GREENVILLE (Interstat) — Bryan McCollum kicked a 36-yard field goal with four seconds remaining, and Western Carolina defeated Furman 27-26 on Saturday in an NCAA Football Championship Division game at Paladin Stadium. The Catamounts improved to 4-5. The Paladins dropped to 2-7. Attendance was 7,237.

Western Carolina turned early Furman mistakes into points and held on late. Ken Moore Jr. recovered a Furman fumble to help set up a touchdown, and Jermiyah Douglas intercepted a pass and returned it 37 yards for a score as the Catamounts built an early lead. Furman chipped away behind Nathan Chapman, who made four field goals, including a 49-yarder in the third quarter and a 39-yarder in the fourth. Trey Smith broke loose for a 79-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to bring the Paladins back. Chapman’s 25-yard field goal with 1:57 remaining gave Furman a 26-24 lead, but Western Carolina answered on its final possession and McCollum delivered the winning kick as time expired. Chapman also missed a 48-yard attempt in the second quarter.

Lex Thomas, a 5-foot-11, 195-pound quarterback from Wake Forest, N.C., completed 22 of 37 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown and carried 15 times for 36 yards. Jai Boyd caught four passes for 83 yards and a touchdown. AJ Colombo added five receptions for 35 yards, Matthew Keener had two catches for 36 yards, and Anthony Benjamin finished with four carries for 25 yards and four receptions for 13 yards. Trystan Anderson had one carry for 12 yards to go with five tackles and a quarterback hurry. Kha’leal Sterling added one run for 3 yards and one catch for 6 yards, Jake Young had one reception for 1 yard and Marcus Striggles had one catch for 12 yards. Thomas Guerrero punted eight times for 280 yards. McCollum handled the kicking duties and converted the decisive field goal.

Braylon Jones led Western Carolina’s defense with 11 tackles. Blue Monroe and Na’koma Simpson-Nealy each made six tackles, with Monroe adding a quarterback hurry. Joshua Collins and Caleb Turner-Allen each recorded six tackles, and Collins added a sack. Ken Moore Jr. and Jermiyah Douglas each intercepted a pass, with Douglas scoring on his return. Jakoby Diamond and Chase Kerns added four tackles apiece. Trystan Anderson had five tackles and a quarterback hurry. Jayden Cornelius made three tackles, while Marco Patierno added three. Gavin Rowell, Vanier Baptiste III, Da’Shawn Davis, Christian Robbins, Andre Jackson Jr., Ryan McKinnis and Jermiyah Douglas each finished with two tackles. Jabari McWilliams, Jeremy Johnson II, Alant’e Reese, Jaden Meeks and Julian Quintero each made one tackle.

Furman’s defense was led by Raleigh Herbert, who made 14 tackles and added half a sack. Caleb Easterling had seven tackles, a quarterback hurry and two kickoff returns for 24 yards. AK Burrell and Joshua Tarver each made six tackles. Eli Lipscomb added five tackles and a quarterback hurry, Joshua Stoneking had four tackles and a quarterback hurry, and Demetrius Baldwin recorded three tackles, two sacks and a quarterback hurry. Ryan Earl finished with four tackles. Luke Shields caught two passes for 26 yards, Daniel Haughton had two receptions for 21 yards, Gram Smithson had one catch for 14 yards and a 40-yard punt return, Jackson Pryor had one catch for 8 yards, Connor Morin had one for 3 yards and Ethan Harris had one for 1 yard. Smithson also made one tackle.

Western Carolina came into the game after a loss to Chattanooga, while Furman had dropped its previous game to Samford. The Catamounts next host Wofford, visit Samford and host The Citadel. The Paladins next play at The Citadel, host Chattanooga and visit Virginia Military Institute.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Western Carolina 48, Furman 35. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Western Carolina with a 57.4 percent probability to win.