CHATTANOOGA, TENN. -- Redshirt freshman quarterback Hamp Sisson came off the bench to lead FCS 13th-ranked Furman on five touchdown drives as the Paladins erased a 9-0 deficit on their way to a 35-20 Southern Conference victory over Chattanooga Saturday afternoon at Finley Stadium.
 
With the win, Furman improved to 6-3 overall and took sole possession of first place in the Southern Conference with a 5-1 mark.  Chattanooga slipped to 4-5 overall and 3-2 in league play.

The triumph was the Paladins' fifth in their lst six games and sixth consecutive SoCon road win, and improved Furman to 10-2 against the Mocs in Finley Stadium.
 
Sisson, a native of Birmingham, Ala., scored on an eight-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to give the Paladins their first lead at 14-9 and connected on a 32-yard touchdown toss to tight end Ryan Miller in the third period to put Furman up, 21-12.

The former Mountain Brook High School standout completed 9-of-14 passes for 99 yards and rushed for 52 yards on six carries, while leading the Paladins to touchdowns on five of seven possessions with him on the field.

Furman trailed 9-0 midway thru the second period after totaling just 65 yards on their first four possessions, two of which ended in turnovers. 

After Sisson took over he directed Furman on a 10-play, 58-yard drive that ended on fullback Devin Abrams' first of two touchdowns, a one-yard run over left guard to pull the Paladins to within 9-7 following the extra point.

Following a defensive stop, Sisson and the Paladins covered 80 yards in 10 plays to grab a 14-9 lead on Sisson's eight-yard option keeper around left end with 26 seconds remaining in the half.

Chattanooga used a 57-yard run by freshman running back Alym Ford to set up a 32-yard field goal Victor Ulmo field goal on the final play of the first half to make it 14-12 at the break.

Furman's defense set the second half tone by stopping the Mocs on a fourth-and-six play at the Paladin 24.  Grayson Atkins then flipped the field with his second longest punt of the season — a 62-yarder — that was downed at the UTC 2.  UTC couldn't advance the ball, and a short punt gave Furman the ball at the Mocs' 31, where on the next play Sisson found tight end Ryan Miller open down the right sideline for a 31 yard touchdown strike and 21-12 lead.

More strong work by Furman's defense set up the Paladins' next tally, which came on a Devin Wynn 1-yard plunge at the 12:48 mark of the fourth quarter, making it 28-12.

Chattanooga pulled within 28-20 on a Chris James 4-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Nick Tiano, but the Mocs couldn't get the ball back the rest of the way. 

Keeping the ball on the ground for 12 consecutive plays, Furman converted a pair of fourth downs — the first on a Devin Abrams two-yard run to the Paladin 39, and the second on a fourth-and-one play from the Chattanooga 31 that saw him run off right guard, get a push from Sisson, and bounce off a host of UTC defenders on the way to the end zone with six seconds left on the game clock.

Abrams, a redshirt freshman, finished the game with 18 carries for a season high 118 yards and two touchdowns.  He headlined a 271-yard rushing effort by Furman, which managed just 53 yards on the ground over the first quarter and a half.

Abrams' game capping 31-yard run gave Furman a 382-376 advantage in total offense.

Furman's SoCon leading scoring defense, which entered the contest allowing 19.1 points per game, limited Chattanooga to just 10 points over the Mocs' final nine possessions and just 4-of-13 third down conversions.

Four Paladin defenders — Quandarius Weems, Bryan Okeh, Donavan Perryman, and Elijah McKoy — paced Furman with six tackles apiece.

Furman plays host to VMI next Saturday at Paladin Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.