By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – For the first time since 2011, the Tennessee Tech football team is starting conference play with a 2-0 record, but it was an adventure to get there.
Seeing the effects of Hurricane-turned-Tropical Storm Helene first-hand as they made their way to Charlotte, then to Boiling Springs, the Golden Eagles overcame those adversities to take a 52-21 victory over the defending Big South-Ohio Valley Conference champ in a statement victory.
With no power at Spangler Stadium, no network connections and spotty cell connections, the modern amenities of college football were non-existent, leaving both teams to play an old-school-style contest, lining each side's 11 up and letting them go at it.
In all, Tech compiled 414 yards of total offense – 340 on the ground. Aidan Littles, aided by an 87-yard rush, led the Golden Eagles with 118 yards on 10 carries. Obie Sanni rushed for 79 yards on five carries and Jalen Mitchell 68 yards on 12 carries. Tech had five rushing touchdowns in the contest for the first time since collecting a quintet of running scores against Virginia-Lynchburg in 2021.
It was the first time Tech surpassed 300 rushing yards since picking up 303 against Lindenwood in 2022 and the most since rushing for 346 against Austin Peay in the 2011 campaign.
Tech only had 10 passing attempts in the contest as Jordyn Potts went 5-for-10 for 74 yards.
The Golden Eagles (2-2, 2-0 Big South-OVC) wasted no time. Potts engineered a nine-play, 80-yard drive on the first series, punctuating the effort with a 20-yard pass to D.J. Linkins. After Gardner-Webb missed a field goal, Tech then expanded its lead with another extended drive as Tremel Jones scored on an end-around run from 12 yards out to end an eight-play, 70-yard series.
Linkins ended the game with two catches for 48 yards to lead the Golden Eagles.
Tech extended its lead to 21-0 as Jordan Yates scored on a five-yard rush.
The Runnin' Bulldogs joined the action on the scoreboard as Jordan Bly caught a 19-yard touchdown strike from Tyler Ridell, but Tech's defense kept GWU from scoring again until the final four minutes of the contest.
Dom LeBlanc finished the game with 10 points – seven on PATs to extend the team's streak to 122 consecutive and his own to 10 straight – with a 30-yard field goal with just over a minute remaining in the first half.
Omari Philyaw intercepted the ball to end Gardner-Webb's first drive in the third quarter and the play set up a scoring drive as Tech's offense needed five plays to score once more as Jalen Mitchell hit pay dirt on a six-yard rush to the left side.
The defense came through with a score as Theron Gaines' third sack of the game created a fumble, which was scooped up by Daniel Rickert, who then brought it back 50 yards for the touchdown. The PAT made it a 38-7 game.
Another defensive stop came on the next Gardner-Webb series as an incomplete pass turned the ball over on downs at the Bulldog 34. Jordan Yates picked up a yard, then Torin Baker broke away for 33 and the score.
The Runnin' Bulldogs were in position to score to start the fourth quarter before Tim Coutras intercepted a pass in the end zone to end the threat. Gardner-Webb forced a Tech turnover, but the resulting drive went nowhere, leading former Golden Eagle Nick Bigelow to punt the ball away to the Tech 5. Aidan Littles needed just two plays and 51 seconds – an eight-yard rush up the middle, then a run to the left that developed into an 87-yard dash – to put Tech on the board once again.
The Bulldogs broke their scoring drought with a 10-play, 75-yard drive as backup quarterback Ren Hefley connected to Camden Overton for a one-yard pass. After Tech tried to run out as much clock as possible, Spencer Ashby's punt to the GWU 35 was returned 43 yards by Bly all the way to the Tech 22. Carson Gresock scored on a two-yard rush with 1:24 left in the game.
Tech held Gardner-Webb to 103 rushing yards, led by Gresock with 13 caries for 86 yards. Ridell ended his day with 14-for-21 passing for 110 yards, while Hefley was 13-for-20 for 116 yards.
Defensively, Gaines led Tech with seven total tackles – six solo and one assisted – with 3.5 for-loss for 38 yards, including three sacks for 36 yards. Gaines was two sacks short of Branon Vaughn and Elois Grooms' record of five. He also forced a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Philyaw had six solo stops to go with his interception, while Angel Garcia had six tackles.
The Golden Eagles return home for action next Saturday as they host non-conference South Carolina State. Tech returns to conference play on October 12 at Southeast Missouri.
Tickets for Tennessee Tech Football are on sale now – call (931) 372-3940, visit the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office or order online at TTUsports.com.
Photo | Jim Dillon, file
