By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – As the clock hit zero at Nissan Stadium, tears of joy erupted on the Tennessee Tech sideline. For everything the Golden Eagles had gone through over the course of the 2023 campaign, that moment was the culmination of it all.
The highest of highs, the lowest of lows – Tech had been through it all.
On Saturday, head coach Dewayne Alexander told his Golden Eagle charges to just go out there and have fun.
That they did – leaving Nissan Stadium with a 35-0 victory over Tennessee State. It is the first shutout in the series, while it is the first shutout win for the Golden Eagles since 2013 – blanking Austin Peay in that contest – and only the fourth for the program since 2000.
The Golden Eagle defense did exactly what they have been doing all season, standing as one of the top defensive units in the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association. Tech (4-7, 2-4 Big South-OVC) held TSU to 155 total yards and 76 on the ground – the eighth straight game that the Golden Eagles have held a team to under 100 rushing yards in regulation.
Tech wasted no time as Aaron Swafford intercepted the first of his two passes on the third play of the game and returned it 20 yards to the Tiger 10, then Jordyn Potts converted on the Golden Eagles' first offensive play of the game with a short pass to the right to a wide-open Justin Pegues.
The defensive unit collected five total sacks in the game as Daniel Rickert had two for 19 yards, Hudson Tucker had 1.5 for 11, Nyquan Washington one for two yards and Jacquez McGowan had an assist for a five-yard loss to go along with his team-high nine tackles.
Tech also broke up six passes, including three for Jyron Gilmore.
Tennessee State (6-5, 2-4 Big South-OVC), who ended up tied with the Golden Eagles in the conference standings for the second year in a row, did not force a turnover.
Tech scored on its first three drives. After the defense held TSU quiet on the second series, the Golden Eagles only needed two plays to go 68 yards as Marcus Knight went to the right side, picked up speed and was gone, breaking free for a 61-yard touchdown run.
The Tigers went 3-and-out and Tech pulled together a nine-play drive – extended by holding and unsportsmanlike conduct calls against TSU – to chew up 58 yards, ending as Potts kept the ball himself as he pushed forward and broke through the left side of the defense for a 12-yard touchdown run, with the third of Hayden Olsen's five PATs – the 90th of his career and 10 shy of tying the OVC's career-long consecutive PATs made streak – making the game 21-0 as the first quarter came to a close.
TSU had a scoring opportunity as the Tigers lined up from the Golden Eagles' 16. James Lowery's 32-yard try hit the left upright and bounced back down to the turf. TSU only got into Tech territory twice – on the missed field goal try and the next drive ending on a punt, both in the first quarter.
Tech got one more touchdown before the half ended. The Golden Eagles started on their own 12 as Quavel Thornton moved the chains on a 13-yard pickup, then O.J. Ross broke free for a 64-yard run, brought down at the TSU 8, followed by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the Tigers inching Tech closer. Potts stepped back and looked to the end zone. Under pressure, Brad Clark moved into the left corner and Potts found him as Clark pulled the ball down for the touchdown.
The last score for the Golden Eagles started just like the first one. Swafford intercepted Draylen Ellis at the Tiger 47 and returned it 42 yards to the TSU 15. After two incomplete passes and a four-yard Ross rush, a delay of game penalty call against the Tigers moved the ball up to the 6, giving the Golden Eagles 4th-and-1. The handoff to Knight moved forward and through as the Montana graduate transfer scored on the play.
On the whole, the Golden Eagles rushed for 230 yards, led by Ross with 10 carries for 96 yards and Knight with 14 carries for 95 yards. Potts ended the game with 184 passing yards on 16-of-32 attempts. Clark led the receivers with four catches for 33 yards with 10 different players catching at least one pass.
Ellis ended the game with 79 passing yards on a 13-for-28 day, while also rushing for a team-best 69 yards on 12 carries. Karate Brenson had four catches for 19 yards. Jeremiah Josephs led TSU with 11 tackles.
Photo | Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
