Chattanooga Football Game Notes
No. 23/25 Weber State Wildcats (7-4, 6-2 Big Sky) at No. 9/11 Chattanooga Mocs (8-3, 6-2 SoCon)
Finley Stadium (20,668) – Chattanooga, Tenn.
Saturday, Nov. 26, 2016 – 2:05 p.m. (E.S.T.)
Radio:  Mocs Sports Network (96.1 The Legend – Flagship) - Jim Reynolds (pxp), Todd Agne (color), Will Poindexter (sideline)
TV:  ESPN3 – Jim Barbar (pxp), Watson Brown (analyst)
Online: Live Audio, ESPN3 & Live Stats Links on GoMocs.com

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team opens the 2016 NCAA FCS Playoffs at home against Weber State on Saturday, Nov. 26.  Game time against the Wildcats is set for 2:00 p.m. (E.S.T.) at Finley Stadium. 
 
UTC is back in the top 10 this week, checking in at No. 9 in the FCS Coaches Poll.  The Mocs own an 8-3 overall record and finished tied for second in the Southern Conference with a 6-2 league mark.  They are also No. 11 in this week's STATS FCS Top 25. 
 
UTC has already posted its fourth consecutive 8-win season, the longest such streak in school history.  This is the 46th consecutive week UTC is in the Top 25, the sixth longest active streak in the nation.
 
This is the third consecutive appearance in the FCS Playoffs for Chattanooga.  The Mocs have been to the postseason four times overall, also making a trip in 1984.  UTC advanced to the second round last season and the quarterfinals in 2014. 
 
Weber State is coming off a 34-28 win over Idaho State.  The Wildcats moved into the Top 25 this week, checking in a No. 23 in the coaches poll and No. 25 on the STATS ledger. 
 
They have a 7-4 overall record and finished third in the Big Sky with a 6-2 conference mark.  This is their  fifth appearance in the FCS Playoffs ('87, '91, '08, '09). 
 
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.
 
ESPN3
Saturday's game broadcasts nationally on ESPN3.  Jim Barbar is the play-by-play announcer and Watson Brown is the color commentator.  Access the broadcast through the link on the football schedule page on GoMocs.com. 
 
TICKETS
Tickets are available at the UTC Ticket Office by calling (423) 266-MOCS (6627) or online on GoMocs.com.  The UTC Ticket Office is operating on its regular schedule on Monday - Wednesday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  The Office is closed on Thursday for Thanksgiving, but is open from Noon to 4:00 p.m. on Friday for the women's basketball game.  The First Tennessee Pavilion ticket window at Finley Stadium opens on Saturday, Oct. Nov. 26 at 10:00 a.m.  All other ticket windows open at 11:00 a.m. on gameday.

FREE DOWNTOWN SHUTTLE
The FREE CARTA Electric Shuttle runs from downtown to the corner of Main & Chestnut streets on gameday.
 
STUDENT SHUTTLE FROM CAMPUS
The Mocs-branded CARTA busses run from Noon until 12:30 a.m., on game days.  Students can catch the bus at any of the regular CARTA stops on campus.  There are FREE T-shirts for students riding the shuttle for EACH game (while they last).  Drop off at Finley is the corner of Main and Chestnut Streets.  Students ride for free with a valid Mocs Card.
 
IT'S ALL IN THE NAME
On first reference, it is acceptable to refer to us as the "University of Tennessee at Chattanooga". After that, we prefer to be called "Chattanooga" or "UTC."  Our nickname is "Mocs."
 
QUICK NOTES TO KNOW ABOUT THE MOCS
General
• Head coach Russ Huesman is in his eighth season at his alma mater.  He is 58-36 (.617) overall and 42-20 (.677) in Southern Conference action ... 2-2 in the FCS Playoffs and 2-0 at home.
• Ranked in the FCS Top 25 for 47 consecutive weeks ... sixth-longest active streak in the nation.
• 56-52 all-time at Finley Stadium …  32-12 in the Huesman era.
• Mocs have earned six SoCon weekly honors this season ... Nakevion Leslie (W3 & W7), Derrick Craine (W4), Henrique Ribeiro (W4, W5) and Montrell Pardue (W6).    
• The Mocs are No. 101 among all 253 NCAA Division I programs (FBS & FCS) in this week's USA Today Sagarin ratings ... that is ahead of 37 FBS programs, including Rutgers, Purdue and Kansas from Power 5 Conferences.
• Mocs have been ranked in the FCS Top 10 in 20 of the last 21 weeks.
• UTC is 2-3 all-time in the playoffs ... 2-2 in the last two seasons.
• Finley Stadium was the host of the FCS Championship Game for 13 seasons from 1997-2009.   
 
Offense
• Chattanooga is second in the SoCon and No. 20 in the FCS in scoring offense (33.1 ppg).
• Third in the SoCon and No. 38 in the FCS in total offense at 404.5 yards per game. 
• Eighth in the FCS in Team Passing Efficiency (156.92).
• Third in the SoCon - behind two triple-option teams - in rushing offense (201.5) ... 28th 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. 13 in the FCS with 6.4 yards per carry ... tied for second the SoCon with nine rushing TDs ... 89.8 rushing ypg is fourth in the SoCon and No. 27 in the FCS ... 10 carries of 20+ yards.
• Senior WR Xavier Borishade is second in the SoCon with 16.0 yards/catch ... seven receiving TDs is third in the SoCon.
• Senior WR C.J. Board has caught a pass in 28 straight games, longest active streak on the team ... third longest at UTC.
• Junior WR James Stovall has caught a pass in 23 games in a row.
• Junior Alejandro Bennifield's pass efficiency rating is seventh in the nation (158.9) ... second in the SoCon and No. 13 in the FCS with 23 passing TDs ... 10 of his passing TDs have been 30+ yards ... 18th in the FCS in points responsible for (15.3) ... 10th in the country in completion % (65.6%). 
 
Defense
• UTC is currently sixth in the nation in total defense (280.4) and eighth in scoring defense (18.2) ... leads the FCS in passing yards allowed (139.0).
• Also leads the SoCon in team pass efficiency defense (114.18 ... No. 23 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. 3 in the SoCon in rushing defense (137.0).
• Held Alabama to its third-lowest offensive output the last two seasons ... 2015 vs. Louisiana-Monroe, 303 yards ... 2016 vs. LSU, 323 yards ... 2016 vs. Chattanooga, 332 yards.
• 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 29.0 career sacks are second all-time at UTC behind Davis Tull's SoCon-record 39.5 (2011-14) ... leads the SoCon with 8.5.  
• 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.
• Junior LB Dale Warren leads the SoCon with 17.0 TFLs.
 
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 75.9 (44/58) career FG% is currently second all-time at UTC ... 44 makes ties Matt Vick (1997-00) for the school record ... 154-159 on PATs (school-record) in his career.
• Ribeiro's 286 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 ... 47-yarder at Alabama.
• Senior C.J. Board was a second team All-SoCon returner in 2015 ... currently second in the SoCon with 9.7 yards per return.
 
DAVIS NAMED SOCON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Senior DL Keionta Davis is the 2016 Southern Conference Coaches Defensive Player of the Year.  This is the fourth time in the last five seasons a Moc has been named SoCon Defensive Player of the Year.  It also the fifth time in the eight-year tenure of head coach Russ Huesman that a defensive player from UTC has taken the honor.  Davis Tull won it three times in a row from 2012-14, while Josh Beard was honored in 2009. 
 
Davis twice posted three sacks in a game this season, three against Samford and another three against VMI.  It was the third time in his career he has tallied three sacks in a game.  He is now tied for 21st in the FCS with 8.5 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).   
 
MOCS LEAD THE SOCON WITH 11 HONOREES ON THE COACHES ALL-SOCON TEAM
Chattanooga led all teams in the SoCon with 10 honorees on the Coaches' team.  Joining Davis on the first team defense were senior linebacker Nakevion Leslie, junior linebacker Dale Warren and junior defensive back Lucas Webb. 
 
Senior offensive lineman Corey Levin made his third straight All-SoCon first team.  He was joined by senior running back Derrick Craine and junior lineman Jacob Revis.
 
Senior defensive lineman Vantrel McMillan and junior defensive back Montrell Pardue made the second team defense, while junior offensive lineman Josh Cardiello was second team offense.  Offensive lineman Malcolm White and punter Colin Brewer both made the SoCon All-Freshman Team.
 
The media team had a different take with Levin on first team offense and Davis, McMillan and Leslie on first team defense.  Bennifield, Crain and Revis made the second team offense, while Warren and Pardue were second team defense. 
 
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 - 23 overall - 4 under head coach Russ Huesman
8-win seasons - 9 overall - 4 under head coach Russ Huesman
9-win seasons - 6 overall - 2 under head coach Russ Huesman
 
CONNECTIONS
• Weber State junior WR Drake White and UTC freshman DE Khayyan Edwards are both from Marietta, Ga.  White graduated from Northeast HS in 2014, while Edwards graduated from Westside HS in 2015.
• UTC defensive line assistant Tony Brown and Weber State's running backs coach Quinton Ganther both played in the NFL for the Tennessee Titans in 2006. 
 
NOTES TO KNOW ABOUT THE WEBER STATE SERIES
• This is the first meeting between these two teams.
• The only other time the Mocs face a team from the Big Sky was against former member Boise State in 1992.  UTC won that game 35-20 on Sept. 5 in Boise, Idaho.
• This is the first time Weber State has faced a team from the Southern Conference. 
 
NOTES TO KNOW ABOUT WEBER STATE
• Head coach Jay Hill is in his third season at Weber State.  He is 15-19 overall and has increased his win total each of the first three years.  The Wildcats were 2-10 in 2014, and 6-5 last season.
• Weber State cracked the top 25 this week for the first time since 2010. 
• The Wildcats opened the season with back-to-back road losses at Utah State (45-6) and at South Dakota (52-49) ... won the next five before losing at No. 12 North Dakota on Oct. 29 ... lost the next week at Northern Arizona (33-20), then beat No. 16 Cal Poly (22-15) at home on Nov. 12. 
• Six of their seven wins have been by seven points or less.
• WSU has competed in the FCS Playoffs four previous times, 1987, 1991, 2008 and 2009. WSU is 2-2 in first round playoff games.
• QB Jadrian Clark is 245-393 passing for 2,823 yards, 22 TDs and 12 INTs ... No. 19 in the FCS in passing yards per game (256.6) and passing TDs ... No. 21 in the FCS in completion % ... No. 15 in the country in total offense (280.7) per game.
• Four receivers have at least 36 catches, led by Andrew Vollert with 57.
• Six receivers have at least 200 receiving yards, led by Vollert's 757.
• Seven different receivers have caught a TD pass, led by Vollert's six.
• Top rusher, Treshawn Garrett has 124 carries for 517 yards and five TDs. 
• As a team, they are 11/21 (52%) on 4th down ... second in the FCS.
• Landon Stive leads the team with 96 tackles ... fifth in the Big Sky.
• Tre'von Johnson's 3.5 sacks leads the team ... only have 11 sacks as a team on the year ... 115th in the FCS.
• Taron Johson has a team-high 12 PBUs. 
• Jacob DeMaio is No. 7 in the FCS in punting at 43.8 yards per kick ... 39.0 net punting is No. 12 in the FCS.   
• Cory Thomson is No. 7 in the FCS in KOR yards (28.1) oer attempt ... 25.7 team average leads the nation.
 
MOCS IN THE PLAYOFFS
• UTC is 2-3 all-time in the FCS Playoffs.
• 2-0 all-time at Finley Stadium in the FCS Playoffs.
• 2-2 in the Russ Huesman era.
• 2015 - Dec. 5 - Lost at No. 1 Jacksonville State 35-41 in overtime at Jacksonville, Ala.- 2nd Rd.  
• 2015 - Nov. 28 - Beat No. 17 Fordham 50-20 at home. - 1st Rd.
• 2014 - Dec. 12 - Lost at No. 1 New Hampshire 30-35 in Hanover, N.H. - Quarterfinals.
• 2014 - Dec. 6 - Beat No. 21 Indiana State 35-14 at home - 2nd Rd.
• 1984 - Nov. 24 - Lost at Arkansas State 10-37 at Jonesboro, Ark.
 
SENIORS HAVE SCHOOL RECORD FOR WINS
The 2016 senior class has a 35-15 (.700) 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.
 
RECEIVERS CLIMBING RANKS
Senior receivers Xavier Borishade and C.J. Board are moving up the UTC ranks for career numbers.  Borishade is currently sixth all-time at UTC with 15 receiving touchdowns.  Board is currently eighth with 138 catches and needs seven more to pass Jeremy Grier (2001-03) and Terrell Owens (1992-95) for sixth all-time at UTC.  Board is seventh in all-time receiving yards with 1,874 receiving yards ... needs six yards to pass Alonzo Nix (2003-04) for sixth.
 
BENNIFIELD PUTTING UP TOP 10 NUMBERS
Junior QB Alejandro Bennifield has thrown 23 touchdown passes this season.  That is tied for third in a season at UTC with Jacob Huesman (2014).  The school record is 27 set by Chris Sanders in 1999.
 
CRAINE'S CAREER NUMBERS
Senior RB Derrick Craine has 2,722 career rushing yards.  He is currently fifth all-time at Chattanooga and 369 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 career 100-yard rushing games, which is fifth all-time at UTC.
 
RIBEIRO'S NEXT FG IS THE SCHOOL RECORD
Senior kicker Henrique Ribeiro nailed a 47-yarder last week at Alabama, the 44th make of his career.  His next field goal will break a tie with Matt Vick (1997-00) for the school record. 
 
MOCS RANKED FOR 47 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS
The Mocs are No. 9 in the FCS Coaches Poll and No. 11 in the STATS Top 25 this week.  UTC has been ranked in the Top 25 for 47 consecutive weeks, dating back to Nov. 4, 2013.  That is the sixth-longest active streak in the country.  The Mocs have been among the Top 25 for 51 weeks in the Russ Huesman era (since 2009) and are 31-18 when ranked under Huesman.  UTC was ranked as high as No. 3 on Nov. 1, 1968, in the Small College Top 20, before the FCS was created in 1978.