Recap: McCallie's defense stands tall to win Division II-AAA TSSAA football championship
McCallie made the one final defensive stop necessary to win the state championship.
The Blue Tornado defense forced a turnover-on-downs with 68 seconds left to preserve McCallie's 34-28 win over Baylor in the Division II-AAA state championship game on Thursday in Chattanooga.
McCallie's defense stepped more than once in the second half, with two goal-to-go stops and the turnover on downs near midfield.
Baylor took a 21-14 lead in the second quarter when Baylor's Nelson McKnight stripped McCallie QB Jay St-Hilaire on 4th and goal and ran for a state championship record 97-yard touchdown. But McCallie scored two touchdowns in the final 3 minutes, 21 seconds of the second quarter to take a lead into halftime, then scored a touchdown in the third quarter to lead 34-21.
Amari Jefferson's 63-yard touchdown catch with 6:36 left gave the Red Raiders a chance to push for a comeback, but the Blue Tornado defense's late defensive stand proved to be the definitive play in the final minutes.
Recap the Division II-AAA state championship game below.
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McCallie 34, Baylor 28, 1:08 4Q: The state championship winning stop
On 4th and 12 near midfield, Muschamp is clobbered as he throws, but he completes the pass to Amari Jefferson for about 10.5 yards. McCallie's defense gets the title-winning defensive stop. What a game.
McCallie QB Jay St-Hilaire will be the game's MVP.
McCallie 34, Baylor 28, 2:27 4Q: Baylor gets ball back on fourth down interception
St-Hilaire's fourth down pass is intercepted by TJ Fields near the goal line, and Fields returns it close to the original line of scrimmage. A holding penalty will push Baylor back to their own 8-yard line.
McCallie was in between yardages on the fourth down play, too long for a field goal but not a ton of room for a punt. Baylor would have done better in field position by dropping the INT. McCallie fans wanted pass interference after Jaimes Saint fell to the ground with the ball in the air.
Either way, the finish should be intense. Can't ask for more than this.
McCallie 34, Baylor 28, 6:36 4Q: Amari Jefferson makes an impact play
Amari Jefferson gets open across the middle on Baylor's first play of its drive following a short McCallie punt, and he is off to the races. Jefferson does really well in using his blockers, and he scores running down the right sideline.
63-yard touchdown catch. This is a ballgame now. PAT good. McCallie's lead is 6.
Today's attendance is 18,149 for the entire day, though most of those folks are watching, standing and yelling in Finley Stadium right now.
McCallie 34, Baylor 21, 8:50 4Q: Baylor turns the ball over on downs again
Whit Muschamp mishandles a 4th and goal snap, and cannot find an open man. McCallie bats the ball away, and the Blue Tornado defense holds again on a goal-to-go situation. McCallie closing in on a state title.
McCallie 34, Baylor 21, 3:37 3Q: Baylor turns the ball over on downs in goal-to-go
Baylor drives inside the McCallie 10-yard line, but two runs go nowhere on first and second down, and Muschamp throws incomplete passes on third and fourth-and-goal. McCallie ball, up 34-21 late in the third quarter. Big missed opportunity.
McCallie 34, Baylor 21, 6:44 3Q: McCallie extends the lead
St.-Hilaire finds Nolan Sergeant on a speed out on the right side for a 6-yard touchdown.
But an incredible pass and catch set the TD up.
Enrique Jaimes Leclair had a stunning catch on a 1-on-1 go route, making a fingertip catch before stopping, starting and gaining more yardage. That was a 58-yard reception down the left sideline to set up 1st and goal.
PAT good. Blue Tornado creating some room, up 34-21. Baylor hasn't scored an offensive touchdown since its second drive.
McCallie 27, Baylor 21, :15 2Q: Carson Gentle TD catch near end of first half
McCallie takes the lead just before halftime on a tremendous catch by Carson Gentle and a good throw by St. Hilaire as both run to the right.
The drive followed a McCallie interception by Marcellus Barnes, who returned the ball to the Baylor 35.
PAT good. McCallie leads 27-21.
Baylor 21, McCallie 20, 3:21 2Q: Blue Tornado respond
After the 14-point swing, McCallie responds with a quick drive. St. Hilaire finds Chari Zachary for a 22-yard touchdown pass and catch. A Baylor defender knocks the ball out just as Zachary gets to the goal line. It's close, but the play is ruled a touchdown. No replay review here in Chattanooga.
PAT is no good, wide right. Baylor's lead is 21-20.
Was he across the goal line before the ball popped out? You be the judge.
Was this a TD for @McCallieFB? Looks like Baylor DB stripped the ball away before McCallie established control.
No matter. Officials rule it a TD.
Need replay?@McCallieFB 21, @BaylorSchoolFB 21. 3:21 left in first half.#tnpreps pic.twitter.com/BBhmzIheU6— George Robinson (@Cville_Sports) December 1, 2023
NO REPLAY REVIEW: Why TSSAA doesn't use instant replay for football championship games while some other states do
Baylor 21, McCallie 14, 6:45 2Q: BlueCross Bowl-record fumble return TD
Let's set the scene: Baylor turns the ball over on downs deep in its territory after a fumbled punt snap. McCallie drives to the Baylor 2-yard line, and goes for it on 4th and goal.
St. Hilaire keeps the ball on 4th and goal, and Baylor's Nelson McKnight strips the ball and returns the fumble a BlueCross Bowl record 97 yards for a touchdown.
What a swing. Baylor leads 21-14 after the PAT is good.
What. Just. Happened??
McCallie goes for it on 4th and goal at the 2. @BaylorSchoolFB stops them and strips the ball. Nelson McKnight goes 98 yards for the TD.
Wow!!
Baylor up 21-14 with 6:45 left in first half.#tnpreps pic.twitter.com/2ZwF949gWz— George Robinson (@Cville_Sports) December 1, 2023
Baylor 14, McCallie 14, :45 1Q: Enrique James Leclair breaks away for a TD
A longer drive but the same result, as McCallie QB Jay St. Hilaire moves around in the pocket and threads the needle to Enrique Jaimes Leclair, who breaks away from a Baylor defender trying to intercept the ball and scores on a third-and-long play. 27-yard TD catch.
PAT good. McCallie was able to convert a couple third downs on that drive. A very fun first quarter.
Baylor 14, McCallie 7, 7:18 1Q: Shekai Mills-Knight 61-yard TD run
Shekai Mills-Knight has been very good so far for Baylor, and he got loose down the left sideline for a 61-yard touchdown run on the Red Raiders' second possession of the game.
PAT good. Baylor leads 14-7.
Baylor 7, McCallie 7, 10:18 1Q: Ja'von McMahan matches Baylor's score
Ja'von McMahan wins the race to the left pylon for a 2-yard touchdown on a good opening drive for McCallie.
McCallie set itself up with good field position after a good kickoff return, and an Enrique Leclair catch and run down to the Baylor 2-yard line.
PAT good. This game is going to be a good one.
Baylor 7, McCallie 0, 10:18 1Q: Amari Jefferson TD gets Red Raiders on the board
When Whit Muschamp and the Baylor offense gets going, it is difficult to stop.
Muschamp found Amari Jefferson for a 31-yard touchdown to get the scoring going in this game.
Two other big plays in the drive: A Muschamp completion to Max LeBlanc for 17 yards on 3rd and 16 followed by Shekai Mills-Knight's punishing run into McCallie territory.
PAT good. Baylor leads 7-0.
TSSAA football championships Thursday attendance update
17,775 tickets have been sold for Thursday's game with about an hour remaining before kickoff of the Division II-AAA title game, the TSSAA tells the Tennessean.
4,578 tickets were used for the first two games, so Baylor-McCallie should feature the best crowd of the day to no one's surprise.
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The championship games will be televised across the state on these stations (channel numbers over the air, cable channels can be found here):
Nashville: WUPX MyNetwork TV Channel 30
Memphis: WMC-TV+ Channel 5.5
Knoxville: WKNX Channel 7
Chattanooga: WFLI MyNetwork TV Channel 53.2
Jackson: Jackson Energy Authority E+ broadband Channel 6 (not OTA)
Tri-Cities: WCYB.2 CW Network Channel 5.2
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TSSAA football scores: Baylor vs McCallie live updates in Division II-AAA