Gino English led East Tennessee State to a close 24-21 victory over Western Carolina on Saturday, showcasing his passing skills with two touchdown throws. The Buccaneers capitalized on a short field late in the game to secure their win, thanks to a mishandled punt by the Catamounts that set them up at the 28-yard line with just under six minutes remaining.

Devontae Houston made the decisive play, scoring on a 14-yard run with 5:55 left on the clock, following a series of solid runs by Bryson Irby. Irby’s contributions included four consecutive carries, totaling 14 yards, which set up Houston’s crucial touchdown.

After the ensuing kickoff, Western Carolina managed to move the chains but was forced to punt again with just 3:19 left in the game. East Tennessee State took control, effectively running the clock down with notable runs from Houston, Irby, and English, eventually sealing their victory in front of a record crowd of 12,109 spectators.

English completed 11 of his 23 attempts, throwing for 154 yards, which included touchdown passes of 14 yards to Ephraim Floyd and 23 yards to Xavier Gaillardetz. Despite his success, English also struggled with ball security, throwing three interceptions during the game.

In the ground game, Irby was impressive with 79 rushing yards while Houston contributed 64 yards. On the defensive side, Zach West shined with 3.5 sacks, helping fortify the Buccaneers’ defense.

For Western Carolina, Taron Dickens achieved 24 completions on 34 attempts, accumulating 233 yards along with one touchdown pass and one interception. He also found the end zone twice on the ground, although he faced significant pressure and was sacked eight times throughout the match.