Final Statistics
SEWANEE, Tenn. – The Birmingham-Southern defense was tested throughout the second half but during crunch time the Panthers forced a turnover late in the fourth quarter to help seal a 35-33 win over the University of the South here Saturday at McGee Field-Harris Stadium.
BSC's Matt Laird recovered a Patrick Shelton fumble at the Sewanee-34 to record the defense's fourth turnover of the afternoon. BSC intercepted two passes and recovered two fumbles to improve to 3-6 on the season while Sewanee fell to 1-7.
Sewanee struck first after a blocked punt set the Tigers offense up in BSC territory. Patrick Shelton hit Chris Murphy who broke several tackles en route to the end zone for a 42-yard touchdown. The PAT gave the Tigers a 7-0 lead with 12:45 left in the first quarter.
The Panthers answer came late in the first quarter on an eight-play, 65 yard drive. Erik Harris scored his first career touchdown from two yards out to cap the drive. Fryfgole's extra point tied the game 7-7 with 3:38 left in the first quarter.
Sewanee's bid to take the lead failed when Andrew Gould's 32-yard field goal went wide left to keep the score tied with :10 left in the opening period. The Tigers would take a 9-7 lead early in the second quarter when Dustin Armstrong's snap sailed over the head of BSC punter Drew Jackson out the end zone for a safety.
BSC gained its first lead of the game on a 31-yard field goal by Jonah Fryfogle with 9:18 to go in the second quarter.
The BSC special teams set up the next score. Punter Geoff Marolda bobbled the snap that was recovered by Sewanee's Lewis Dawson at the four-yard line, turning the ball over on downs. BSC took just two plays to score on an Anthony Mostella two-yard run with :59 to go in the second. Chalankis Brown tipped the extra-point forcing the kick wide left to keep the BSC lead at 16-9 at halftime.
Brad Stockdale intercepted a Shelton pass at the BSC 48 on Sewanee's first possession of the third quarter. The drive stalled at the Sewanee-24 setting up a Fryfogle 41-yard field goal for a 19-9 lead with 11:25 left in the third quarter.
Chris Murphy returned the ensuing kickoff 71-yards to put the Sewanee offense deep in BSC territory. Blake Mears' eight-yard touchdown run cut the deficit to 19-16 with 10:54 left in the third quarter.
The Panthers answered on its next possession when Joe Thigpen tossed a 60-yard touchdown pass to Walter Arrington. Fryfogle's PAT pushed the Panthers lead to 26-16.
Sewanee continued to keep within striking distance after recovering a fumbled punt deep in BSC territory. Gould nailed a season-long 32-yard field goal drawing the Tigers to within seven with 5:10 to play in the third.
A 68-yard pass from Thigpen to Alex Streetman set up the next Panther score. Thigpen capped the drive on a one-yard out for his ninth rushing touchdown of the season The extra-point try failed keeping BSC's lead at 31-19 with 4:44 to play in the third.
The Tigers answered once again on the their next drive. A Shelton to Bruce Bentley 64-yard pass set up a Trey Reliford three-yard touchdown run. The PAT cut the lead to 32-26 with 2:14 remaining in the third quarter.
BSC added to the lead with 6:06 left in the fourth quarter. Fryfogle connected on his third field goal of the afternoon from 35-yards out for a 35-26 lead.
Sewanee's counter came in the form of a 33-yard halfback pass from Mears to David Craig that cut the lead to 35-33 with 5:32 to go in the fourth quarter.
The Panthers, who snapped a six-game losing skid, close out the 2007 season at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss., on Saturday at 1 p.m.
