Catamounts Rebound to Upset No. 8/9 Tennessee Tech, 44-20

Press Release

Josh Perry rushed for a career-high 157 yards and two touchdowns, while the Catamount defense forced five turnovers and limited No. 8/9 Tennessee Tech to just three second-half points as Western Carolina surged past the Golden Eagles 44-20 Saturday night in Southern Conference action at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field.

Using a balanced attack, WCU amassed 534 yards of total offense, including 298 rushing and 236 through the air, while controlling possession for more than 39 minutes. The Catamounts also converted five takeaways into 17 points in remaining unbeaten at home this season.

The victory marked Western Carolina's first win over a nationally ranked opponent this season and handed Tennessee Tech its first loss of the year.

Perry's career night came on a career-best 25 carries as he added three receptions for 26 yards and totaled 181 all-purpose yards. Quarterback Lex Thomas just missed the century mark with 94 yards on the ground, while also throwing for 236 yards and a score on 19-of-30 passing. Jordan Martin-Durham was the feature back in the jumbo goal-line set twice, scoring two rushing TDs, while also adding a tackle for loss from his defensive end position.

Nine different receivers caught passes for the Catamounts, led by AJ Colombo with six receptions for 60 yards. Jai Boyd hauled in a 49-yard touchdown reception for WCU's lone passing score.

Bryan McCollum scored 14 points for the Catamounts in the kicking game, converting five PATs and splitting the uprights on three field goals of 25, 39, and 29 yards.

Starting in place of fifth-year senior Ken Moore Jr., Nassor Ashenafi led the Catamounts with seven tackles, adding a forced fumble. Andre Jackson Jr. posted five solo stops with a takeaway, credited with forcing and recovering a fumble that ended a Tennessee Tech drive.

Jayden Cornelius had four stops, three pass breakups, and a fumble recovery, with Joshua Collins and Blue Monroe posting five stops apiece. Jermiyah Douglas had two stops and recovered a muffed punt return in the second half.

Caleb Turner-Allen had the lone sack for the Catamount defense on one of his two tackles, while Na'koma Simpson-Nealy added an interception after a deflected pass ricocheted around the line of scrimmage before settling into his hands.

For Tennessee Tech (4-1, 2-1 SoCon), Jax Leatherwood threw for 342 yards and two scores, finding his favorite target Gabe Nunez on 13 of his 15 targets for a career-best 225 receiving yards and an early second-quarter score. However, the Golden Eagles were unable to get things going on the ground, limited to just 53 rushing yards for a combined total of 395 yards of total offense.

Western Carolina finished with a 534-395 edge in total offense while limiting Tennessee Tech to just 53 yards on the ground.

Converting an opening-drive McCollum field goal and touchdowns by Martin-Durham and Boyd, Western Carolina built a 17-0 first-half lead and never trailed in the upset victory. Leatherwood and Nunez put the Golden Eagles on the board midway through the second quarter to make it 17-7, before a second McCollum triple pushed the margin to 13, 20-7.

Tech scored 10-straight points to close the first half with Leatherwood connecting with Eric Weatherly on a four-yard touchdown strike and Carter Brown nailing a 50-yard field goal as time expired before intermission as the Catamounts carried a 20-17 lead into the halftime locker room.

Perry broke free on a 35-yard touchdown run to cap an 80-yard scoring drive on the opening possession of the second half as the Catamounts rebuilt a double-digit lead, 27-17.

After Tennessee Tech trimmed the deficit to seven late in the third quarter on a second field goal by Brown, the Catamount defense slammed the door, allowing just 53 total rushing yards and three second-half points while forcing key turnovers down the stretch.

Western Carolina closed the game much like it opened, scoring 17 unanswered points on a third McCollum field goal and touchdown rushes of 13 yards by Perry and a one-yard plunge by Martin-Durham to finish off the upset victory.

Western Carolina (3-3, 1-1 SoCon) faces its second nationally-ranked team in league play next Saturday, traveling to Macon, Ga., and Five Star Stadium for a 3 p.m. meeting with Mercer. The Catamounts look to snap a 10-game losing skid against the Bears, who ran over VMI 54-3 on Saturday in Lexington, Va.