Six Turnovers Doom 'Dogs In 28-14 Loss To Western Carolina
September 19, 2010 | Football
BOILING SPRINGS - Gardner-Webb turned the football over six times, two that Western Carolina returned for touchdowns in a 28-14 loss to the Catamounts Saturday night in Spangler Stadium.
The Catamounts (1-2) picked up their first win of the year in the process, despite playing 94 snaps on defense.
Cornerback Torez Jones picked off a school-record four passes for Western Carolina, including one in the end zone near the end of the first half that left GWU down 14-0 at intermission. With GWU attempting to turn momentum in the fourth quarter, and driving with the score 28-14, Jones picked off another pass at his own 12-yard line with 4:32 to play. Jones also had 12 solo tackles in the game.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (2-1) got the ball back once more, but were sacked twice and gave up the ball on downs at midfield, allowing the Catamounts to take a knee and end the game.
Gardner-Webb fell behind in the first quarter when Chandler Browning was blindsided in the backfield and fumbled at the GWU 45-yard line, which Mitchell Bell scooped up and returned all the way for a touchdown. The PAT gave Western Carolina a 7-0 lead, and momentum.
Zac Brindise found Marquel Pittman on a receiver screen pass for the Cats' second score, and Pittman wiggled out of a pair of tackles and out-ran the GWU defense 78 yards to the end zone for a 14-0 edge.
GWU moved the football offensively, but continued to struggle with turnovers the rest of the half, with two drives ending in WCU territory after interceptions - including a pick in the end zone with less than 10 seconds remaining, Jones' third of the half.
The 'Dogs finally scratched the scoreboard early in the fourth quarter, after going three-and-out on two of its three drives in the third quarter. John Rock found Marquis Sanders on a 21-yard touchdown pass with 14:42 left in the game, cutting the lead to 14-7 and igniting the crowd of 5,780.
The GWU defense then held Western Carolina to a three-down series, and momentum seemed to swing to the home side. That momentum quickly faded, as the Catamounts' Adam Hearns picked off a Rock pass at the GWU 22-yard line and raced untouched to paydirt for a 21-7 lead with 12:36 to play - the Cats' second defensive touchdown of the night.
A 10-play, 60-yard drive resulted in a Rock rushing touchdown with 9:00 to play in the game, trimming the Western Carolina lead back to a touchdown. The Catamounts worked quickly to push the lead back to 14 points, however, as Michael Johnson burst through the line for a 60-yard play on first down to account for what would be the final margin.
Gardner-Webb had a first-down situation at the Western Carolina 39-yard line with just under 5:00 to play, when Rock was picked off by Jones on a deep ball. The GWU defense got the football back quickly, forcing a punt, but the score would remain the same.
Gardner-Webb finished with 391 total yards, held the football for 36:48 and had 24 first downs (94 offensive snaps), but were held down by the six miscues.
The five interceptions were the most by a GWU team since a 2001 loss at Virginia Union (six).
Rock finished the night 21-of-38 for 249 yards and a pair of scores - one rushing, one passing - but tossed four interceptions. Marquis Sanders caught a team-high eight passes for 97 yards and a score and Patrick Hall led the ground attack with 69 yards on 16 carries in his first action of the season.
Jeffery Williams and Dami Teniola each has nine stops to pace the defense, which limited Western Carolina to just 245 total yards and seven first downs.
WCU got a huge game from senior receiver Pittman, who saw his first action of 2010 and finished with seven catches for 114 yards and a score. In addition to Jones' big day on defense, WCU got 10 hits each from Bell and Rock Williams.
Johnson finished with 86 yards rushing on 12 carries.
Gardner-Webb will now face three-straight games on the road, beginning with Sam Houston State in Huntsville, Texas, next Saturday night. The 'Dogs will then play at Old Dominion (Oct. 2) and at Charleston Southern (Oct. 16) before their next home game.
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