6-foot freshman from Clayton, N.C., who had seen limited action in five games this season, came off the bench in the third quarter, took over for Criswell on the last play of a 10-play drive, completing a 5-yard toss to Floyd to put ETSU up, 31-28. Western Carolina responded, with Dickens connecting with Michael Rossin from 61 yards to put the Catamounts upp, 35-31. ETSU came right back, led by Albritton, who ran for 30 yards, and Byrd would soon follow with a 42-yard strike to Meggett to put the Bucs up to stay, 38-35. Johnson converted all seven of his extra point conversion kicks. Western Carolina's hopes were dashed on its next drive, as ETSU forced a punt that was blocked by Crosby to give the Bucs the ball at the Catamounts' 5-yard line. Two plays later, Albritton scored on a 1-yard run to make it 45-35. The Catamounts missed a field goal and turned the ball on downs on its next possessions, with the ETSU putting the finishing touches on the victory with Byrd connecting with Harrison for a 32-yard touchdowns. The last hope for Western Carolina was dashed when they turned the ball over on downs once more. Western Carolina had three players in double figures in tackles, led by Samaurie Dukes and Bo Simpson-Nealy with 12 apiece. Rossin had four receptions for 89 yards, James Tyre had six catches for 71 yards and Townsend added nine receptions for 58 yards. ETSU will conclude its season next Saturday by playing host to The Citadel. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.