Chattanooga Football Game Notes
Chattanooga Mocs (2-0, 1-0 SoCon) at UT Martin Skyhawks (0-2, 0-0 OVC)
Graham Stadium (7,500) – Martin, Tenn.
Saturday – September 15, 2018 – 4:00 p.m. (E.D.T.)
Radio:  Mocs Sports Network (Real 96.1 FM – Flagship) - Jim Reynolds (pxp), Todd Agne (color), Will Poindexter (sideline)
TV: ESPN+ – Tom Britt (pxp), Chris Brinkley (analyst), John Able (sideline)
Online: Live audio, ESPN+ & live stats links on GoMocs.com

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team heads to Martin, Tenn., this weekend for a non-conference showdown against in-state rival UT Martin.  The Mocs are looking to snap a two-game slide against the Skyhawks. 
 
Chattanooga is off to a 2-0 start for just the 10th time since joining the FCS/Division I-AA in 1977.  The Mocs are trying to win their first three games of the season for just the sixth time in their FCS history and the second time in the last three years.
 
UTC opened with a convincing 34-10 triumph in a weather-delayed, season-opening marathon against Tennessee Tech that lasted nearly six hours.  The Mocs then posted their first overtime win since 2007 with a 29-28 victory at The Citadel last week. 
 
UTM is currently 0-2 on the year, but started with a pair of FBS foes.  They lost 51-14 at Missouri, and 61-37 last week at MTSU.  MTSU only led 20-17 late in the first half and 47-37 in the fourth quarter as the Skyhawks put up 461 yards of total offense in the loss.
 
This is just Chattanooga's second trip to Martin in a series that has only been contested five times since 1991.  The Mocs came away with a 26-7 win in their last visit to UTM on Sept. 2, 1993. 
 
The Skyhawks have gotten the better of UTC in the previous two meetings in Chattanooga.  UTM scored a 31-21 win on Aug. 29, 2013, and a 21-7 win on Sept. 16 of last year. 
 
MOCS SPORTS NETWORK
The Mocs Sports Network broadcasts the game on Real 96.1 FM in Chattanooga.  Jim Reynolds has the play-by-play for his 39th season, 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 TuneIn Radio app through a link on the football schedule page on GoMocs.com.
 
ESPN+
Host schools produce games for the ESPN family of networks.  This week's contest is carried by ESPN+ and includes Tom Britt (pxp), Chris Brinkley (analyst) and John Able (sideline) on the call.  Subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year).  It is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App, the leading sports app and the premier all-in-one digital sports platform for fans, and is also be available through ESPN.com.
 
Nunnelly Named National Player of the Week, repeats socon honors
For the second week in a row, sophomore Bryce Nunnelly grabbed Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors.  This time, he also took home STATS FCS National Offensive Player of the Week recognition.  Nunnelly caught 10 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns, and threw a game-winning 2-point conversion in overtime, lifting Chattanooga past The Citadel 29-28 on Saturday.  He was six yards shy of the school record set by Joel Bradford at Furman in 2010 and posted the first 10-catch game for a Moc since Xavier Borishade against Mars Hill on Sept. 10, 2015.  On the final play of OT, Nunnelly took a pitch from quarterback Nick Tiano, rolled right in the backfield and then lofted a pass to Jordan Giberti in the end zone.  Nunnelly, who caught 76 and 20-yard touchdowns, totaled the third-most receiving yards ever in a SoCon game.  This is the first time a Moc has won back-to-back SoCon weekly honors since Jacob Huesman in the last two weekends of 2015.   Keionta Davis is the last Moc to earn national honors, doing so after a three-sack performance in a 41-21 win over Samford on Sept. 24, 2016.
 
QUICK NOTES TO KNOW ABOUT THE MOCS
General
• Tom Arth is in his second season with the Mocs ... 5-8 at UTC ... 4-5 in SoCon action ... came to UTC from John Carroll University where he was the NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year in 2016 ... 40-8 record the previous four years at JCU.
• Coach Arth is looking for his first non-conference road win at UTC ... lost to Jacksonville State and LSU last season. 
• 58-56 all-time at Finley Stadium ... 39-43 in SoCon home games.
• UTC is 34-13 in league play since the start of the 2012 season ... 29-10 since 2013.
• The Mocs were 2-2 in SoCon road play last season, including wins at VMI (63-7) and No. 8 Samford (23-21) ... UTC nearly pulled off an upset at No. 8 Wofford, losing in overtime 24-21. 
• The Mocs are third in the league and No. 25 in the FCS in home attendance with 9,020 coming out for the Tennessee Tech game.
• UTC is trying to go 3-0 for the second time in the last three years, and just the sixth time since joining the FCS/Division I-AA in 1977 ... the Mocs have only had 10 2-0 starts in that time.
• The Mocs have to cut down on penatlies ... they are currently last in the SoCon and No. 96 in the nation with 9.0 per game through the first two contests.
• Finished last season -12 in the turnover margin, which was 8th in the SoCon and 113th in the FCS ... this season +3 with five takeaways leads the league and is 12th in the FCS ... three fumble recoveries leads the SoCon and is eighth in the country.
 
Offense
• Fourth in the league and 23rd in the FCS in total offense (435.5) ... eightth in rushing (121.0) and second in passing (332.5) ... also seventh in the FCS in passing.   
• UTC posted back-to-back games of 400 yards of total offense for the first time since VMi and Western Carolina in 2016 ... last time with three was the final game in 2015 (444 at Jacksonville State) and the first two games in 2016 [Shorter (441) & Presbyterian (496)] .  
• Fourth in the SoCon in scoring offense (31.5 ppg).
• Leads the league and 12th in the FCS in team pass efficiency (170.0).
• Third in the SoCon and 16th in the FCS on third down (8/17 - 47.1%).
• UTC had two runs of 20+ yards against Tennessee Tech ... 40 (TD) yards by Tyrell Price and 24 yards by Nick Tiano ... only had three such runs of 20+ yards all of last year. 
• Mocs have seven passing plays of 30+ yards this season ... only had five all of last year.
• UTC's offensive line has only allowed two sacks this season and none at The Citadel ... first game not allowing a sack since the 2017 season-opener against Jacksonville State.
• Junior RB Tyrell Price leads the SoCon and is No. 5 in the FCS with three rushing TDs ... he is second in the league with 84.5 rushing yards per game. 
 
Defense
• Led the SoCon and No. 25 in the FCS in total defense (326.4) in 2017 ... led the SoCon and No. 12 in the FCS in passing yards allowed (163.2) last season.
• Returning on the defensive side of the ball are All-SoCon defensive linemen Isaiah Mack and Derek Mahaffey.  Starting linebackers Khayyan Edwards, Tavon Lawson and Hawk Schrider also return, along with Michael Bean who made two starts last year.  In the secondary, UTC returns starters Jerrell Lawson, who made the SoCon All-Freshman team, Kareem Orr and C.J. Fritz.
• Currently fourth in the SoCon in total defense (354.0).
• Leads the SoCon and 16th in the FCS in passing yards allowed (133.5) ... 12th in the FCS and second in the SoCon in pass efficiency defense (94.59).
• Fifth in the league in rushing defense (220.5).
• 25th in the FCS in scoring defense (19.0).
• Senior DL Isaiah Mack and sophomore LB Marshall Cooper are both second in the SoCon and No. 16 in the FCS with 22 tackles.
• UTC leads the SoCon and is No. 13 in the FCS in red zone defense (60.0% - 3/5).   
 
Special Teams
• Victor Ulmo is on the 2018 Fred Mitchell Award Watch List ... 2-4 this season and 11-16 (68.8%) for his career.
• Eighth in the SoCon in net punting (28.78).
• Ninth in the league in punt returns (-2.0).
 
nunnelly is nation's top receiver through two games
Sophomore Bryce Nunnelly leads the nation with 214.5 receiving yards per game.  His other SoCon/FCS rankings include 1st/4th in all-purpose yards (214.5), 2nd/6th in receiving TDs (3), 2nd/5th in receptions/game (8.5), 1st/12th in yards/catch (25.2).  His 429 yards are the most in consecutive games in school history, and he is fourth player in school history with multiple 75-yard TD catches in one season ... no one has three in one season or three in a career.
 
tiano also putting up impressive numbers
Junior QB Nick Tiano is fourth in the FCS and second in the SoCon in total offense (369.0) through two games.  He leads the SoCon and is No. 11 in the FCS in pass efficiency (170.1) and is second in the league and No. 5 in the FCS in passing yards (332.5).  Other SoCon/FCS rankings include 2nd/17th with four passing TDs and 1st/5th in yards/completion (17.97).  Tiano is the first Moc to throw back-to-back 300-yard games since B.J. Coleman against Furman (432) and Elon (386) in 2010.  He also has the most passing yards in the first two games of the season since Chris Sanders threw for 358 at Samford and 367 at Louisville in 1999.  His 347 yards against The Citadel were the most in a game since Jacob Huesman had 359 against Mercer in a 38-31 win on Oct. 25, 2014.  His 318 passing against TTU were the most in a season opener since B.J. Coleman had 340 vs. No. 3 Appalachian State on Sept. 4, 2010.  No Moc has ever thrown for 300 yards in three straight games to start the season.  The last time is happened at any point was Chris Sander's string of five in a row in 2000. 
 
NOTES TO KNOW ABOUT THE UT MARTIN SERIES
• This is the sixth meeting in the series that did not start until 1991.
• No games played from 1993-2013.
• UTC holds a 3-2 advantage.
• The Skyhawks have won the last two, both in Chattanooga in 2013 and last season.
• Only other game at Martin was a 26-7 UTC win on Sept. 2, 1993.
 
SCOUTING UT MARTIN
• This is the home debut for UT Martin after opening the first two weeks on the road ... Family Weekend.
• The Skyhawks pushed the Blue Raiders late into the contest last week, trimming the deficit to as close at 10 points in the fourth quarter while notching the most total points against a FBS program in school history in a 61-37 loss.
• Sophomore quarterback Dresser Winn put on a show in Murfreesboro en route to OVC Offensive Player of the Week honors, setting new career highs in completions (34), attempts (53), yards (355) and touchdowns (four) against Middle Tennessee. The sophomore notched a touchdown in each quarter, tallying touchdown completions of 16, 11, 51 and 8 yards, respectively.
• Joining in the action was newcomer Terry Williams (11 and 8-yard receptions) who tallied a pair of touchdown receptions while Devonte Howard (16-yard reception), LaDarius Galloway (51-yard reception) and Jaimiee Bowe (37-yard rush) also notched touchdowns in the contest.
• Once again the linebacker duo of James Gilleylen and Kevin Prather, Jr. proved dynamic on defense. The pair combined to tally 19 tackles – including 16 solos – while each notching a sack in the contest. As a whole, the Skyhawks tallied seven tackles for loss and four sacks in the game.
• UT Martin head coach Jason Simpson is currently in his 13th season at the helm of the Skyhawks with an overall record of 78-61. Simpson currently ranks seventh in OVC history in career victories while serving as the league's longest active tenured head coach. Simpson was the offensive coordinator at UTC from 2003-05. 
• UTM offensive coordinator Geep Wade is a former team captain for the Mocs (1999-01) and coached at UTC two different times ... GA in 2002 and OL coach in 2010-11. 
 
LAST TIME VS. UT MARTIN - UTM 21 - UTC 7 - 9/16/17 - FINLEY STADIUM
• The No. 15 Chattanooga Mocs dropped their home opener to UT Martin 21-7 last season ... the loss drops the Mocs to 0-3 for the first time since the 2004 season.  The Skyhawks improved to 2-1 overall.
• UTC had no first downs and just 23 yards of total offense at the half (12 rushing and 11 passing).
• The Mocs were just 1/12 on third down in the game.
• UTM sacked Mocs' QB Nick Tiano five times … second game in a row the Mocs have given up five sacks … prior to that the Mocs did not allow five sacks in a game since at Samford on Nov. 16, 2013.
• Michael Bean – career-high six tackles … all solo.
• Bingo Morton – Jr.-WR - three catches for a career-high 75 yards and a TD ... 59-yard TD grab was the longest of his career ... second career TD reception.
 
POSTGAME NOTES AT THE CITADEL
• The Chattanooga Mocs posted a 29-28 overtime win at The Citadel ... won in overtime for the first time since a 45-38 win at Georgia Southern on Sept. 22, 2007 … snapped a six game losing streak in OT games.
• The Citadel used 80 plays to put up 380 yards (290 rushing, 90 passing, 4.8 yards/play) … The Mocs had 452 yards of total offense (105 rushing, 347 passing and 8.2 average per play).
• UTC won the turnover battle, recovering two fumbles against one INT.
• The Citadel was 10/18 on third down and 3/4 on 4th down.
• The Bulldogs held the ball for 37:07 in the game ... largest discrepancy in TOP under Arth.   
• UTC snaps a two-game slide to The Citadel … Mocs are 31-19-2 all time … 13-12-1 in Charleston.
• The Mocs went five quarters without allowing an offensive touchdown to open the season … gave up two in the second quarter.
• The Mocs gave up a blocked punt in the third quarter … first one allowed since Mercer blocked one on Oct. 8, 2016 ... defense held on the ensuing possession when The Citadel missed a FG ... offensive line did not allow a sack for the first time since the 2017 season-opener against Jacksonville State.
• Seven Mocs had career-highs in tackles, including Isaiah Mack (16), Marshall Cooper (15), Derek Mahaffey (11), Khayyan Edwards (10), Jerrell Lawson (9), Brandon Dowdell (8) and Michael Bean (8).  
• Michael Bean – Jr.-LB - Career-high eight tackles.
• Marshall Cooper – Jr.-LB - Career-high 15 tackles ... first time with 10+.
• Brandon Dowdell – So.-DB - Career-high eight tackles ... previous high was three.
• Khayyan Edwards – Jr.-LB - Career-high 10 tackles.
• Jordan Giberti – So.-TE - Lone catch was the game-winning 2-point conversion in OT.
• Jerrell Lawson – So.-DB - Career-high nine tackles.
• Bryce Nunnelly – So.-WR - 10 catches for 268 yards and two TDs ... threw the game-winning 2-point conversion to Jordan Giberti ... most receiving yards in a game since Joel Bradford's school-record 274 (15) in a 36-28 win at No. 25 Furman on Oct. 23, 2010 ... most catches in a game since Xavier Borishade had 10 vs. Mars Hill on Sept. 10, 2015 ... 161 yards on seven catches in the season opener against TTU last week ... 429 yards are the most in consecutive games in school history ... third most yards in a league game in SoCon history ... 76-yard TD in the first quarter ... ties for 17th-longest in school history ... second long one of the season … 89-yarder vs. TTU ... also caught a 20-yarder in the second quarter ... fourth player in school history with multiple 75-yard TD catches in one season.
• Isaiah Mack – Sr.-DL - Career-high 16 tackles, including a ½ sack ... third game with 10+ tackles.
• Derek Mahaffey – Sr.-DL - Career-high 11 tackles ... added ½ sack ... first time with 10+.
• Joseph Parker – Sr.-WR - five catches for 72 yards.
• Tyrell Price – Jr.-RB - 17 carries for 71 yards and two TDs ... barreled in from 16 yards out in the first quarter ... broke three tackles on the play ... 4-yard run in OT.
• Nick Tiano – Jr.-QB - 16-28 for 347 yards, two TDs and one INT ... 76 and 20-yard TD passes to Bryce Nunnelly ... ran seven times for 42 yards ... most passing yards in a game since Jacob Huesman had 359 against Mercer in a 38-31 win on Oct. 25, 2014 ... first Moc to throw back-to-back 300-yard games since B.J. Coleman against Furman (432) and Elon (386) in 2010 ... most passing yards in first two games of the season since Chris Sanders threw for 358 at Samford and 367 at Louisville in 1999.