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ETSU earns its third straight win over its longest rival
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Sept. 26, 2026) – The ETSU football team opened Southern Conference (SoCon) play by rolling past Western Carolina 58-31 in the annual Blue Ridge Border Battle on Saturday afternoon at Bank of Tennessee Field at William B. Greene Jr. Stadium. With Saturday’s victory, the Buccaneers improve to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in SoCon play.
ETSU scored 58 points on Saturday, the most in a game against a Division I opponent since football returned in 2015. This marks the third straight win for ETSU over WCU. The last time that the Buccaneers have won three straight games against the Catamounts was between 1994 and 1996.
Offensively, ETSU’s 58-point outburst was fueled by 542 yards of offense. The Bucs, who averaged 7.3 yards per play, punted only once and went a perfect 8-for-8 in red zone scoring chances during the victory, yielding 52 of the 58 points. Additionally, the Bucs’ 58 points were the most in a game for the squad since September 7, 2024, against UVa-Wise when they scored 61.
Quarterback Mason Mims was an efficient passer, going 20-for-27 passing in the win with 220 yards and a touchdown pass. Overall, 11 different Buccaneers caught at least one pass against WCU. Trey Weary led this group with four receptions for 60 yards. Charlie Browder also hauled in the touchdown pass from Mims. Whoever caught the ball for the Bucs, they did a great job getting yards after the catch, as 127 of the 309 receiving yards came after the reception.
ETSU also ran for a season-high 233 yards against Western Carolina with six rushing touchdowns. The six rushing scores were one shy of tying the program’s single-game record of seven. TJ Peyton tallied his second 100-yard rushing game of the season, finishing with 102 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown. D’Marius Rucker (six carries, 68 yards, one touchdown), Jason Albritton (nine carries, 41 yards, three touchdowns), and Jaiden Daniels (four carries, 11 yards, one touchdown) also found the end zone in the win. For Albritton, it was the first three-rushing-touchdown day for a Buccaneer running back since Bryson Irby had three against North Dakota State in 2024.
Defensively, nine different Bucs had five tackles or more. Jamari Farmer led the charge with nine stops, with Jarvis Johnson and Mike Jenkins close behind with seven apiece. ETSU’s defense also racked up a season-high four sacks. Charles Woodard had two, while Samuel Iroh and Damari Burton also tallied sacks.
The Bucs dominated the first two quarters of Saturday’s matchup. ETSU scored on all six of its offensive drives in the half, while the defense held the usually potent Western Carolina offense to four first downs in the first 30 minutes and 1-for-6 on third downs.
ETSU’s first two drives not only lasted 10 or more plays, but they also ended in rushing touchdowns. Rucker pushed it across the goal line from two yards out to get the Bucs on the board. Albritton followed that up with a two-yard score of his own to make it 14-0 Bucs.
Johnson connected on a pair of field goals (33 and 49 yards). Sandwiched in between those two field goals was another touchdown by Albritton (three yards) to make it 27-0 ETSU with 1:54 to go. Western Carolina answered with a 37-yard rushing touchdown by Lex Thomas to make it 27-7 Bucs. However, with just over a minute to go in the half, Rucker’s 60-yard run put the Bucs in the red zone. Mims then found Browder for a 12-yard strike to cap off an impressive first half for ETSU, 34-7. ETSU’s 34 first-half points were the most the Bucs have allowed since November 13, 2021, when they scored 35 against WCU.
As the second half got underway, the Buccaneer defense kept the Catamount offense off balance. Without their touchdown drive at the end of the second quarter, Western Carolina’s seven of its first eight offensive drives totaled 22 plays and 39 yards on Saturday (1.7 yards per play).
The Bucs extended their lead with a 43-yard field goal by Johnson and a one-yard touchdown run by Peyton. After those two scoring drives, the score was 44-7 ETSU with 8:50 to go in the third quarter. Western Carolina scored 24 points over the remainder of the third quarter and fourth. Even so, the Bucs added more points thanks to touchdowns by Albritton and Daniels. For Daniels, it was his first collegiate touchdown. That wrapped up the scoring in a 58-31 win for the Bucs.
Another rivalry game awaits the Buccaneers next weekend when they welcome Chattanooga to Johnson City. Kickoff between ETSU and the Mocs is set for 3:30 p.m. from Greene Stadium.
For more information on Buccaneer football, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the football tab.
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