Chattanooga Football Game Notes
No. 8/10 Chattanooga Mocs (7-1, 5-1 SoCon) at Western Carolina Catamounts (1-6, 0-5 SoCon)
E.J. Whitmire Stadium (13,742) – Cullowhee, N.C.
Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016 – 3:36 p.m. (E.D.T.)
Radio:  Mocs Sports Network (96.1 The Legend – Flagship) - Jim Reynolds (pxp), Todd Agne (color), Will Poindexter (sideline)
TV:  CW Chattanooga (WCU production) - Jason Patterson (pxp), Tom Van Hoy (color) and Jack Connors (sideline)
Online: Live Audio, SoConDN Broadcast & Live Stats on GoMocs.com

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team is back on the road this week at Western Carolina.  The Mocs face the Catamounts at E.J. Whitmire Stadium in Cullowhee, N.C, on Saturday, Oct. 29.  Game time is set for 3:36 p.m. (E.D.T.).
 
Chattanooga stayed a No. 8 in this week's FCS Coaches Poll and moved up one spot to No. 10 in the STATS FCS Top 25 after a 30-13 win over VMI.  UTC owns a 7-1 overall record and a 5-1 mark in Southern Conference play.  WCU is 1-6 and still looking for its first SoCon win after five outings. 
 
The Mocs are trying to reach eight wins in a season for the fourth year in a row.  UTC only had five eight-win campaigns prior to head coach Russ Huesman's arrival in 2009. The 2016 senior class is also trying to add to its school-record 34 wins over the last four years. 
 
Western Carolina's lone win in 2016 was a 44-14 victory against Gardner-Webb in Week 2.  The Catamounts were picked third by the SoCon Media in the preseason and fourth by the league coaches.
 
FCS RANKINGS
The Mocs held steady at No. 8 in the FCS Coaches Poll after last weekend's 30-13 win over VMI.  Chattanooga moved up to No. 10 in the STATS FCS Top 25, the other poll officially recognized by the NCAA.  UTC has been ranked for 44 consecutive weeks, the sixth-longest streak in the FCS.  
 
MOCS SPORTS NETWORK
The Mocs Sports Network broadcasts the game on 96.1 The Legend in Chattanooga.  Jim Reynolds has the play-by-play with Todd Agne giving the color commentary and Will Poindexter on the sideline.  A link for a free audio broadcast is available on the football schedule page on GoMocs.com.  Fans can also listen to the game on the iHeart Radio or the TuneIn radio apps, by searching for US 101 The Legend at 96.1 on their mobile device.
 
WCU BROADCAST LOCALLY ON THE CW
Western Carolina is producing the game for broadcast, which has been picked up locally on the CW Chattanooga.  Announcers include Jason Patterson (pxp), Tom Van Hoy (color) and Jack Connors (sideline).  The CW Chattanooga is channel 53.1 over the air or on the following stations in the Chattanooga area:
EPB - 6 or 306 (HD)
Comcast - 6 or 435 (HD)
DirecTV - 53 or 394/395 (HD)
Dish Network - 53 or 7334 (HD)

7-8-9-WIN SEASONS
The Mocs have put up some unprecedented numbers since head coach Russ Huesman took over in 2009.  During that time, UTC finished above .500 eight times, which is an amazing accomplishment considering there were only 30 winning seasons in the entire history of the program prior to his arrival. 
7-win seasons - 22 overall - 4 under head coach Russ Huesman
8-win seasons - 8 overall - 3 under head coach Russ Huesman
9-win seasons - 4 overall - 2 under head coach Russ Huesman
 
QUICK NOTES TO KNOW ABOUT THE MOCS
General
• Head coach Russ Huesman is in his eighth season at his alma mater.  He is 57-34 (.626) overall and 41-19 (.683) in Southern Conference action ... 19-11 (.633) in SoCon road games.
• Ranked in the FCS Top 25 for 44 consecutive weeks ... sixth longest active streak in the nation.
• 56-51 all-time at Finley Stadium …  28-10 in the Huesman era.
• The Mocs led the SoCon in home attendance in the regular season for the second year in a row, averaging 11,204 in 2015 ... second-highest average on record (12,699 - 2010) ... Chattanooga averaged 10,000 fans per game only five times in school history ... four of those in the Huesman era (2009, 2010, 2011, 2015). 
• The Mocs are No. 101 in this week's Sagarin ratings that include all NCAA Division I programs ... ahead of 35 FBS schools, including Rutgers, Purdue and Kansas from the Power 5 conferences.
• Mocs have earned six SoCon weekly honors this season, the most in the league ... Nakevion Leslie (W3 & W7), Derrick Craine (W4), Henrique Ribeiro (W4, W5) and Montrell Pardue (W6)   
 
Offense
• Chattanooga is second in the SoCon and No. 14 in the FCS in scoring offense (36.9 ppg).
• The Mocs are second in the SoCon and No. 20 in the FCS in total offense at 436.6 yards per game. 
• Ninth in the FCS in Team Passing Efficiency (162.7).
• Third in the SoCon - behind two triple-option teams - in rushing offense (217.0) ... 19th in the FCS.
• Lead the SoCon in first downs (21.0) ... No. 13 in the FCS.
• Two preseason All-Americans on offense.  Senior RB Derrick Craine is on the STATS Offensive Player of the Year Watch List.  Senior offensive lineman Corey Levin is a two-time winner of the Jacobs Blocking Award as the top offensive lineman in the SoCon.
• Craine posted 222 yards against Samford on Sept. 24, earning SoCon Player of the Week honors ...  leads the SoCon and is No. 7 in the FCS with 6.9 yards per carry ... leads the SoCon and is ninth in the FCS with nine rushing TDs ... 102.1 rushing ypg is second in the SoCon and No. 14 in the FCS ... 10 carries of 20+ yards.
• Senior WR Xavier Borishade leads the SoCon with 17.5 yards/catch ... six receiving TDs is second in the SoCon and No. 20 in the nation ... sixth in the SoCon with 70.1 yards per game.
• Senior WR C.J. Board has caught a pass in 25 straight games, longest active streak on the team ... fourth longest at UTC.
• Junior WR James Stovall has caught a pass in 20 games in a row.
• Junior Alejandro Bennifield's pass efficiency rating is eighth in the nation (164.1) ... second in the SoCon and No. 11 in the FCS with 17 passing TDs ... nine of his passing TDs have been 30+ yards ... 10th in the FCS in points responsible for (16.5) ... 11th in the country in completion % (65.3%). 
 
Defense
• UTC currently leads the nation in total defense (245.5).
• Second in the FCS in scoring defense (13.5) and passing yards allowed (147.6).
• Leads the SoCon in 3rd down defense (34/117 - 29.1%) ... No. 11 in the FCS.
• Also leads the SoCon in team pass efficiency defense (106.1) ... No. 15 in the FCS. 
• Posted back-to-back shutouts in the first two games of the season for the first time since 1964 … 18-0 vs. Tennessee Tech (Sept. 23) and 7-0 vs. ETSU (Oct. 3). 
• The shutout against Presbyterian was the fifth in the Russ Huesman era .
• Held three teams to under 200 yards of total offense this season ... Shorter (16), Presbyterian (196) and ETSU (132). 
• Held six teams to under 100 rushing yards this season ... Shorter (14), Presbyterian (86), Furman (85), Samford (46), ETSU (81) and VMI (11) ... No. 2 in the SoCon and No. 9 in the FCS in rushing defense (97.9).
• Three preseason All-Americans on defense, including Keionta Davis (DL), Nakevion Leslie (LB) and Lucas Webb (DB). 
• Davis is on the STATS Defensive Player of the Year Watch List ... his 28.5 career sacks are second all-time at UTC behind Davis Tull's SoCon-record 39.5 (2011-14) ... 8.0 this season.  
• Webb has three career pick-6s ... school-record and tied for the SoCon record ... nine career INTs ... tied for ninth all-time at UTC with Coach Huesman (1978-81).
• Leslie posted his second SoCon Player of the Week honor with 19 tackles at The Citadel.  It was the most tackles by a Moc since Ryan Consiglio against Wofford in 2011.
 
Special Teams
• Senior Henrique Ribeiro is on the Fred Mitchell Award Watch List for the kicker of the year outside of the FBS (FCS, DII, DIII, NAIA) ... preseason third team All-American according to College Sports Madness ... preseason first team All-SoCon.
• Ribeiro's 75.0 (42/56) career FG% is currently second all-time at UTC ... 42 makes trails only Matt Vick's (1997-00) 44 for the school record ... 145-150 on PATs (school-record) in his career.
• Ribeiro's 271 career points is the most in school history. 
• Ribeiro hit a career-long 52-yard FG at ETSU to earn his second consecutive SoCon Special Teams Player of the Week against ETSU.
• Senior C.J. Board was a second team All-SoCon returner in 2015 ... currently averaging 7.6 yards per return.
 
BAGLEY STEPS UP
Junior Richardre Bagley took over the starting running back spot last week against VMI due to an injury to senior Derrick Craine.  Bagley responded with an outstanding game that included 23 carries for a career-high 189 yards and two touchdowns.  For his play he was named Honorable Mention STATS FCS Player of the Week and SouthernPigskin.com X-Factor of the Week.  
 
KD'S THREE SACKS
Senior DL Keionta Davis twice posted three sacks in a game this season.  He had three against Samford and another three last week against VMI.  It is the third time in his career he has tallied three sacks in a game.  He is now tied for second in the FCS with 8.0 sacks this season.  UTC's school record for sacks in a game is 3.5 set by Davis Tull (Furman 10/12/13) and Tyler Unzicker (ETSU 11/10/01).   
 
RECEIVERS CLIMBING RANKS
Senior receivers Xavier Borishade and C.J. Board are moving up the UTC ranks for career numbers.  Borishade is currently tied for sixth all-time at UTC with 14 receiving touchdowns.  Board is currently ninth with 126 catches and needs nine more to pass Joel Bradford (2008-11) for eighth.  Board is also 31 yards shy of the top 10 with 1,668 receiving yards.     

BENNIFIELD PUTTING UP TOP 10 NUMBERS
Junior QB Alejandro Bennifield has thrown 17 touchdown passes this season.  That is tied for the ninth all-time at UTC and just three shy of the fifth-highest mark in school history.  
 
CRAINE'S CAREER NUMBERS
Senior RB Derrick Craine has 2,629 career rushing yards.  He is currently fifth all-time at Chattanooga and 462 behind fourth-place James Roberts (1989-91). Craine's 28 rushing TDs are tied for third and two behind second-place Keon Williams (2010-14).  He also has 10 carer 100-yard rushing games, which is fifth all-time at UTC.
 
NOTES TO KNOW ABOUT THE WESTERN CAROLINA SERIES
• This is the 43rd meeting in the series that dates back to 1973.
• UTC owns a 26-16 overall advantage.
• UTC has won nine of the last 10 and seven in a row.
• The Mocs have scored at least 41 points in each of the last five.
• Chattanooga is 11-10 on the road, including three in a row under coach Huesman. 
• The Mocs have outscored WCU a combined 94-6 in the first half of the last three meetings between these two teams. 
• UTC's last visit to Cullowhee was a 51-0 win on Nov. 1, 2014 ... Mocs led 38-0 at the half. 
 
NOTES FROM LAST YEAR'S HOMECOMING WIN VS. WCU
• Last year's 41-13 win on Homecoming was the last in a seven-game winning streak for UTC ... it was also UTC's 12th-straight SoCon win ... streaks that were snapped the following week at Mercer. 
• UTC held a 35-6 lead at the break … most points in the first half since scoring 38 at Western Carolina in 2014.
• The Mocs put up 547 yards of total offense … there was only one negative yardage play on the day (-3 rush).
• UTC had a season-high 356 yards rushing … season-high 58 carries and 6.1 yards per rush.
• Mocs held the Catamounts to 283 yards … fewest this season against an FCS opponent.
• It was the 100th game at Finley Stadium.
• Mocs had a season-high 31 first downs … most since 31 against Glenville State on Sept. 13, 2012.
• UTC held the ball for a season-high 39:25.
• Richardre Bagley – 4 catches for 48 yards … all in the first half ... 10 carries for 40 yards.
• Derrick Craine – 15 carries for 103 rushing yards and four first-half TDs ... four rushing TDs in a game is the most by a Moc since Artis Edwards had four against Appalachian State on Nov. 6, 1982.
• Cedric Nettles – Six tackles and a fumble recovery.
• Henrique Ribeiro – Scored 11 points in the game … 5-5 on PATs and 2-2 on FGs ... made from 38 and 30.
• James Stovall – Three catches for 63 yards ... then-career-high for yards and tied for receptions ... career-long 49-yard catch in the first quarter.
• Trevor Wright – First career INT ... added four tackles … including a ½ sack.
 
SCOUTING WESTERN CAROLINA
• Head Coach Mark Speir is in his fifth season at Western Carolina.  He has an 18-35 overall record. He guided Western Carolina to its first winning season in a decade with seven victories in 2014.  He followed that with another seven-win season in 2015.
• WCU was picked third in the media and fourth in the coaches SoCon preseason polls. 
• 16 seniors on its 2016 squad – seven players on offense, eight on defensive, and one specialist.
• Returns 15 out of a possible 25 starters between its offense, defensive, and special teams units – 6 players on both offense and defense ... WCU lost one specialist, K Blake Metcalf, while returning two All-SoCon selections.
• Current five-game losing streak is its longest since dropping 13 in a row between 2012 and 2013. 
• No. 25 in the FCS and third in the SoCon in passing offense (260.6).
• Second in the league and No. 8 in the FCS in net punting (39.7) ... SO P Ian Berryman is No. 2 in the FCS in punting with a 46.5 average on 35 kicks.   
• Turned the ball over 16 times this season (8 fumbles and 8 INTs) ... most in the SoCon. 
• Junior RB Detrez Newsome is No. 4 in the SoCon with 67.4 rushing yards per game ... he leads the SoCon and is No. 4 in the nation in all-purpose yards (171.3) ... his nine total TDs (5 rush 4 rec) put him fourth in the league in scoring.     
• Freshman QB Tyrie Adams is second in the league and No. 16 in the FCS in passing (259.7) and third in passing TDs (12) ... No. 4 in the league and No. 15 in the FCS with a 64.6 completion %.
• Junior WR Terryon Robinson is third in the league in receptions (7.7) and receiving yards per game (78.7).
• Senior LB Tyson Dickson is third in the league with 9.9 tackles per game. 
 
SENIORS HAVE SCHOOL RECORD FOR WINS
The 2016 senior class has a 34-13 record with three SoCon titles.  That is the most wins in school history.  This group passed the 2015 and 1980 seniors with the victory against VMI on Oct. 22.  Coach Huesman's 1981 class is fourth all-time at UTC with 31 wins.