CHARLESTON, S.C. (Oct. 10, 2026) – The No. 24 ETSU football team rallied from an early 10-0 deficit to upend The Citadel, 34-16, on Saturday afternoon. With Saturday’s win, the Buccaneers improve to 5-2 overall and 3-0 in SoCon play. Furthermore, dating back to last season, the Bucs have now won seven consecutive SoCon games for the first time in program history.
ETSU scored points in all three phases during Saturday’s win with touchdowns from the offense, defense, and special teams. Quarterback Mason Mims finished 14-for-21 for 143 yards and a touchdown. Mims’ top target on Saturday was Suderian Harrison. Harrison caught the longest pass of the day for the Bucs (42 yards) and finished with a team-high 85 yards on five catches.
On the ground, TJ Peyton led the Bucs. Peyton logged his third 100-plus-yard rushing game of the season with 110 on 11 carries and a touchdown. Peyton’s touchdown came on an 85-yard rush, tying for the sixth-longest run in ETSU football history and the longest since football returned in 2015.
Defensively and on special teams, the Bucs recorded a season-high five sacks, recovered two fumbles, and blocked a punt. ETSU also scored on a fumble recovery and on the blocked punt. Seniors Dre Delinois (10 tackles, two for loss, 0.5 sacks) and Mike Jenkins (nine tackles) led the Bucs’ defensive charge. As a unit, the Bucs held The Citadel to 139 total yards in the final three quarters after allowing 120 in the opening frame. They also held one of the SoCon’s top rushing teams to 2.6 yards per rush on 48 attempts.
The Bucs won the coin toss but deferred to the second half, so The Citadel started with the ball. After roughly a 30-minute lightning delay, the Bulldog offense methodically moved the ball downfield. Starting at their own 16-yard line, the Bulldogs churned out a 13-play, 84-yard drive that ended with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Quentin Hayes. 10 of the 13 plays were runs, but all three passes moved the chains.
A quick three-and-out by the ETSU offense quickly gave the Bulldogs the ball back with a chance to add to their lead. While that drive did not end in the end zone, The Citadel added a field goal as Evan Kiely connected from 29 yards out to give the Bulldogs a 10-0 lead.
ETSU’s second drive of the day moved into the second quarter but didn’t move the chains. However, on the drive’s first play, The Citadel fumbled, and CJ Gilmore picked it up and returned it for a touchdown from four yards out. The fumble-recovery touchdown was the Bucs’ first since October 26, 2024 (Elijah Taylor vs. Wofford).
Another Bulldog fumble set up another Bucs scoring drive. Tyreek’e Robinson pounced on a fumble on a botched Bulldog reverse play. ETSU’s offense moved the ball 44 yards, culminating in a 25-yard field goal by Ewan Johnson. Jaiden Daniels was a major part of that drive, totaling 25 of the 44 yards.
ETSU’s defense stepped up and forced a three-and-out, giving the Bucs a chance to take the lead before halftime. The Bucs moved the ball past midfield, but the drive stalled, and the first half closed out.
With the Bucs on offense to start the second half, ETSU started to get its passing game going. Mims connected with Harrison on three passes for 61 yards. Thanks to those big pass plays, the Bucs moved inside the Bulldogs’ 10-yard line. Three subsequent runs did not cross the goal line, so Johnson settled for another field-goal attempt. Johnson split the uprights from 26 yards out to give ETSU a 13-10 lead with 10:03 to go in the third quarter.
Another three-and-out by the ETSU defense caused the Bulldogs to punt. The Bucs broke through Citadel’s line, and Taylor McClure blocked it. Freshman Josh Buckhalter scooped up the ball and returned it nine yards for an ETSU touchdown, extending the Bucs’ lead to 20-10.
On ETSU’s first fourth-quarter possession, Mims found five different receivers on the drive, capped by a one-yard toss to Vashawn Nalls to make it 34-10 Bucs with 8:32 to go. Nalls caught his second receiving touchdown of the season.
Citadel scored a touchdown later in the game on a 15-yard pass to make it 34-16, which proved to be the final score of Saturday’s matchup.
ETSU will be on its bye week next Saturday. The Buccaneers will return to action on October 24 at VMI. Kickoff between the Bucs and Keydets is set for 1:30 p.m. in Lexington, Virginia.
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