FURMAN TOPS WESTERN CAROLINA, 19-13
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Danny Marshall kicked a career-high four field goals and Hindley Brigham added a career high 137 yards rushing to lead the NCAA I-AA seventh-ranked Furman Paladins (4-1, 2-0 SoCon) to a 19-13 victory over Western Carolina (3-3, 2-1) Saturday night at Whitmire Stadium/Waters Field.
Marshall, a senior All-Southern Conference performer, made field goals of 42, 30, 43 and 22 yards to move into third place on the Southern Conference all-time kick scoring list with 273 points, and Brigham highlighted a Paladin ground attack that registered 170 yards against the conference's top stingiest rushing defense this week in helping Furman to its sixth straight triumph over the Catamounts and third consecutive win in Cullowhee.
"It's always good to win, and especially to win road conference games," said Furman head coach Bobby Lamb, whose team moved into first place in the league play with the victory and improved to 9-2 in its last 11 league road games. "It's never easy up here. We had a number of chances to put the game out of reach, but we let Western Carolina hang around, and that forced us to make some big, big plays in the last few minutes to win the game. I thought our defense was outstanding, and Bo Moore was superb down the stretch."
Moore, a junior from Madison, Ga., completed 14-of-18 passes for 219 yards in the contest and ran for the Paladins' lone touchdown, but it was his 43-yard pass to Brian Stone on a third-and-17 play from the Furman 33 with with 2:30 to go that sealed the game. The pass to Stone gave Furman a first down at the Catamount 24, and from there the Paladins ran out the clock, advancing to WCU 8 as time expired.
The Paladins outgained Western Carolina 389-230 and limited the Catamounts to only 59 rushing yards on 21 attempts. Furman's defense, meanwhile, contained Western Carolina quarterback Brian Gaither, limiting him to only 16 completions in 34 attempts while picking off two passes. Furman hogged the football for 38:51 to Western Carolina's 21:09.
Furman fell behind early when a fumbled option pitch was recovered by Western Carolina's Rod Dunlap at the Paladin 30. From there the Catamounts covered the distance in seven plays and scored on a 4-yard run by Manny DeShauteurs to stake Western Carolina to a 7-0 lead
Furman answered with an eight-play, 55-yard scoring drive that included a 31-yard run by Brigham to the Western Carolina 38. Six plays later, Marshall hit the first of his four field goals, from 42 yards, to make the score 7-3.
Furman regained possession following the Cats next offensive possession when All-Southern Conference free safety Cam Newton intercepted a Brian Gaither pass and returned it to the Western Carolina 7. Quarterback Bo Moore capped the short drive with a four-yard touchdown run at the 5:20 mark, giving the Paladins a 10-7 lead
Furman extended its advantage to 13-7with a 30-yard Marshall field goal with 11:46 to go in the first half, capping a 13-play, 74-yard drive.
A fumbled punt return by Western Carolina and recovery by Brad Bell at the Catamount 30 set up the Paladins' next score, which came four plays later when Marshall knocked through a 43-yard field goal with 1:43 left in the half to make it 16-7.
The teams traded punts for most of the third quarter before the Catamounts, on their second possession of the half, drove to the Furman 24, but Paladin defensive end Brandon Poole halted the scoring threat when he blocked a 41-yard field goal try by Chris Vought.
Furman padded its lead to 19-7 in the final seconds on the third quarter on a 22-yard Marshall field goal.
The Paladins appeared to be set to put the game away after redshirt freshman strong safety Shelton Riley intercepted a pass at the Western Carolina 27, but, after advancing to the Catamount 9, a bad snap from center and incomplete pass attempt by holder Jeremiah Van Dora gave Western Carolina the ball on downs.
From there Western Carolina put together its most impressive drive of the contest, moving 91 yards in eight plays for a 22-yard touchdown pass from Gaither to Xavier Godard with 10:28 left in the game. The PAT was blocked and Furman led 19-13.
The Paladins came right back with a nine-play, 72-yard possession that included a 54-yard Moore strike to Isaac West to the Western Carolina 3, but three running plays saw the Paladins pushed back to the WCU 9, and from there Danny Marshall's 26-yard field goal was blocked by Albert Reid with 3:22 to go.
The Cats, however, could not take advantage and were forced to punt five plays later with 5:40 still left in the game.
Starting at its own 27. Furman turned to Brigham, who broke off a 13-yard run to get to the Furman 40. Later, facing third-and-seven, the Paladins committed back-to-back penalties, making it third-and-17. Moore, however, connected with Stone for a 43-yard pass and a first down to the Western Carolina 24. Four plays later, Furman recorded another big play when Brigham took a toss sweep around left end for a eight yards and a first down to the Catamount 8-yard line to end the game.
Mike Killian, the league's leading tackler coming into the contest, led Furman with eight tackles and tackle-for-loss, and Cedrick Ritter tallied six stops for the Paladins. Newton added four stops, an interception, and pass deflection while nose guard Michael Burant continued to play solid ball with a pair of stops, including one-for-loss, and pass deflection.
Dunlap led all players with 11 stops, including three-for-losses and a sack.
Furman will return to action next Saturday, hosting Appalachian State at 3:30 pm.