Keep your browser loaded for live and ongoing updates as ETSU hosts West Georgia. The Bucs are looking to level their record in the final tune up before Southern Conference play begins.
Kickoff is at noon.
What did you miss?
Here’s a rundown of our coverage from the past week:
- Our detailed game preview;
- The definitive profile of ETSU QB Mason Mims, with some fascinating insights from his high school coach;
- Looking at the defense, which has not forced any turnovers through three games;
- A recap of Monday’s press conference, with details on how ETSU and North Carolina had serious discussions about moving the remainder of Saturday’s delayed game into the Tar Heels’ indoor facility.
FINAL: ETSU 28, West Georgia 24
The fourth down pass caroms off the fingertips of Lockley, and the Bucs get the ball back and take a knee with 22 seconds remaining to secure the win.
ETSU improves its record to 2-2, but there’s lots of questions and lots to work on as the Bucs look ahead to Southern Conference play, starting next week against Western Carolina.
Game on the line
It all comes down to this. A fourth-and-10 from the West Georgia 46, and 28 seconds left. ETSU takes a timeout to talk it over. A huge play previously on third-and-10, as FitzGerald seemingly hit Lockley for a 24-yard pass, but it came out of Lockley’s hands before he fell out of bounds on the ETSU boundary.
Special teams matter
West Georgia has made an impact in the kicking game today. ETSU’s drive stalled, which has been frequent in this half, and West Georgia partially blocked the punt by Stewart. That gives the Wolves the ball at their own 32 with 57 seconds left.
Two minute warning
The Bucs are keeping it simple and have it second-and-9 from their own 45 as we hit 2:00 on the clock. TJ Peyton now has 90 yards rushing and the touchdown on 15 carries, including a 13-yarder on this drive where he slipped and went out of bounds as he tried to turn upfield.
Eight-point game
West Georgia’s drive stalls, thanks in part a wicked hit by Jarvis Johnson on FitzGerald as he attempted to throw on third down. The Wolves went for the field goal instead and Lopez connected on the 29-yarder.
It’s now ETSU 35, West Georgia 27, with 3:37 to go in the game.
Not over yet
Two huge pass plays back to back for West Georgia: a 23-yarder to Zander Erasmus and then a 32-yarder to Brody Jones. Yet another first down inside the red zone for the Wolves, and DL Brenden LeBlanc is shaken up on the play.
Touchdown ETSU
A wild play there, as Mason Mims airs it out to Brandon Winton, who bobbled it, held on and takes it 88 yards to the house. Winton gets tackled as he crosses the goal line and appeared to fumble, but the officials ruled Winton already was in the end zone. The PAT makes it 35-24, so ETSU has a little more breathing room with 6:10 remaining in the game.
That’s also the longest touchdown pass in school history.
Earlier on the drive … yet another sack by West Georgia which has gotten to Mims more times this half (3) than the total number of sacks the Bucs had allowed through three games (2).
Quick exchange
FitzGerald fails to connect on an overthrown third down pass, and West Georgia is forced to punt after going three and out. No penalties on the punt return team for ETSU, which is a welcome change from recent events. It’s Bucs ball with 7:03 left, up 28-24, from the 15-yard-line.
A note from the West Georgia SID in the box: Since the Wolves drove 80 yards for their go-ahead TD in the third quarter, both teams have combined for 28 net yards of offense.
Disruption by the defense
West Georgia has found something to exploit in ETSU’s blocking. Another sack by the Wolves, this time throwing Mason Mims for a 12-yard loss. The Bucs punt and West Georgia gets the ball back near midfield, at its own 42, with 8:38 remaining and the margin just four points.
The yardage loss on that sack drops the Bucs’ offensive total for the entire second half to 1 yard.
Break for the Bucs
ETSU continues to struggle picking up running backs and tight ends out of the flat. FitzGerald found Justin Montgomery on a pass play that would have converted a third down, but West Georgia got called for a hold downfield. On the ensuing play, heavy pressure on FitzGerald, but he dumps off the pass, only for the receiver to get stopped short of the marker.
The Bucs draw a holding flag on the punt, and ETSU starts backed up at its own 19 with 10:28 left in the game.
Sacked
ETSU generally does a good job protecting Mason Mims but not on this drive. Mims takes a sack by DL Jay Culbreth on second down, then has to scramble when the protection collapsed on the next snap, throwing incomplete. ETSU got flagged for a hold, but West Georgia declined, fielded the punt, and sets up from its own 20 when play resumes after the media timeout. There’s 13:08 left in the game.
Three and out
The Bucs defense is feeling their oats right now. They just forced a West Georgia punt here early in the fourth quarter, and Josiha Mason delivered a punishing hit to FitzGerald on a third down pass down field that went incomplete. Then ETSU DB Moin Gammage came very close to breaking up the punt.
It’s ETSU ball at its own 40.
End of the third quarter: ETSU 28, West Georgia 24
Still a much closer game than anticipated, but the interception return has the Bucs leading with one quarter to go. West Georgia now out gaining ETSU by a 312-279 total. The Bucs only had 11 yards of total offense in the third period. Jenkins’ pick-six reaped more yards than the entire offense that frame.
Touchdown ETSU
The Bucs had been waiting all season to force their first turnover. They got one, and it was huge. Mike Jenkins intercepted the pass from FitzGerald and returned it 25 yards for the pick 6. The PAT helps ETSU regain the lead, 28-24, with 31 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
That’s the biggest defensive play of the entire season, so far, for the Bucs.
It’s also the first pick six since Sept. 28, 2024, against The Citadel with Jimmy Bowdry the culprit.
A near disaster, part II
The Bucs go nowhere on that possession, and the third down play was a recipe for a calamity. Mims fired a short pass to Suderian Harrison, who was well covered. and initially a West Georgia defender scooped the ball trying for a long fumble return. The officiating crew correctly ruled the pass incomplete.
ETSU at least made a key play in special teams, downing the punt by Luke Stewart at the West Georgia 1-yard-line.
A stop and a break
The Bucs force a three and out, and then the ensuing punt is short and takes a very friendly ETSU bounce, giving the home team the ball at the West Georgia 45. Only 22 yards on the punt.
A near disaster
The Bucs go three and out, and on third down, the pass from Mims went off the hands of Khristian Means and easily could have been picked off. Good coverage by the punt team, though, wrapping up the West Georgia returner immediately. The Wolves get the ball back, now leading, with 3:49 to go in the quarter.
Touchdown West Georgia
FitzGerald threads the needle on a 9-yard TD pass to TJ Lockley and the Wolves retake the lead. A successful PAT makes it a 24-21 game in favor of West Georgia with 5:15 showing in the third period. The drive was quite the march: 80 yards in 13 plays, taking 5:43 of game clock.
West Georgia has 150 yards of offense in the first 10 minutes of the second half, after racking up 152 total yards in the first half. Most of that has come through the air, with FitzGerald completing 10 of 14 passes this quarter for 135 yards.
Wolves on the move
West Georgia is back inside the red zone yet again, and has a third-and-goal at the 9-yard-line when the Wolves take a timeout with 5:21 to go in the quarter. West Georgia has made some significant adjustments, and now has out gained ETSU overall, with 293 yards to 268 for the Bucs.
Here we go again
West Georgia is moving the ball once more, and now Bucs safety Mike Jenkins is shaken up on the play, with 7:41 to go in the third quarter. Other notes so far from this drive:
- ETSU freshman LB Eugene Ware III came charging to sack FitzGerald for a 13-yard loss on the first play of the ensuing drive. It’s the biggest negative play for the Bucs defense for the entire season.
- Aaaand then West Georgia moves the sticks on third-and-20 on a 21 yard pass play. The Wolves are 4-for-8 on third downs today and it’s keeping them in this game.
Going nowhere
The Bucs go three-and-out on their first drive of the second half. A chop block penalty certainly didn’t help. A touchback on the ensuing punt. Can ETSU’s defense stop West Georgia this time?
Touchdown West Georgia
This might shock you, but the Wolves had another wide open receiver. This time it was tight end Josh Schuchts, who slipped free and hauled in the 6-yard strike from FitzGerald. It capped a seven-play, 75-yard that took 2:38 to complete. The PAT makes it a 21-17 game, with ETSU still leading. But West Georgia is not going away.
West Georgia on the move
The Wolves got the ball to begin the second half, converted a first down, and on that play ETSU’s Jimmy Bowdry got a flag for hands to the face to give West Georgia an additional 15 yards. Then, yet another blown coverage, although it was a great catch by the Wolves’ Malik Leverett, to give West Georgia first down inside the red zone. The defensive issues continue.
Halftime stats
When you look at the statistics, this should be a game that ETSU is dominating. The Bucs have 268 of total offense and 16 first downs. That includes 163 yards on the ground. Mason Mims has been nearly perfect through the air, completing 12 of 14 throws for 105 yards.
And yet, this is a two-possession game.
Bucs RB Jaiden Daniels already has a career-high 69 yards, bolstered by that personal long 40-yard run.
Halftime
ETSU leads 21-10 at the break. West Georgia lined up for a 55-yard field goal, then took the delay of game penalty, and then brought out five receivers seemingly for a Hail Mary. Instead, FitzGerald dumped it off in the flat, only to get the ball back on a long lateral. He got knocked out of bounds and came up hobbling as both teams head for the locker room.
Touchdown ETSU
A fantastic catch by Vashawn Nalls for his first career touchdown. Balls made a leaping one-handed grab and got one foot down inbounds with a West Georgia defender draped all over him. The PAT makes this a 21-10 game with 1:53 to go before the half.
Personal best
A fantastic run by Jaiden Daniels, taking an angle, breaking a tackle and dashing down the Buc sideline for a career-long 40-yard rush. Daniels’ previous career high was a 27-yard run. Bucs have the ball second and goal from the West Georgia 8.
Last chance for the half?
West Georgia opts to punt coming out of the timeout, and it goes for a touchback. ETSU will get the ball at the 20 with 4:29 left before halftime. With West Georgia set to receive the second-half kickoff, more points would be big here for momentum.
An impact play?
Huge tackle for loss by Bucs LB Jeremiah Curry sets up a fourth-and-5 from the ETSU 46. Just a punishing hit there and it disrupted what had been another solid drive by West Georgia. The Bucs call timeout before the fourth down, with 4:38 remaining until half.
Touchdown ETSU
After a pass interference penalty set up ETSU at the West Georgia 14, TJ Peyton immediately cashed in on a 14-yard run up the gut where he was barely touched. Seven plays, 73 yards in 3:08 on that scoring drive, and the PAT by Ewen Johnson makes it 14-10 with 6:21 to go before half.
West Georgia’s best chance appears to be to keep ETSU’s offense off the field, by any means necessary, because the Wolves have struggled to stop the Bucs so far. ETSU has 188 yards of total offense, to 69 by West Georgia.
West Georgia has the lead
The ensuing drive doesn’t really go anywhere, but the Wolves get points anyway on a 46-yard field goal by Logan Lopez. It’s 10-7 West Georgia with 9:36 left in the half and this sparse crowd at William B. Greene Stadium is pretty quiet.
That’s 10 points in less than three minutes of game clock for the Wolves, and their first lead since a 7-0 advantage against fellow SoCon team Chattanooga in Week 0.
Special teams gamble
West Georgia went for a directional kickoff, and it worked to perfection. The ball takes a weird hop right in front of ETSU’s Khristian Means, and the Wolves recover at the Bucs’ 25-yard line.
On the next snap, the Wolves’ Jaden Henry was wide open but FitzGerald overthrew him. Yet another busted coverage.
Touchdown West Georgia
We’ve got a tied ballgame. The Wolves find the end zone on a 1-yard pass from Colton FitzGerald to Malik Leverett. The extra point ties it with 10:54 to go in the half. It took West Georgia five plays from inside the 2-yard-line to finally punch it in for the TD.
Two penalties inside the red zone by the Buc defense: the pass interference and a defensive holding call.
Not a great start
The Bucs defense having more malfunctions in this second period. An offsides call at the beginning of the quarter, and after West Georgia got a first-and-goal at the 7, now the Wolves have another first down and the ball at the 2 after a pass interference call against Mike Jenkins.
End of first quarter: ETSU 7, West Georgia 0
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, you guys, but the Bucs had a busted coverage and the opposition took advantage. This time, it was West Georgia tight end Josh Schuchts getting loose for a 38-yard pass play that has the Wolves set up at second-and-14 at the ETSU 37-yard line as the first quarter concludes. West Georgia has 41 yards of net offense, and 38 of them came on that one pass.
Touchdown ETSU
Jason Albritton churns up the middle from 6 yards out, and the Bucs are on the board. The PAT by Ewen Johnson makes it 7-0 ETSU with 2:04 to go in the first quarter.
An impressive 18-play, 80-yard drive that took 7:13 to complete. Of those 18 plays, 16 were runs.
In the zone
The rushing onslaught continues, as back-to-back runs by Jaiden Daniels get the Bucs into the red zone for the first time this game, with a first-and-10 at the West Georgia 20. ETSU is having some success with toss plays to Daniels.
Ground beef
ETSU is carving up West Georgia in the rushing game on this drive. As we hit an injury timeout at the 5:28 mark of the first quarter with a West Georgia player shaken up, the Bucs have advanced from their own 20 back to the Wolves’ 30, covering those 50 yards in 10 plays, with eight of them runs. Jason Albritton, Jaiden Daniels, and even Mims on option keepers all have taken a turn rushing the football.
Quick work
The Buc defense does well on the opening possession, forcing a three and out. DB Mike Jenkins read a pass to the flat to the West Georgia running back and made a tackle for loss.
Suderian Harrison was back deep to receive the punt with Gaillardetz out.
Going for it
The drive stalled around the West Georgia 30. ETSU had a fourth-and-4, and went for it all, with Mims trying to find Weary in the end zone. Stephan French had the pass well defended. The alternative was for the Bucs to attempt what we estimated from the box to be a 48-yard field goal.
Now we see how the defense can perform.
Big catch by Browder
The Bucs are moving on the opening drive of the game. An impressive rolling catch by Charlie Browder moves the sticks converts a third down, and on the very next play TJ Peyton ripped off a 24-yard run.
The Bucs went for the home run on the very first play with Mims firing it deep to Trey Weary. Looked like a good throw, and Weary was there, but could not haul it in.
Call it in the air
ETSU wins the coin toss and will take the ball.
Captains for the Bucs are Charles Woodard, Vashawn Nalls, Josiha Mason, and Tyler Griffin.
Down in front!
The crowd is incredibly light for this game.
Maybe it’s the heat. Maybe it’s that Tennessee is playing its first night game later. Or because it’s race weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. Or, seeing a 1-2 team face a winless opponent really isn’t draw.
Probably a mixture of all these …
One shoe too few
Bucs receiver and kick returner Xavier Gaillardetz is in a boot as the teams warm up. Gaillardetz remains listed as a No. 2 receiver, the starting punt returner, and one of the two kickoff return men on the ETSU depth chart.