SportsDirect Inc. staff
Aug 29, 2013
Middle Tennessee 45, Western Carolina 24: Jordan Parker rushed for a career-high 156 yards and a touchdown and William Pratcher added a pair of scoring runs as the host Blue Raiders built a big early lead and held off the Catamounts.
Parker opened the scoring with a 65-yard touchdown run as Middle Tennessee (1-0) grabbed a 28-0 lead with 12:18 remaining in the second quarter. Austin Grammer added a rushing score, Logan Kilgore hooked up with Jacob Corbaley for a touchdown pass and Kyle Griswould returned a punt 57 yards for a touchdown for the Blue Raiders.
Troy Mitchell threw a pair of touchdown passes in the second quarter to help the Catamounts (0-1) rally within 31-18 at halftime, but Western Carolina couldn't get any offense going in the second half. The only sustained drive of the third quarter ended with an interception in the end zone, as Middle Tennessee's Chris Sharpe picked off Eddie Sullivan.
Grammer capped a 13-play, 73-yard drive with a 10-yard scoring run to make it 38-18 with 3:54 left in the third quarter, and Pratcher snapped off a 38-yard touchdown scamper with 8:42 remaining to put it away.
Kilgore was 12-of-18 for 144 yards passing with a touchdown and did not throw an interception. Mitchell completed 7-of-15 passes for 161 yards with two scores and an interception for the Catamounts, while Sullivan was 12-for-21 for 96 yards and a pick.