Chattanooga Football Game Notes
No. 17 Samford Bulldogs (1-2, 0-1 SoCon) at Chattanooga Mocs (3-0, 1-0 SoCon)
Finley Stadium (20,668) – Chattanooga, Tenn.
Saturday – September 22, 2018 – 7:00 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+ – Chris Goforth (pxp), Scott McMahen (analyst)
Online: Live audio, ESPN+ & live stats links on GoMocs.com
 
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team is preparing for a big Southern Conference home game this week.  The Mocs host No. 17 and preseason league favorite Samford on Saturday, Sept. 22, at 7:00 p.m. (E.D.T.) at Finley Stadium. 
 
Chattanooga is off to a 3-0 start for the second time in the last three seasons, and just the sixth time since joining the FCS/Division I-AA in 1977.  It is the first time since 1979 UTC opened the year with wins over three FCS teams.
 
UTC started with a convincing 34-10 triumph in a weather-delayed 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 in Week 2, and a 34-24 win at UT Martin last week.
 
Samford came into the season with a top-10 ranking and the preseason nod as the best team in the SoCon by both the league's coaches and media.  The Bulldogs opened with a 66-9 win over Shorter and nearly pulled off a huge upset in a 36-26 loss at Florida State on Sept. 8.  They dropped shocker at home last week to Mercer and sit at 1-2 on the season.
 
There were a lot of fireworks in last year's meeting between these two teams in Birmingham, Ala., on Oct. 28, 2017.  UTC came into the game with just one win, but pulled off a 23-21 victory against the eighth-ranked Bulldogs.  Freshman Victor Ulmo hit a 39-yarder as time expired to give UTC the victory.  
 
This game features two of the top passing offenses in the SoCon.  Samford leads the league in scoring (38.7 - 13th in the FCS), passing yards per game (374.0 - 2nd in the FCS) and total offense (501.7 - 11th in the FCS).  The Mocs are third in the SoCon in scoring (32.3), second in passing yards (291.0 - 21st in the FCS), and fourth in total offense (422.7).
 
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 Chris Goforth (pxp) and Scott McMahen (analyst) 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.
 
NOTES ON THE POTENTIAL OF A 4-0 START
The Mocs last started a season 4-0 in 2016, but it has not been a normal occurrence at UTC.  In fact, it has only happed five times in school history.  Traditionally, the Mocs played an FBS opponent early in most season, which made a long winning streak to open the a tough campaign.  Below is a look at the Mocs previous 4-0 starts.
2016 - 4-0 start - 9-4 finish - 6-2 SoCon - FCS Playoffs
1979 - 4-0 start - 9-2 finish - 5-1 SoCon - SoCon Champions
1968 - 4-0 start - 9-1 finish - No. 3 final national ranking
1951 - 4-0 start - 6-5 finish
1931 - 4-0 start - 9-2 finish - Dixie Conference Champions
 
QUICK NOTES TO KNOW ABOUT THE MOCS
General
• Tom Arth is in his second season with the Mocs ... 6-8 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.
• Mocs are 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 second in the league and No. 27 in the FCS in home attendance with 9,020 coming out for the Tennessee Tech game.
• The Mocs have to cut down on penalties ... they are currently seventh in the SoCon and No. 81 in the nation with 8.0 per game through the first three contests.
 
Offense
• Fourth in the league and 37th in the FCS in total offense (422.7) ... seventh in rushing (131.7) and third in passing (291.0) ... also 21st in the FCS in passing yards.
• Third in the SoCon in scoring offense (32.3 ppg).
• Leads the league and 11th in the FCS in team pass efficiency (173.97).
• Third in the SoCon and 16th in the FCS on third down (8/17 - 47.1%).
• UTC has three runs of 20+ yards in the first three games ... 40 (TD) yards by Tyrell Price and 24 yards by Nick Tiano against TTU ... 40 (TD) yards by Price at UT Martin ... only had three such runs of 20+ yards all of last year. 
• Mocs have eight 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 in the last two games ... last time with two in a row was when they went three games without a sack in 2014. 
• Mocs are second in the SoCon and 17th in the FCS on third down 19/41 (46.3%).
 
Defense
• Fourth in the SoCon in total defense (388.3).
• Third the SoCon and 35th in the FCS in passing yards allowed (189.0) ... 29th in the FCS and second in the SoCon in pass efficiency defense (111.21).
• Fifth in the league in rushing defense (199.3).
• 25th in the FCS in scoring defense (20.7).
• Sophomore Brandon Dowdell is second in the SoCon and No. 17 in the FCS with five passes defended.  
• UTC leads the SoCon and is No. 10 in the FCS in red zone defense (60.0% - 6/10).   
 
Special Teams
• Victor Ulmo is on the 2018 Fred Mitchell Award Watch List ... 4-6 this season and 13-18 (72.2%) for his career.
• Sixth in the SoCon in net punting (30.8).
• Ninth in the league in punt returns (-2.0).
• Sixth in the SoCon in kickoff returns (17.0).  
 
Nunnelly BY THE NUMBERS
Sophomore receiver Bryce Nunnelly has posted 100 receiving yards games in each of the first three outings of the season.  He is currently tied with Alonzo Nix for the school record for consecutive 100-yard receiving games set in 2003.  Nunnelly caught eight passes for 117 yards at UT Martin last week and currently leads the nation with 182.0 yards per game. 
- Has 25 catches for 546 yards in three games.
- Receiving yards in first three games would have led the team in four of the last 10 years.
- First Moc with 7 catches in three-straight games since Blue Cooper in 2009.
- Had a 42-yard catch at UT Martin … sixth catch of 30 yards+ this season … Mocs only had five as a team all last year.
- Three 100-yard receiving games in a season is tied for eighth all-time at UTC ... needs one more to tie for fifth ... last one was Joel Bradford with four in 2010.
- 1st in the SoCon and 6th in the FCS in all-purpose yards (182.0)
- 2nd/13th in receiving TDs (3)
- 2nd/4th in receptions/game (8.3)
- 1st/35th in yards/catch (21.8)
- 429 yards in first two games are the most in consecutive games in school history
- Fourth player in school history with multiple 75-yard TD catches in one season ... no one has three. 
- STATS FCS National Offensive Player of the Week and repeated as SoCon Offensive Player of the Week after posting 10 catches for 268 yards and two TDs at The Citadel ... also threw the game-winning 2-pt. conversion in overtime ... 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 ... 3rd-most yards in a league game in SoCon history ... 76-yard TD in the first quarter ties for 17th-longest in school history.
- SoCon Offensive Player of the Week honors after posting seven catches for 161 yards and an 89-yard TD score against Tennessee Tech ... fifth longest pass play in school history and longest since the school-record 94-yarder by Stepfon Hawkins in 1997. 
 
MARSHALL COOPER LEADS THE SOCON IN TACKLES
Junior LB Marshall Cooper has posted 27 tackles in the last two games and currently leads the SoCon with 11.3 tackles per game.  That number ranks 11th in the FCS. 
 
TURNOVER TURNAROUND
Through three games, the Mocs are +4 in turnover margin.  That is second in the SoCon and 18th in the FCS.  That is a dramatic difference than a year ago when UTC was -12 in that category, 8th in the SoCon and 113th in the FCS.  UTC leads the SoCon (17th in the FCS) with three fumbles recovered.  The Mocs are also second in the league (13th in the FCS) with four interceptions.  UTC has only thrown two picks of their own and lost just one fumble. 
 
TIANO also putting up impressive numbers
Junior QB Nick Tiano is 10th in the FCS and second in the SoCon in total offense (319.7) through three games.  He leads the SoCon and is No. 9 in the FCS in pass efficiency (174.0) and is second in the league and No. 13 in the FCS in passing yards (291.0).  Other SoCon/FCS rankings include 2nd/17th in Completion % (67.9%), 2nd/17th with six passing TDs and 1st/14th in yards/completion (15.3).  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 had 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. 
 
TYRELL PRICE GIVES THE MOCS A RUNNING ATTACK
Junior RB Tyrell Price had 22 carries for 118 yards and two TDs at UT Martin.  He as two rushing TDs in each of the last two games and leads the SoCon with five rushing TDs.  He is currently second in the SoCon with 95.7 rushing yards per game.  He also leads the league in scoring (10.0) and total TDs (5).
 
NOTES TO KNOW ABOUT THE SAMFORD SERIES
• This is the 44th meeting between these two teams in a series that dates back to 1906.
• UTC is 30-10-3 overall ... 8-2 since Samford joined the SoCon in 2008.
• UTC is 21-5-2 all time in Chattanooga ... 6-2 at Finley Stadium.
• Mocs have won four in a row.
• Most of this series was played between 1906 and 1968. There was a 30-year gap in games between 1968 and 1998. UTC is 11-3 against Samford since the 1998 season.
 
SCOUTING SAMFORD
• Samford opened Southern Conference play with a 30-24 loss at home to Mercer.  In the loss for Samford, quarterback Devlin Hodges completed 30-of-41 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns. Kelvin McKnight caught 10 passes for 104 yards and a score. Aaron Harris led the defense with 11 tackles, while Horace Roberts followed with eight. Jordan Montgomery had an interception for the Bulldogs.
• Samford senior quarterback Devlin Hodges and senior defensive lineman Ahmad Gooden have been named to the watch lists for the Walter Payton and Buck Buchanan awards, respectively. The Walter Payton Award goes to the top offensive player at the FCS level, while the Buck Buchanan Award is given to the FCS's best defensive player.
• The Samford football team has appeared in the national weekly FCS top 25 polls for 24-consecutive weeks. The Bulldogs, ranked 17th this week, have been ranked every week since Oct. 10, 2016.
• Through the first three weeks of the season, Samford players have earned three Southern Conference Player of the Week honors. Freshman place-kicker Mitchell Fineran was named Special Teams Player of the Week following both of Samford's first two games. Senior linebacker Aaron Harris earned Defensive Player of the Week honors after the Bulldogs' game at Florida State.
 
LAST TIME VS. SAMFORD - UTC 23 - NO. SAMFORD 21 - 10/28/18 - BIRMINGHAM, ALA.
• The Mocs scored a 23-21 Southern Conference win at No. 8 Samford … UTC improves to 2-7 overall and 2-4 in SoCon action.
• First road win over a top 10 team since a 30-9 victory at No. 10 Appalachian State on Oct. 8, 1983 … UTC's first win over any top 10 opponent since a 38-17 triumph over No. 10 Jacksonville State on Sept. 10, 2011 in Finley Stadium.
* UTC snapped Samford's nine-game home winning streak.  
• Victor Ulmo kicked a game-winning field goal with 19 second left to play … first game-winning kick for the Mocs since Henrique Ribeiro in a 20-17 win at Wofford on Oct. 24, 2017.  
• Mocs turned the ball over three times on Samford's side of the field … trailing 7-0 in the first quarter Copeland was picked off on 2nd and 8 from the Samford 26 … scored tied 7-7 in the second quarter, Darrell Bridges fumbles on 1st and goal from the Bulldogs' four … leading 20-7 Copeland was picked off on 2nd and eight from the Samford 36 in the third quarter.
• Michael Bean forced a fumble that was recovered by Taylor Reynolds … first takeaways in four contests … stretch lasted 283:04 of clock time … Reynolds added an INT in the second quarter.   
• UTC turned the ball over four times (2 INTs, 2 fumbles).
• Mocs forced Samford into seven miscues (3 INTs, 4 fumbles) … most fumble recoveries for the Mocs since four in a 38-20 loss at Western Carolina on Oct. 22, 2005 … most turnovers forced since posting three INTs and four FRs in a 34-20 win at Furman on Nov. 19, 1994.     
• 17 of Chattanooga's 23 points came off of turnovers.
• UTC was flagged 12 times for 107 penalty yards … most since 15 penalties for 165 yards vs. ETSU in a 32-10 loss on Nov. 10, 2001.
• Mocs were 4/14 on third down, but 3/4 on fourth down in the game.
• This is Chattanooga's third win by three points or less since 2009 … 3-12 in that span.
• Michael Bean - First forced fumble of his career.
• Cole Copeland - 14-27 for 144 yards, two TDs and two INTs.
• Tae Davis - Career-high 14 tackles … 11 solo ... 1.5 TFLs ... FF, PBU & QBH.
• Isaiah Mack - Three hurries to go with four tackles.
• Kareem Orr - Season-high seven tackles ... forced two fumbles and broke up a pass.
• Taylor Reynolds - Two tackles, including a TFL ... recovered a fumble in the first quarter … second of his career … first since his freshman season ... first career INT in the second quarter.
• Alex Trotter - Career-highs with 58 yards on 14 carries ... 35 yards on four carries on the game-winning drive.
• Victor Ulmo - Game-winning 39 yard FG with 19 seconds left.
• Lucas Webb - 20-yard pick-6 before the half … fourth of his career is a SoCon record ... second defensive score of the year (FR at VMI) … fifth of his career ties Furman's Ryan Steed (2008-11) for the SoCon record … Steed had 3 INTs and 2 FRs ... 13th career INT ties Bucky Wolford (1965-67) and Phillip Aldridge (1982-85) for the school record.
 
POSTGAME NOTES AT UT MARTIN
• Scored a 34-24 win at UT Martin today … UTC improves to 3-0 overall while the Skyhawks dropped to 0-3 ... 3-0 for the 14th times in school history … just the third time since 1991 … UTC has started 4-0 six times … last in 2016 ... 3-0 against three FCS opponents for the first time since 1979.
• The Mocs had two takeways in the game …  third game in a row with at least two … first time with two takeaways in three-straight games to start the season since 2010.
• Two of UTC's first three possessions started on UTM side of the field.
• Five sacks today with a high of two from Haw Schrider … highest team total since seven at Sam Houston State in the 2016 FCS Playoffs … Most in the regular season since six vs. VMI in Chattanooga on Oct. 22, 2016 … Most in a regular season road game since five at VMI on Oct. 17, 2015.
• The Mocs did not allow a sack for the second game in a row … first time with back-to-back games with out allowing a sack since going three in a row in 2014.
• UTC has only allowed two sacks this season … gave up 10 in the first three games last season.
• Mocs posted 4-3 yards of total offense (176 rushing and 227 passing) … first time with three straight games with 400 yards of total offense since the last game of 2015 and the first two of 2016 …
• Mocs ran for a season-high 176 yards … 35 attempts and 5.0 yards per rush were also season-highs … most rushing yards in a game since 236 at Sam Houston State on 12/3/16.   
• UTC broke up a season-high six passes in the game … in addition to two INTs.
• Colin Brewer – Jr.-P - Two punt for 44.5 average ... both downed inside the 20 ... season-long 51-yarder.
• Marshall Cooper – Jr.-LB - Game-high 12 tackles ... added ½-sack and a PBU ... second game in a row with 10 tackles.
• Brandon Dowdell – So.-DB - Tied a career-high with eight tackles for the second game in a row ... first career INT ... also broke up two other passes ... added ½-sack. 
• D.J. Jackson – So.-DB - Five tackles, including his first career sack.
• Jordan Jones – So.-DB - Tied a career-high with three tackles ... added a TFL.
• Bryce Nunnelly – So.-WR - Eight catches for 117 yards ... first Moc with 7 catches in three-straight games since Blue Cooper in 2009 ... first Moc with 100 receiving yards in three-straight game since Antonio Nix in 2003 ... leads the SoCon with 182 receiving yards per game ... long catch was 42 yards … sixth catch of 30 yards this season … Mocs only had five as a team all last year.
• Kareem Orr – Sr.-DB - INT in the first half ... second of the season … third of his career ... tied a career-high with eight tackles ... also assisted on a TFL.
• Tyrell Price – Jr.-RB - Game-high 22 carries for 118 yards and two TDs ... two rushing TDs in each of the last two games ... most yards since Darrell Bridges had 149 yards on 22 tries against The Citadel last season .... first 100-yard since Bridges against The Citadel .... most carries since Darrell Bridges had 22 tries at Wofford last season ... four catches for 24 yards gave him a season-high 165 all-purpose yards ... leads the SoCon with five rushing TDs ... second in the league with 95.7 yards per game.
• Hawk Schrider – Jr.-LB - Career-high 2.0 sacks and 2.5 TFLs ... most sacks in a game by a Moc since Keionta Davis had 3.0 against VMI on 10/22/16 ... doubled his previous career-high with eight tackles today.
 • Nick Tiano – Sr.-QB - 20-24 for 227 yards and two TDs ... ran six times for 13 yards ... connected on his first 10 passes ... second in the SoCon with 319 yards of total offense ... second in the league with 291.0 passing yards per game ... second in the SoCon with six passing TDs.
• Victor Ulmo – So.-K - 2-2 on field goals … 31 and 25 yards ... bounced back after going 0-2 at The Citadel ... 4-6 on the season ... 13-18 for his career … 72.2%.
• Wil Young – Sr.-WR - Four catches for 41 yards and two TDs ... TD catches were from 11 and 14 yards.
- All three of his career TDs have come this season.