East Tennessee State University

LEXINGTON, Va. (Oct. 24, 2026) - The No. 18 ETSU football team delivered a dominant defensive performance Saturday, shutting out VMI, 38-0, for its fifth consecutive victory and first road shutout since 2001. The Buccaneers limited the Keydets to 143 total yards, including just 13 through the air, while improving to 6-2 overall and 4-0 in Southern Conference play.
 
Offensively, the Bucs finished with 482 total yards (272 rushing, 210 passing) and averaged 6.2 yards per play. Quarterback Mason Mims completed 22-of-25 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns. The Bucs caught nine passes against the Keydets, with Tyler Griffin leading the charge with seven receptions for 56 yards and two touchdown catches. Griffin is the first Buc this season to catch multiple touchdowns in a game. On the ground, TJ Peyton led all rushers, matching a career high with 121 rushing yards on 15 carries (8.1 avg.) and a touchdown.
 
Defensively, the Bucs turned in one of their best performances in recent memory. On nine offensive drives, VMI went three-and-out four times and crossed into ETSU territory twice. The 13 passing yards allowed by the Bucs are the third-lowest total by a FCS team in a game this season. The shutout is the program's first since September 7, 2024, against UVA-Wise (61-0). Individually, Dre Delinois led the charge with six tackles, followed closely by Jeremiah Curry (five tackles), Jarvis Johnson (four tackles), and Josiha Mason (four tackles). Johnson and Tyreek'e Robinson also recorded sacks in the win.
 
Neither team mustered much offensively early on in Saturday's matchup. Each squad's first two possessions ended in punts. ETSU's offense started to click on its third drive. Jason Albritton's 12-yard run kickstarted the drive. A few plays later, Mims found Charlie Browder on a nine-yard pass to convert on a fourth down to keep the drive alive. Another 12-yard run, this time by Jaiden Daniels, put the Bucs in the red zone for the first time that day. Mims then found another tight end, Khristian Means, for a 19-yard touchdown to put the Bucs up 7-0. For Means, it was his first touchdown catch in an ETSU uniform.
 
VMI held the ball for nearly five minutes as the game moved into the second quarter. However, the Buccaneer defense ultimately got off the field to give the ball back to the ETSU offense. Peyton had three runs for 34 yards (11.3 yards per carry), culminating in a trick play that had Suderian Harrison complete a 20-yard pass to Tommy Winton III for another red zone chance for the Blue and Gold. A VMI sack halted that drive for ETSU, but Ewan Johnson split the uprights on a 37-yard field goal to extend ETSU's 10-0 lead with 6:49 to go in the first half.
 
A three-and-out for the Keydets set up a 31-yard punt return for Harrison, putting the Bucs deep in VMI territory as they looked to add to their lead. A trio of short passes from Mims for 12 yards set up a 23-yard strike to Griffin for another ETSU touchdown. Like Means' earlier touchdown, it was Griffin's first time in the end zone as a Buc.
 
Leading 17-0 as the third quarter began, the Bucs' defense started the frame off well with two sacks by Johnson and Robinson, forcing another VMI punt. ETSU's first second-half drive began with back-to-back passes from Mims to Brandon Winton for over 30 yards. Once in opponent territory, Peyton and Albritton hammered out the rest of the yards, culminating in a seven-yard touchdown by Albritton. That score was his 16^th touchdown as a Buc in his 20^th game with the program.
 
The Buccaneers continued to add on with their next drive. ETSU put together its longest possession of the day (14 plays, 86 yards), which ended with another touchdown. The biggest play on the drive was a 27-yard run by Daniels. The Bucs eventually used another trick play, this time a pass from Harrison to Griffin (13 yards), to boost their score to 31-0 with 12:43 to go in regulation.
 
ETSU closed out the scoring with a possession powered by nine runs from five different Buccaneers ended with a 28-yard touchdown run by Peyton, capping the scoring at 38-0.
 
VMI looked poised to spoil ETSU's shutout on its next drive. The Keydets attempted a 47-yard field goal, but Xavier Porter blocked it, preserving the first road shutout since football returned in 2015 and the first since 2001.
 

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ETSU returns home next Saturday to welcome league newcomer Tennessee Tech to Johnson City, with significant FCS Playoff/SoCon Championship implications at stake. The matchup between the Bucs and Golden Eagles begins at 3:30 p.m. at Bank of Tennessee Field at William B. Greene Jr. Stadium.
 
For more information on Buccaneer football, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the football tab.