JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — Tennessee Tech came from 10 points down Saturday and won 24-17 at East Tennessee State’s William B. Greene Jr. Stadium, a result that pulled the Golden Eagles into a share of the Southern Conference lead.
The deciding drive covered 90 yards in 12 plays and took a little over seven minutes. Quarterback Jax Leatherwood was stopped on his first sneak from the 1-yard line, then pushed in on the next try with 4:08 left. He also threw for 218 yards.
ETSU had one more chance. Mason Mims moved the Buccaneers to the Tech 10 with about 30 seconds left, but a fourth-and-5 pass fell incomplete.
The Bucs controlled most of the first half. TJ Peyton answered an opening Tech touchdown with a 45-yard run, Jason Albritton scored from a yard out and Ewan Johnson hit a 38-yard field goal for a 17-7 lead. A 59-yard kickoff return by Qua Ashley flipped things, and Ashley scored a few plays later to make it 17-14 at halftime.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, when ETSU missed a 53-yard try and three straight Tech sacks knocked the Bucs out of range. Carter Brown tied it with a 33-yard field goal early in the fourth. ETSU did not score after the break.
Peyton set a career high with 123 rushing yards and Albritton added 76 as ETSU ran for 207 yards. M.J. Flowers led Tech with 65 rushing yards and a touchdown. Tech was flagged 14 times for 126 yards and still won.
Tech, No. 11 in this week’s Stats Perform rankings, improved to 8-1 and 5-1 in the league, tied with Chattanooga. No. 17 ETSU fell to 6-3 and 4-1, ending a five-game winning streak, and hosts Samford on Saturday at 1 p.m. for senior day.
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