ROME, Ga. - The West Georgia Wolves survived a scare on Thursday night as the Wolves held off the Shorter Hawks in a 41-35 Gulf South Conference victory at Barron Stadium.

West Georgia (6-2, 5-1 GSC) put up a season-high 523 yards of offense, but four turnovers kept Shorter (3-6, 1-5) in the game, but the Wolves prevailed to win their fourth consecutive game. Of UWG's 523 yards, 317 came on the ground, and Rajaez Mosley finished with a career-high 191 yards on 16 carries and a pair of touchdowns.

It was a slow start for the Wolves who punted on the first two drives and threw an interception on the third. Meanwhile, Shorter would strike first, driving 75 yards to go up 7-0 with 4:11 left in the quarter.

West Georgia would then get a spark from Mosley as the junior broke a 65-yard touchdown run, but the PAT would be unsuccessful and the Wolves trailed 7-6 after one quarter. The Wolves scored 21 second quarter points with the first two of those scores coming on the ground. Wesley Kennedy III found the end zone first, followed by another Rajaez Mosley score to make it a 20-7 lead.

Shorter would respond with a score to cut it to 20-14 with 1:58 to go, but the West Georgia offense went quick on their ensuing possession and Cameron Brown found Zay Britt for a 17-yard, acrobatic catch for the score to make it a 27-14 UWG lead at the break.

The Hawks then struck first in the second half, picking off a UWG pass and scoring a 20-yard touchdown by Justus Durant on the very next play.

The Wolves responded with a seven-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Brown finding Tre Williams for a 20-yard score to stretch the lead to 34-21. Early in the fourth quarter, West Georgia stretched the lead back to three scores as Brown connected with TJ Lockley for a 58-yard touchdown pass.

After the Wolves forced a punt, the Hawks got back in the game as Shorter would force a fumble and Tony Bethea would go 33 yards for the scoop-and-score to make it 41-28, West Georgia.

Another UWG fumble set up the Hawks next score, and it came with 1:52 to go, and cut it to a six-point, 41-35 lead. Shorter's onside kick attempt would be unsuccessful, but penalties forced UWG to punt and give Shorter a final chance, but the defense held strong and preserved the road win.

Brown also had a career-high on Thursday, throwing for 206 yards and adding three touchdowns and also rushed for 66 yards. His top receiving target was Terrill Cole who had six catches for 50 yards, while Lockley led in yards with his one catch for 58 yards.

The West Georgia defense had one takeaway on the night as Jalynn Tarver intercepted a pass in the first quarter. Deontae Overstreet led the effort with 10 tackles. 

West Georgia now returns home for the final regular season Division II game at University Stadium next week, hosting a ranked Delta State team in a 6 p.m. matchup on November 4.