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STATESBORO, Ga. – Wofford College won an overtime thriller 38-37 over Georgia Southern on Saturday night at Paulson Stadium. Wofford took a 31-14 lead at the half, however the Eagles came back with two touchdowns and a field goal to tie the game at the end of regulation. In overtime, Wofford and Georgia Southern both scored touchdowns, but the Eagles missed a two-point conversion.
The Terriers are 3-1 on the season (1-0 SoCon) and Georgia Southern is 2-3 (0-2 SoCon). Wofford was led by Dane Romero with 118 yards and three touchdowns and Mitch Allen had 127 yards passing on eight completions. Seth Goldwire led the defense with eleven tackles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery. The game was the first Southern Conference contest of the season for the Terriers.
“It was a wild game,” said head coach Mike Ayers. “The call on fourth down, I knew the field goal was going to be a decent distance. Coach Lang said he had a play and we put Andy Strickland in to make the play. We felt we had an opportunity to at least get a first down. Ben makes a great pass, Andy makes a great catch and we got to the six inch line. It was a wild game. We could have put it away much, much earlier, but to their credit they fought. When you let a team as athletic as them to hang around, they are going to cause problems. I think a game like this a game that we need and we are going to grow from it.”
The Eagles opened the game by fumbling the kickoff return, with the force by Mike Niam and the recovery by Mike Rucker. The Terriers were then able to drive 41 yards in seven plays with a seven-yard touchdown run by Dane Romero to take an early 7-0 lead. On the first play of the next drive by Georgia Southern, Seth Goldwire picked off a pass from Antonio Henton and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown.
Georgia Southern was able to move the ball on the next drive, however were forced to punt after gaining four first downs. The Terriers gained two first downs on their next drive before having to punt. The Eagles were able to score on their next possession when Lee Chapple hit Tim Camp across the middle for a 35-yard touchdown. The score was 14-7 at 1:34 in the first quarter.
Wofford gained a first down on their next drive, but then turned the ball over on downs after gaining only a yard on fourth-and-two. Georgia Southern went three and out and punted as the Terrier defense held. Mitch Allen came in at quarterback for Wofford on the next drive and the Terriers added three points on a 39-yard field goal by Patrick Mugan at 8:33 in the second quarter.
The Eagles wasted no time responding as Lee Chapple hit Demarcus Watts for a 58-yard touchdown reception two plays later for a 17-14 score at 8:09 in the second. After a 39-yard reception by Andy Strickland from Mitch Allen, Dane Romero ran it in from two yards out for a 24-14 lead with 6:27 remaining in the first half.
After forcing another Eagle punt, Wofford drove 76 yards in eleven plays with a one-yard touchdown run by Dane Romero with just 31 seconds left in the half. The Terriers took a 31-14 lead at the half after Seth Goldwire intercepted a hail-mary throw to end the second quarter.
To open the second half, Mitch Allen remained in at quarterback for Wofford, however the Terriers turned the ball over on downs. After a gain of xx yards on a halfback pass, the Eagles turned the ball over as Seth Goldwire recovered a fumble. After the turnover, Wofford returned the favor and Dakota Walker picked up a fumble and went 78 yards for the touchdown at 4:42 in the third quarter to cut the lead to 31-21.
With the ball back, the Terriers drove into Georgia Southern territory but missed a 33-yard field goal at 13:36 in the fourth quarter. The Eagles converted a fourth-and-one, then hit a 41-yard reception to Nick Bass who was down at the one-yard line. On the third try, Antonio Henton took it in for a one-yard touchdown for a 31-28 score with 9:36 left in the fourth quarter.
The Wofford offense got the ball back and a gain of 36-yards on a pass from Ben Widmyer to Fenn Allen moved the ball into Eagle territory. Wofford got the ball to the one-yard line, leading to a fourth down play on which the Terriers were stopped and turned it over on downs with five minutes left in the game. The Eagles took advantage and tied the game at 31-31 with a 25-yard field goal from Adrian Mora.
In overtimes, the Terriers had the ball first. On fourth-and-eight from the 23 yard line, Ben Widmyer found Andy Strickland at the one-yard line for the first down. Widmyer went in on the keeper on the next play and Patrick Mugan made the point after for a 38-31 lead. It took Georgia Southern only one play to find the endzone as Adam Urbano ran a reverse for the touchdown. The Eagles lined up for the two-point conversion, but quarterback Lee Chapple did not get a pass off and the Terriers won by one.
Wofford had a 533 to 444 advantage in total yards and 39:03 to 20:57 time of possession edge. The Terriers were 4-of-13 on third downs, while Georgia Southern was 6-of-12.
Following a bye week next Saturday, Wofford returns home on October 11 against Chattanooga at 3:30 pm. The game will be a part of Homecoming weekend for Wofford.
Wofford vs. Georgia Southern
Post-Game Notes
The interception in the first quarter by senior linebacker Seth Goldwire was the fourth of his career and the first returned for a touchdown in his career. His interception at the end of the first half marked the first time in his career he had two picks in a game, giving him five total.
The 39-yard field goal by Patrick Mugan in the second quarter was a career-long.
Dane Romero has scored three touchdowns twice this season (Presbyterian and Georgia Southern).
The fumble by Wofford in the third quarter ended a streak of twelve quarters without a turnover. The last turnover was in the second quarter of the season opener against Presbyterian.
The contest was the first of the season for the Terriers against a team ranked in the FCS top 25. The Eagles are #22.
Coach Mike Ayers is now 2-2 all-time in overtime games.
Attendance was 17,958 at Paulson Stadium.
