Trailing 14-10 in the third quarter, the Phoenix (4-4 overall, 2-3 SoCon) used a 29-yard field goal by Andrew Wilcox and a 26-yard touchdown pass from Terrell Hudgins to Johnie Blackwell (left) on a gadget play to take a 20-14 advantage – Elon's first lead of the contest – with 8:34 left in the quarter.
The Mocs (3-6, 2-4) responded with a 23-yard field goal by Esteban Lopez five seconds into the fourth quarter, but Lopez missed a 31-yard attempt with 1:43 left which would have tied the game. The attempt would have been from 26 yards, but a delay-of-game penalty pushed the spot back five yards.
Chattanooga forced an Elon punt and began a final offensive series at its own 40-yard line with 20 seconds left on the clock, but Matt Lopez's first pass attempt on the drive was intercepted by Nolan Ward on what proved to be the last play.
“Offensively, it wasn't one of our best performances of the year,” Elon coach Pete Lembo said. “But we didn't turn the ball over, and we moved the chains when we needed to and made some plays when we needed to.”
The victory marks the second win ever on the road in Southern Conference action for the Phoenix. The other one – also at Chattanooga – occurred when Elon rallied back from a 20-7 fourth-quarter deficit, overcoming the Mocs for a 35-26 triumph on Oct. 16, 2004 at Finley Stadium.
The Phoenix's 4-4 record represents the team's best ledger eight contests into the season since the 2000 Elon squad started off with a 5-3 slate en route to a 7-4 campaign.
"We've lost several close games," Chattanooga coach Rodney Allison said. "The positive thing is that we're in every game. The negative is we've got to figure out what it comes down to. It's usually something here or there, and that's football. Whatever it is, we're not quite doing it."
The Mocs' Antonio Miller directed a 14-play, 77-yard drive on the opening possession of the game. Miller lofted a four-yard pass to receiver Michael Johnson for a 7-0 Chattanooga edge at 8:18 of the first quarter. The Phoenix cut into the lead at 7-3 on a 37-yard Wilcox (right) field goal with 2:01 left in the opening period.
Buckley's 11-yard touchdown run with 12:49 remaining in the second quarter increased the Mocs' lead to 14-3. Elon scored on its first two possessions of the second half. Wilcox's field goal capped a seven-play, 55-yard drive to open the third quarter, and the Phoenix took the lead on the next series.
Hudgins, a receiver, took a reverse pitch from quarterback Wes Pope and found Blackwell for the touchdown toss. The touchdown pass marks the first of Hudgins' career. Pope was 19-for-30 passing for 185 yards and was not intercepted.
Reggie Hall (left) paced the Phoenix on the ground with 13 carries for 63 yards while teammate Michael Mayers snagged seven catches for 66 yards. Elon All-American linebacker Chad Nkang led all defenders with 13 tackles.
For Chattanooga, Miller completed 8-of-9 passes for 54 yards and Matt Lopez finished 7-of-20 for 95 yards. Emanuel Hassell hauled in eight receptions for 82 yards.
The Phoenix will return to Rhodes Stadium to host No. 8 Furman on Homecoming at 2 p.m. Saturday while the Mocs conclude the home portion of their schedule against non-conference foe Jacksonville State at 6 p.m. Saturday.
– ELON – Game Box Score
