ELON, N.C. (Sept. 21, 2024) – The ETSU football team not only scored 17 points in the first 10 minutes of Saturday's game on the road at Elon, but they also ran for 256 yards and added 233 more through the air (489 total) to upend the Phoenix, 34-14. Saturday's win evens ETSU's record to 2-2 on the 2024 campaign.

Saturday's Standouts – ETSU had plenty of statistical standouts to power Saturday's win. Quarterback Jaylen King went 17-for-28 passing to go with a career-high 233 yards through the air. King also ran for 93 yards on 11 carries (8.5 avg.) and two touchdowns. The pair of rushing scores matched a career-high for King.

Coming off a career-high 147 yards last week vs. North Dakota State, running back Bryson Irby nearly had his second straight 100-yard rushing day. Irby finished the night with 96 yards on 16 carries (6.0 avg.) and a touchdown.

Defensively, the Bucs held Elon to 271 total yards in the contest. It is the fewest yards allowed for ETSU vs. a Division I opponent since last year vs. Wofford (177 yards). Chris Hope led the way with nine tackles. William McRainey, Brandon Wilson and Brenden LeBlanc all picked up sacks as well.


How it Happened – Much like it has in its last two games, ETSU's offense came out clicking on Saturday. A nine-play, 75-yard drive culminated in a four-yard rushing touchdown by Irby, his fourth in the last two games. The Bucs' first touchdown of the night was set up by a big 35-yard pass to Hakeem Meggett. Meggett has now caught a pass of 35 yards or longer in back-to-back games.
 
With a 7-0 lead, Elon's first offensive drive of the game ended after just one play as a fumble forced by Damon Early was recovered by Jaden Woods to set the Bucs up with great field position at the Phoenix's 32-yard line.
 
ETSU needed just three plays to find the endzone for the second time in the contest. Irby got the drive started with a run for five yards. Another long pass from King connected with Ephraim Floyd for 34 more yards through the air. King then punctuated the drive with his first touchdown run as a Buc to put ETSU up, 14-0.
 
A three-and-out for Elon's offense gave the Bucs a chance to build onto their lead even more. King kickstarted the drive with a 57-yard run to take ETSU from its own eight-yard line to Elon's 35. The Blue & Gold gained 21 more yards on their third drive to set up a 30-yard field goal attempt for Ewan Johnson and the redshirt sophomore kicker delivered making it 17-0 ETSU with 5:28 to go in the opening frame.
 
Elon's offense would take the remainder of the first quarter and then find paydirt to start the second quarter on a three-yard rushing touchdown to make the score 17-7.
 
Following their first touchdown of the night, Elon's defense rallied and forced ETSU to go three-and-out. Elon's offense again possessed and moved the ball, but the drive came to a halt as a fake punt was stopped by ETSU's defense. The Bucs would gain 28 yards on their next possession but were forced to punt. There was a punt by each team before the first half ended with ETSU still on top, 17-7.
 
As the second half began, the Buccaneer defense did not allow a Phoenix first down promptly giving the ball back to the Bucs. ETSU's offensive balance continued from the first half. Four passes and four runs for ETSU led to another touchdown for the Bucs. A 33-yard strike from King to Floyd was the biggest gain on the drive, while King ran in his second touchdown of the night from 10 yards out to extend ETSU's lead to 24-7.
 
ETSU's defense continued to keep Elon's offense in check forcing its second straight three-and-out. A five-play 75-yard touchdown drive by the Bucs grew their lead to 31-7. After a 12-yard completion, the Bucs' next three plays were all runs for 14, 32 and 17 yards, respectively. The 17-yard rush that found the endzone came from Khamran Laborn, which is his first Division I touchdown.
 
Elon would answer that Buccaneer score with one of their own to shrink ETSU's lead back to 17, 31-14. The Bucs looked like they may get those points right back but a fumble deep inside Elon territory turned the ball back to the home team.
 
The Blue & Gold defense answered the call again holding Elon to just 19 yards in its next two possessions. Johnson added a 25-yard field goal with under a minute to go. The Phoenix's last possession ended like their first one did with a fumble recovered by ETSU. The fumble was forced by Dailen Howard and recovered by Elijah Taylor to finish off the Buccaneer victory.

 
Other Notables on the Bucs
·       ETSU scored a touchdown on its first drive on Saturday. It is the third straight game that the Bucs have found the endzone on their opening possession.
·       King's run of 57 yards in the first quarter was the longest of collegiate career. The sophomore quarterback also ran in his first touchdown as a member of the Blue & Gold on Saturday. ETSU's signal caller also threw for a career-high 233 yards through the air in the victory.
·       The Bucs' offense was very balanced in the first half. ETSU ran for 124 yards and added 118 more yards through the air.
·       Balance in ETSU's passing game showed up again vs. Elon. King completed a pass to seven different Buccaneer pass catchers. It is the third time in four games that ETSU has completed one pass to seven or more receivers.
·       Floyd had his best game as a Buc to date totaling a career-high 73 yards on four catches. Floyd also ran the ball twice for 17 yards.
·       Another Buccaneer wideout with a career-high was Meggett with two receptions for 85 yards. Meggett's 50-yard reception in the third quarter was the longest for a Buccaneer receiver since November 12, 2022 vs. Western Carolina.
·       ETSU's dominance on the ground continued Saturday as they surpassed 200 yards on the ground for the third straight game. The Bucs also had three different players with a rushing touchdown in King, Irby and Laborn in the win.
·       The Bucs were good offensively in the first and third quarters. ETSU averaged 10.3 yards per play in the first and 10.7 yards per play in the third. Furthermore, the Bucs have now scored in their first possession of the first and second half in seven of eight halves this season with six of those being touchdowns.
·       Red zone success continued for the Bucs on Saturday going 6-for-7. ETSU has now scored on 18 of its 19 trips to the redzone this season.
·       Saturday's win was not only ETSU's first road win of the season, but it is also the team's first win away from Johnson City in 715 days (last at VMI on October 8, 2022).

Next Up – ETSU will be back in action next Saturday when it opens SoCon play at The Citadel. Kickoff between the Bucs and Bulldogs is set for 2 p.m. from Charleston, S.C.  

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