The stage is set for the WCU-Chattanooga football game on Nov.1, 2014. Photo by Barrett Boyles.
WCU’s biggest football game of the season ends in heartbreak as Chattanooga crushes the Catamounts in a 51-0 route.
On a frigid windy afternoon in Cullowhee, NC, the Southern Conference’s top two teams battled for number one spot in the conference. The 6-2 Catamounts took on the 5-3 Chattanooga Mocs in what was expected to be a very interesting and competitive game.
The Mocs who are twelfth in the nation in the FCS rankings were looking to continue their rise to the number one spot against the Catamounts who were 4-0 in conference play. Emotions ran high as the game started but once the teams took the field it was easy to see which team would come up with the win.
Chattanooga received the kickoff in the first half and was stopped in their first drive by the Catamounts. When the Catamount offense took the field, it was clear they were not up to the test of dealing with the very tough Chattanooga defense. In a three-and-out series the WCU offense was forced to punt the ball to the Mocs, which in their next drive was when the game shifted immensely. Chattanooga scored on their next drive and scored five more times in the first half bringing them to a 38-0 lead at halftime.
The Catamount offense was just not clicking, the team managed to get their first of only four first downs at the 12 minute mark in the second quarter.
“The team just couldn’t get any momentum offensively,” Western Carolina quarterback Troy Mitchell said.
When halftime ended following a tremendous display of musical prowess by the WCU marching band, many expected the Catamounts to come out a completely different team. That was not the case at all, the Mocs continued their onslaught of the Catamounts which ended the game in a 51-0 Chattanooga win.
After the game the mood in the locker room was very somber as the Catamounts were disappointed with the double digit loss and their first conference loss of the season. Western Carolina head coach Mark Speir expressed his feelings on the loss.
“They [Chattanooga] just overwhelmed us.This is the biggest, strongest team we have played all year,” said Speir.
This is definitely a big loss for the Cats but some players on the team have kept their heads up and are looking forward to next week.
“We need everybody on the team to come out tomorrow, put their work boots on, and start from scratch,” Christon Gill, a Western Carolina linebacker said.
Western Carolina is scheduled for another SoCon battle next weekend against the Samford Bulldogs. The Bulldogs will be hosting the Catamounts in Birmingham, Alabama, Nov. 8 at 2 p.m.
