Mocs Pull Away Late, Spoil WCU’s Homecoming 41-18 – Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, N.C. – AJ Colombo provided a Homecoming spark with an 86-yard punt return touchdown that briefly gave Western Carolina the lead late in the first half, but Chattanooga used a ball-control rushing attack and capitalized on two fourth-quarter turnovers to pull away for a 41-18 victory Saturday afternoon in front of 11,889 fans at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field.   The Mocs rushed for 295 yards and five touchdowns while scoring 31 of the game’s final 39 points, snapping WCU’s four-game series win streak and handing the Catamounts their first home loss of the season.   Chattanooga’s ground game controlled much of the afternoon as running backs Kevin Lalin and Journey Wyche combined for 240 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Battle Alberson added two rushing scores as UTC outgained Western Carolina 398-to-360 and held the Catamount offense to just two third-down conversions in 11 attempts.   Colombo’s 86-yard punt return for a touchdown marked Western Carolina’s first punt-return score since Daquan Patten’s 78-yard return at VMI in 2021. The return stands as the third-longest punt return touchdown in program history.   Lex Thomas completed 29-of-42 passes for 266 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown, spreading the football
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