English throws 2 TDs, East Tennessee State gets 8 sacks to beat Western Carolina 24-21

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — Gino English threw two touchdown passes and East Tennessee State took advantage of a short field to get the winning score with about six minutes to go to beat Western Carolina 24-21 on Saturday.

Devontae Houston scored the winning touchdown on a 14-yard run with 5:55 to play as the Buccaneers (6-4, 4-2 Southern Conference) took advantage of a shanked punt to get the ball on the 28-yard line. Bryson Irby carried four straight times for 14 yards before Houston burst up the middle.

The Catamounts picked up a first down after the kickoff but punted the ball away with 3:19 to play. ETSU then picked up first downs on runs by Houston, Irby and English to run the clock out in front of a stadium record crowd of 12,109.

English was 11-of-23 for 154 yards with touchdown passes to Ephraim Floyd for 14 yards and Xavier Gaillardetz for 23 yards. However he threw three of the four Buccaneers interceptions.

Irby ran for 79 yards and Houston 64. Zach West had 3.5 sacks to lead the ETSU defense.

Taron Dickens was 24-of-34 passing for 233 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Catamounts (5-5, 4-2), and he had a pair of touchdown runs. He was also sacked eight times.