JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Nov. 18, 2023) – ETSU football sent its seniors out with a win as the Buccaneers took down The Citadel 35-23 in the 2023 season finale on Saturday afternoon at Bank of Tennessee Field at William B. Greene, Jr. Stadium. 
 
Junior defensive back Sheldon Arnold II got things rolling when he returned a blocked field goal 99 yards for a touchdown late in the first quarter and the Buccaneer offense tacked on four touchdown drives en route to ending the campaign with a victory. 
 
Despite being outgained by nearly 100 yards, 373 to 278, the Bucs used a strong first half effort to grab momentum and open a big lead. The Bulldogs ran 40 more plays than ETSU, 86 to 46, but the Bucs averaged 6.0 yards per play, compared to The Citadel finishing with 4.3 yards per play. Both teams turned the ball over twice – resulting in touchdown drives – while ETSU scored touchdowns on its three trips inside the red zone. The Citadel went 2-for-4 in the red zone with one touchdown and one field goal. 
 
The Bucs finished the season with an overall record of 3-8 and a 2-6 mark in SoCon play, while The Citadel went 0-11 (0-8) in the first season of the Maurice Drayton era. 
 
After causing havoc in the punting game all season with four blocks, this time the field goal unit stepped up as defensive lineman Max Evans got his paw on the football via Colby Kintner's 39-yard attempt. The ball ended up on the one-yard line with Arnold scooping it up and maneuvering his way through open holes – taking it all the way back for the score. The 99-yard play was the third-longest in Buccaneer program history – the last since Ronnie Horton had a 99-yard kickoff return against Chattanooga in 1980. 
 
The Blue & Gold then generated three scoring drives in the second quarter as Trey Foster – who rushed for 96 yards on 17 carries – scored on an eight-yard run and later found pay dirt a four-yard spurt. Sandwiched between the two rushing scores was a 13-yard touchdown reception from Haynes Eller to Xavier Gaillardetz.The Bucs took a 28-10 lead into halftime. 

The Bucs capped off their scoring midway through the third quarter when Eller found Jaylen Frierson for a 25-yard scoring pass to cap off a 5-play, 39-yard drive, which started after Zach West came away with a fumble recovery. West later picked up an interception to help seal the win in the fourth quarter. 
 
The Citadel opened the second half by generating a turnover when Frierson coughed one up after a 19-yard catch and the Bulldogs scored three plays later as Malachi Taylor hauled in a 36-yard touchdown reception at the 12:54 mark of the third quarter. Kintner tacked on two field goals later in the stanza to make it 35-23.
 
Both teams played a scoreless fourth quarter and ETSU secured the 12-point victory. 
 
To go with his one touchdown reception, Gaillardetz finished with five catches for 103 yards, marking his first career 100-yard receiving game. Eller got the starting nod at quarterback and finished 9-of-15 for 163 yards and two touchdowns. 
 
Defensively, Stephen Scott and Chris Hope both finished with double-digit tackles. Scott finished with 12 and Hope added 10 hits, two pass break-ups and had a 40-yard punt return – the first of his career. 
 
As a unit, ETSU finished with 71 tackles, eight tackles for loss, three sacks, one fumble recovery and an interception. The Citadel entered the day allowing just four sacks on the season. Jaylen George totaled four tackles and 1.5 sacks and Deven Brantley added another full sack. 
 
Citadel quarterback Graeson Underwood went 22-for-43 for 244 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Taylor led the Bulldogs with seven catches for 86 yards and one score. 
 
Prior to the game, ETSU honored 23 seniors who played their final game inside Greene Stadium on Saturday. 
 
For more information on ETSU football, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the football tab.