The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team is back on the road this week at Mercer.  Game time is set for 4:00 p.m. (E.D.T.) at Five Star Stadium in Macon, Ga., on Saturday, Oct. 5.  Mercer is promoting a United Way Pink Out Game for breast cancer awareness as part of Saturday's contest. 
 
The Mocs are 2-3 overall and 1-0 in Southern Conference action after last week's 60-36 win over Western Carolina. Chattanooga put up 400 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns to go with 589 yards of total offense in the win against the Catamounts. 
 
The Bears are trying to snap a three-game slide and are also 2-3 overall.  They are 1-1 in SoCon action, including a 49-27 win over the Catamounts in the season opener and a 45-10 loss to No. 15 Furman on Sept. 21.  Mercer's other win was a 45-7 victory at Presbyterian on Sept. 7. 
 
Five Star Stadium has been a tough place to play for the Mocs.  UTC is making its third trip to Mercer since the Bears reinstated football in 2013.  The Mocs dropped both of their previous trips in 2015 (17-14) and 2017 (30-10) and are just 2-3 against the Bears since they joined the SoCon.
 
No. 14 Furman is currently tied with Samford for the SoCon lead with 2-0 league records.  They are both 3-2 overall.  The Mocs (2-3) are third at 1-0, while Mercer (2-3), Wofford (2-2) and VMI (2-3) are fourth at 1-1.  The Citadel (2-3, 0-1 SoCon), ETSU (2-3, 0-2 SoCon) and Western Carolina (1-3, 0-2 SoCon) are all looking for their first win in league action.
 
MOCS SPORTS NETWORK
The Mocs Sports Network broadcasts the game on the radio on WFLI 1070 AM / 97.7 FM in Chattanooga.  Jim Reynolds has the play-by-play for his 40th 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.
 
NEW VOICE, FAMILIAR FACE
There is a new voice set to join the Mocs Sports Network Broadcast crew this weekend.  Former Moc Gunner Miller is stepping in for long-time analyst Todd Agne, who is missing this game.  Miller was a three-year starter at linebacker for UTC from 2010-13, and is one of only six Mocs with multiple pick-6s in their careers.
 
ESPN+
Mercer produces this game for the ESPN+ broadcast. Frank Malloy (pxp), Phil Cox (analyst) and Kristin Banks (sideline) have the call.
 
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," not Moccasins.  Chattanooga is pronounced chat-uh-NEW-guh, commonly mistaken as CHATT-nooga.
 
SEASON NO. 112
As a part of the year-long celebration of 150 years of college football, the Mocs are competing in their 112th season.  The University of Chattanooga was founded in 1886 and football officially began play in 1904.  No teams were fielded in 1917 and 1918 due to World War I.  There was also a two-year hiatus from football action during World War II in 1943 and 1944.  The Mocs have an all-time record of 541-535-35 (.503) and have won 13 conference titles.
 
QUICK NOTES TO KNOW ABOUT THE MOCS
General
• Former Moc and former UTC assistant coach Rusty Wright was hired on Dec. 19 as head coach.
• Mocs are 62-60 all-time at Finley Stadium ... 42-45 in SoCon home games.
• UTC drew 8,254 fans for the home opener, 15th-best home crowd that weekend in the FCS ... Mocs are averaging 8,228 fans over three games this season .... fifth in the SoCon and No. 46 in the FCS.
• UTC is coming off its seventh winning season since 2009 ... 54th in the 111 years of football.
• Picked to finish fourth in the Southern Conference by the league's coaches and fifth by the media.
• 2019 strength of schedule is ranked No. 2 in the FCS, according to HeroSports.
• 14 first-time starters in the first five games, including Ty Boeck (So.-LB), Kameron Brown (Fr.-DB), McClendon Curtis (So.-OL), Ailym Ford (Fr.-RB), Chris James (Sr.-TE), Kam Jones (So.-LB), Telvin Jones (Sr.-DL), Kanore McKinnon (Jr.-WR), Kyle Miskelley (Jr.-OL), Kayne Roberts (So.-LB), Colin truett (Fr.-OL), Lameric Tucker (Fr.-WR), Cameron Turner (Sr.-DB), Juwan Tyus (So.-WR), C.J. Winston (So.-LB).
 
Offense
• 24 letter winners and nine starters back ... all five starters return to the offensive line.
• Mocs have only allowed one sack in the first five games.
• 342.8 yards of total offense is No. 8 in the SoCon and No. 82 in the FCS. 
• 5th/45th in rushing offense (177.0).
• Sixth in the SoCon and No. 98 in the FCS in passing offense (165.8). 
• Seventh in the SoCon and No. 81 in the FCS in scoring offense (23.6).
• 30/71 (42.3%) on third down ... 4th in the SoCon and 37th in the FCS.
• Junior receiver Bryce Nunnelly is a preseason All-American, All-SoCon and on the Walter Payton Award Watch list.  He was second in the conference and No. 6 in the FCS with 112.5 receiving yards per game in 2018.  He was also third in the league and No. 8 in the FCS with 7.2 receptions per game.  He is fifth in the SoCon with 4.8 receptions per game and is second in the league with 68.2 receiving yards per game in 2019. 
• True freshman Ailym Ford leads the Mocs and all freshmen in the FCS with 88.2 yards per game.
• Junior OL Cole Strange is a preseason second team All-SoCon selection ...  started all 11 games at left guard in 2018.
 
Defense
• 17 letter winners and six starters back.
• Sixth in the SoCon and No. 86 in the FCS in scoring defense (33.8).
• No. 7 in the SoCon and No. 105 in the FCS in rushing defense (236.2).
• No. 5 in the SoCon and No. 52 in the FCS in passing yards allowed (217.4).
• No. 6 in the SoCon and No. 98 in the FCS in total defense (453.6).
• Second in the SoCon and No. 50 in the FCS in red zone defense (17/21 - 81.0%). 
• Senior linebacker Marshall Cooper and junior defensive backs Brandon Dowdell and Jerrell Lawson made the preseason All-SoCon first team defense.
• Cooper was the SoCon Defensive Player of the Week after posting 10 tackles and two PBUs in the win over Eastern Illinois ... ninth in the SoCon with 37 total tackles in five games.
• Sophomore LB Ty Boeck is fifth in the SoCon with 41 tackles in five games.
• UTC's five interceptions are tied for second in the SoCon.
• Chattanooga is third in the SoCon with eight total takeaways.
• The Mocs are tied for last in the league with five sacks on the year.
 
Special Teams
• Victor Ulmo is on the 2019 Fred Mitchell Award Watch List ... 5-6 (.833) in 2019 ... 13-19 (68.4%) in 2018 and 27-37 (73.0%) for his career ... tied for fourth-best career average at UTC ... 1-2 vs. EIU with a make from 37 and a miss from 36 ... made from 36 and 33 at Jacksonville State ... made from 34 and 38 yards against Western Carolina.
• Senior Colin Brewer is third in the SoCon with a 43.4 punting average. 
• Fourth in the SoCon and No. 33 in the FCS in net punting (37.4). 
• Junior Brandon Dowdell had punt returns of 18 and 38 yards at JSU.
 
NOTES TO KNOW ABOUT THE MERCER SERIES
• These two teams met 24 times before Mercer stopped playing football in 1941.
• This is the 29th overall meeting and the sixth since Mercer restarted its program in 2013.
• UTC holds an 18-9-1 overall mark in the series ... 2-3 since Mercer joined the SoCon in 2014 ... UTC has lost two in a row and three of the last four.  
• Prior to the 2014 game, the last meeting was a 40-13 win for the Mocs in Chattanooga on Nov. 26, 1941 ... this was the final game of the 1941 season ... less than two weeks later, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and sent the United States into World War II ... Mercer did not take the field again until the start of the 2013 season.
• UTC is 2-6 at Mercer in the series ... 0-2 in Five Star Stadium. 
 
MORE ON THE MOCS STRUGGLES AT MERCER
• Macon, Ga., has been a tough place to win for the Mocs since the Bears reinstated football in 2013.
• UTC took a No. 6-ranked team to Mercer in 2015 and came away with a 17-14 loss ... the Mocs turned the ball over four times in that game, snapping their school-record 12-game SoCon winning streak.
• In 2017, Chattanooga dropped a 30-10 contest on the road.  UTC was without six starters in that game who were out with injuries, but still only allowed 316 yards of total offense.  Chattanooga only gained 250 of their own.
 
RUSTY WRIGHT AND BOBBY LAMB
• UTC head coach Rusty Wright worked for Mercer head coach Bobby Lamb when Lamb was the head coach at Furman.  Wright was the linebackers coach on Lamb's Paladins staff in 2010. 
 
UTC-MERCER CONNECTIONS
• UTC offensive coordinator Joe Pizzo was the OC at Mercer in 2018.
• UTC defenisve line coach Kenny Baker held the same position at Mercer from 2014-18. 
• Mercer QB Robert Riddle is from Lookout Mountain, Tenn., and a graduate of Chattanooga's McCallie School.  He played at McCallie with UTC tight end Jay Gbson. 
• UTC sophomore LB Kam Jones and Mercer freshmen DB Alex Ferry are both graduates of Peachtree Rigde HS in Suwanee, Ga.
 
SCOUTING MERCER
• Head coach Bobby Lamb is in his 16th season with a career record of 106-74. Lamb is fourth in league history with 95 wins as a SoCon coach, as he was 10-2 in 2013, when the Bears were members of the Pioneer Football League. Lamb is in his seventh season at Mercer and sixth since the Bears joined the SoCon. His first nine seasons as a head coach were spent at Furman.
• Seven Bears were selected on the SoCon Preseason All-Conference Team prior to the 2019 campaign, just one shy of the program record of eight set before the 2018 season. Mercer was picked to finish fourth in the preseason media poll and fifth in the coach's.
• The Bears are in their seventh season since reintroducing football in 2013 and the 46th campaign in program history.
• Mercer redshirt sophomore quarterback Robert Riddle currently ranks fifth in the country with 13 passing touchdowns.
• Tucker Gannon is 25th in the FCS with a 10.6 average on punt returns. 
• Deondre Johnson carried the ball 13 times for a career-high 177 yards last week against Campbell. 
• Kicker Caleb Dowden is 6-for-6 on field goal attempts this year (21-for-21 on extra points) and is one of just 12 players in the FCS with a perfect field goal percentage.
 
HOMECOMING GAME NOTES VS. WESTERN CAROLINA
• Chattanooga moved to 1-0 in Southern Conference play, 2-3 overall, with a 60-36 win over Western Carolina … the Catamounts fell to 1-3 overall and 0-2 in SoCon action.
• UTC is 59-28-3 all-time on Homecoming … 14-8 in Finley Stadium … the Mocs have hosted Western Carolina on Homecoming seven times … 6-1 in those games.
•  Mocs own a 29-17 overall advantage in the series that dates back to 1973 … UTC has won 12 of the last 14 … Mocs are 9-3 against the Catamounts in Finley Stadium.
• Western Carolina's two first half scores were set up or occurred on trick plays ... first was a fake FG from the UTC 14 that Curtis Roach carried to the three.  WCU scored two plays later ... second was a fake punt from the WCU 31 … Caleb Furgeson ran 69 yards for the score on that one … longest run the Mocs have allowed since No. 5 Jacksonville State's Roc Thomas had a 76-yarder on Aug. 26, 2017, in Montgomery, Ala.
• Catamounts added two more points on a fake extra point in the third quarter.
• Mocs posted 400 yards rushing and six TDs on 54 carries.
• The Mocs 589 yards of total offense (400 rush and 189 pass) are the most since 695 against Appalachian State on Oct. 30, 2004 … ninth-most in game all-time at UTC.
• WCU's Connell Young's 217 rushing yards on 24 carries are the most allowed by UTC since giving up  277 to WCU's Detrez Newsome on Oct. 29, 2016.
• WCU's 423 rushing yards are the most allowed by the Mocs since 442 by Wofford on Oct. 6, 2018.
• The Mocs allowed Western Carolina to convert 5/6 fourth down attempts.
• UTC had two 100-yard rushers (Ailym Ford 195, Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks 125) and a 100-yard receiver (Bryce Nunnelly 100) in the same game for the sixth time in school history … first time since Tyler Roberson (121 rushing), Richardre Bagley (126rushing) and C.J. Board  (107 receiving) against Western Carolina on Oct. 29, 2016.
• The Mocs picked off three passes in a game for the first time since three against No. 17 Samford on Sept. 22, 2018.
• UTC's 60 points are the Mocs since scoring 63 at VMI on Sept. 23, 2017 … sixth highest point total since joining the SoCon in 1977.
• 31 points in the second quarter are the most for the Mocs since scoring 33 in the third quarter of a 73-0 win over Kentucky State on Nov. 24, 2001.
• 3-9 when allowing 25+ points last three years ... 1-7 when allowing 36+.
• 4-11 when trailing after the first quarter in the last three years. 
• Mocs scored on nine-straight possessions during the game. 
• Ty Boeck – So.-LB - Career-high 15 tackles ... one sack ... second game in a row with 10+ tackles.
• Zay Brown – So.-LB - Career-high eight tackles.
• Brandon Dowdell – Jr.-DB - Fourth career INT.
• Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks – Sr.-RB - 10 carries for 125 yards and two TDs … all in the first half ... 10th career game with 100+ yards … first at UTC ... 73-yard TD run in the second quarter … ran the last 40 yards with a pulled hamstring ... longest run by a Moc since Kendrix Huitt had a 74-yarder at Western Carolina on Nov. 3, 2012 ... did not return after this run ... best yards/carry in a game since Derrick Craine had 13.1 (118/9) against Presbyterian on OCt. 20, 2016.
• Ailym Ford – Fr.-RB - 30 carries for 195 yards and two TDs ... second 100-yard rushing game ... four rushing TDs this season ... seven yards shy of the school freshman record set by James Roberts (202) against ETSU on Oct. 14, 1989 ... 30 carries are the most by a Moc since Jacob Huesman had 31 against No. 21 Indiana State on Dec. 6, 2014.
• Chris James – Sr.-TE - 28-yard TD pass in the first quarter … double pass ... first career pass for the former QB ... one catch for eight yards.
• Telvin Jones – Sr.-DL - Career-high 10 tackles.
• Jerrell Lawson – Jr.-DB - Tied a career-high with nine tackles.
• Andrew Manning – Fr.-WR - Two receptions for 12 yards ... first game with multiple catches.
• Bryce Nunnelly – Jr.-WR - Four catches for 100 yards and a TD ... 36-yard TD reception in the second quarter … second TD of the season … 9th career ... also had a 45-yard reception before the half to set up a FG ... three catches of 30+ yards this season … 14 in last 16 games ... eighth career 100-yard receiving game … all in last 16 games … second this season ... caught a pass in 18-straight games.
• Christian Snyder – So.-LB - Career-high five tackles.
• Nick Tiano – Sr.-QB - 11-17 passing for 161 yards, TD and INT ... six carries for 49 yards ... 36-yard TD strike to Bryce Nunnelly in the second quarter … had another 45-yard hook up with Nunnelly before the end of the half ... 378-650 (.582) career passing ... 4,823 yards of total offense is eighth all-time at UTC, passing Antonio Miller (2004-07).
• Jeffrey Wood – So.-WR - Scored three times ... 28 yard TD reception in the second quarter from Chris James on a trick play ... first career TD catch ... first career reception ... five carries for 22 yards and two  TDs.
 
MORE ON THE RUSHING YARDS VS. WESTERN CAROLINA
• UTC's 400 yards rushing yards against the Catamounts were the ninth most in school history for the Mocs ... the most for UTC since 401 on 60 carries against Georgia State on Sept. 7, 2013.
• 7.4 yards per carry is the fifth-best single-game total in school history ... highest since the school-record 7.8 (367/47) against Western Carolina on Nov. 3, 2012. 
• Six rushing TDs for UTC are the most in a game since scoring a school-record seven against Appalachian State on Nov. 6, 1982.
 
LAST TIME VS. MERCER - LOST 13-9 AT HOME - NOV. 10, 2018
• Chattanooga dropped a 13-9 game to Mercer … UTC fell to 6-4 overall and 4-4 in SoCon action … the Bears improved to 5-5 and 4-3 in league play.
• The Mocs held Mercer to just 149 yards of total offense (71 rushing, 78 passing) … last time UTC held a team to less than 200 yards of total offense was the 2017 season finale against ETSU (116).  
• Mercer was forced to punt a school-record 10 times … three of those in UTC territory that were downed inside the 20.
• There were a combined 18 penalties for 191 yards … 9-88 for Mercer … 9-103 for Chattanooga … 103 yards in penalties was a season-high for UTC. 
• Mercer posted 206 total return yards … 177 KOR and 29 PR.
• Mocs held its fifth opponent to less than 20 points this season … allowing just 18.2 point per game overall … leads the SoCon and is the lowest at UTC since 1987.
• UTC ran 38 times for 120 yards … tied a season-high (VMI) for attempts.
• Nick Tiano and Bryce Nunnelly connected for a 50-yard pass play in the second quarter … 13th pass play of 30+ yards this season … only had five all of last year.
• Isaiah Mack – Sr.-DL - Tied for game-high with eight tackles ... added a sack and two hurries.
• Devonnsha Maxwell – Fr.-DL - Two tackles with a sack ... 4.5 sacks is tied for fourth on UTC's all-time freshman list.
• Bryce Nunnelly – So.-WR - 50-yard reception in the second quarter ... ninth catch of 40+ yards this season ... six catches for 91 yards.
• Kareem Orr – Sr.-DB - Career-high three PBUs ... added a tackle.
• Nick Tiano – Jr.-QB - 21-33 passing for 189 yards.
• Alex Trotter – Sr.-RB - Career-high 96 yards on 11 carries ... 63-yard run on the Mocs first possession was a career before he fumbled on the one-yard-line ... longest run by a Moc since Kendrix Huitt at Western Carolina on Nov. 3, 2012.
• Victor Ulmo – So.-K - 3-3 in the second half … made from 38, 28, 19.
• Wil Young – Sr.-WR - Seven catches for 71 yards ... third game with 70+ yards this season.
 
ONE SACK ALLOWED IN FIVE GAMES
The Mocs have only allowed one sack in the first five games of the season. That one came against No. 2 James Madison and senior QB Nick Tiano almost made it back to the line of scrimmage.  The Mocs are tied for the SoCon lead and tied for No. 2 in the FCS in sacks allowed. 
This continues a streak of improvement up front.  UTC's offensive line gave up 17 sacks in 2018, which was third in the SoCon and 33rd in the FCS.  That was much better from 2017 when they were last in the SoCon and 109th in the FCS, allowing over three per game.
 
FORD LEADS FCS FRESHMEN IN RUSHING YARDS PER GAME
True freshman Ailym Ford is averaging 88.2 yards per game this season, tops among all freshmen at the FCS level.  He is third in the SoCon and No. 27 overall in the FCS in rushing this season.  He has twice been named in the Honorable Mention listings for National Freshman of the Week by STATS. 
 
He had 30 carries for 195 yards and two TDs against Western Carolina, just seven yards shy of the school freshman record set by James Roberts (202) against ETSU on Oct. 14, 1989.  His 30  carries were the most by a Moc since Jacob Huesman had 31 against No. 21 Indiana State on Dec. 6, 2014.
 
Against No. 17 Jacksonville State, he posted 127 rushing yards on 22 carries and a score, becoming the Mocs' first true freshman to rush for 100 yards in a game since Erroll Wynn had 131 against Jacksonville State on Nov. 4, 2006. 
 
He also led the Mocs with 50 rushing yards and a TD on 12 carries in the season opener against Eastern Illinois, the first true freshman to score in a debut since Chris Awuah in 2009.
 
DOWDELL BACK RETURNING PUNTS
Junior DB Brandon Dowdell was No. 6 in the FCS with a 12.6 punt return average on 13 attempts as a freshman in 2017, but only had three attempts for nine yards in 2018.  He did not return any punts on 2018, but returned to the job at Jacksonville State.  He quickly made an impact with returns of 18 and 38 yards.  The second was a career-long and set up the Mocs' second field goal.  He also had a return of 27 yards at Tennessee negated by a penalty. 
 
So far this season, Dowdell is averaging 14.6 yards on five returns. That would be 10th in the FCS if he had one more to qualify for the ranking.  His 11.6 career average (21 attempts) is the second-highest mark in school history. 
 
HENDERSON WITH BIG CATCHES
Junior WR Reginald Henderson has had some big catches early in the season.  He hauled in a season-long 34-yarder against Eastern Illinois and a 31-yarder that set up a score against No. 2 James Madison.
 
IBITOKUN-HANKS BIG GAME AT TENNESSEE
Senior transfer Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks is hitting his stride after a slow start.  In the first two games of the year, he only had three yards on four carries.  When starter Tyrell Price was lost for the year due to an injury, he stepped up in a big way. 
 
Against Tennessee, Ibitokun-Hanks finished with 15 carries for 85 yards. He was 15 yards shy of becoming the first Moc rusher to top the century mark against an SEC team since Bryan Fitzgerald's 123 (14 carries) at Arkansas on Oct. 6, 2007. It's happened six times in school history against SEC opposition. 
 
Against Western Carolina he posted 10 carries for 125 yards and two TDs, all in the first half.  His 73-yard TD run in the second quarter was the longest run by a Moc since Kendrix Huitt had a 74-yarder at Western Carolina on Nov. 3, 2012.  He ran the last 40 yards with a pulled hamstring and did not return after that carry.  The 12.5 yards per carry was the best mark in a game since Derrick Craine had 13.1 (118/9) against Presbyterian on OCt. 20, 2016, tying for eighth-best yards/carry in school history
 
Ibitokun-Hanks is now second on the team with 240 rushing yards on 38 carries (6.3 yards/carry) in five games. 
 
NUNNELLY ON THE WALTER PAYTON AWARD WATCH LIST
Junior receiver Bryce Nunnelly is on the 2019 Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List. He is also on the preseason All-SoCon first team and a consensus preseason All-American.  He is currently tied for fifth in the SoCon with 4.8 receptions per game and second with 68.2 receiving yards per game.  He has 24 catches for 341 yards and two TDs, including 100-yard games against Eastern Illinois and Western Carolina.  He has 5+ catches in 14 of the last 16 games and has caught a pass in 18-straight games.  Over the last two years, he has 13 catches of 40+ yards.
 
NUNNELLY MOVING INTO THE CAREER CHARTS AT UTC
• Eight career 100-yard receiving games is third all-time at UTC ... two shy of the school record set by Joe Burks (1977-80) ... Cos Dematteo (1999-02) is second with nine 100-yard games ... all in the last 15 games.
• 1,667 career yards with nine TDs and 110 catches
• Needs 16 catches to break into the top-10 all-time at UTC
• Needs 124 yards to break into the top-10 all-time at UTC.
• Needs four receiving TDs to break into the top-10 all-time at UTC.
• 15.2 yards per catch is fourth all-time at UTC. 
 
ULMO ON MITCHELL AWARD WATCH LIST
Junior kicker Victor Ulmo is on the Fred Mitchell Award Watch List for the second year in a row.  The Mitchell Award recognizes 31 place-kickers for their excellence on the football field for the 2019 season and for continued community service during their off-season. The Mitchell Award goes to the top place-kicker among FCS, NCAA Division II, Division II, NAIA and NJCAA programs from across the nation.  The full list includes representatives from 10 FCS schools, nine NCAA Division II, nine Division III, two NAIA, and one NJCAA.  Ulmo is currently 27-37 (73.0%) for his career, tied for the fourth highest percentage all-time at UTC.  He is 5-6 on field goals this season with a long of 38 yards.  For his career, Ulmo is 25-29 (86.2%) from inside 40 yards.
 
COOPER NAMED SOCON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior LB Marshall Cooper was a second team All-SoCon pick last season and is on the preseason first team heading into 2019. He was named the SoCon Defensive Player of the Week, presented by GEICO, after posting 10 tackles to lead the Mocs to a 24-10 season-opening win over Eastern Illinois on Aug. 29.  It was the third career weekly honor from the SoCon for Cooper, a native of Hixson, Tenn.  He was Defensive Player of the Week after last year's win over Samford and Special Teams Player of the Week after blocking a punt in a win over ETSU in 2017. Seven of his 10 tackles against the Panthers were solo stops.  He also broke up two passes in the win.  The Mocs' defense only allowed 10 points in the Thursday night home opener, the fewest given up by a SoCon team in Week 1.
 
TIANO CLIMBING UTC'S RECORD BOOKS
Senior QB Nick Tiano opened the season with 256 passing yards on 17-27 attempts against EIU.  He threw one touchdown and had two interceptions.  With 21 games at UTC under his belt, he is climbing the following lists in UTC's record book:
• 9-11 as a starter ... 11th in all-time wins at UTC ... needs one more to tie Chris Sanders (1999-00) for 10th
• 378-650 (.592) career passing.
• 4,348 career passing yards is eighth all-time at UTC ... needs 679 to pass Steve Woods (1978-81) for seventh.
• Ninth in career attempts ... needs 12 to pass Tim Couch (1984-86) for eighth
• Eighth in career completions ... needs eight to pass Antonio Miller (2004-07) for seventh
• Seventh in career completion percentage.
• 24 career TD passes is 10th all-time at UTC ... needs five to pass Tony Merendino (1975-78) and Brian Hampton for eighth.
• 10 200-yard passing games is 7th all-time at UTC ... needs three more to pass Kenyon Earl for 6th.
• 4,823 yards of total offense is eighth all-time at UTC ... needs 406 yards to pass Steve Woods (1978-81) for seventh.
 
TIANO-NUNNELLY CONNECTION AMONG TOPS IN SCHOOL HISTORY
Senior QB Nick Tiano and junior WR Bryce Nunnelly have hooked up for 11 touchdowns over the last two years. It would be 12 if the trick play against South Carolina in 2018 was included where Nunnelly threw a two-yard TD pass to Tiano is included in the total. Regardless of how it is scored, this is one of the top throw-and-catch tandems in school history.  Below is where they rank all-time at UTC in touchdowns between a QB and receiver.
1. 22 – Chris Sanders (QB) to Cos DeMatteo (WR) – 1999-00
2. 13 - Steven Woods (QB) to Joe Burke (WR) - 1979-80
3. 15 - Jacob Huesman (QB) to Faysal Shafaat (TE) - 2012-14
4. 11 – Nick Tiano (QB) to Bryce Nunnelly (WR) – 2018-19
    11 – B.J. Coleman (QB) to Joel Bradford (WR) – 2010-11
    11 – Kenyon Earl (QB) to Terrell Owens (WR) – 1992-95
 
GRADUATED MOCS STILL PLAYING
The Mocs have nine individuals on the roster who have already earned an undergraduate degree, including five who finished theirs at UTC. See below for the full list:
Name (Undergrad Degree Location) - Current Degree Sought at UTC
Drayton Arnold (Old Dominion) - Master's in Public Administration
Colin Brewer (UTC) - Master's of Business Administration
Khayyan Edwards (UTC) - Post-Bac in Physical Education
Aaron Floyd (Louisville) - Master's in Secondary Education – Licensure
Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks (Albany) - Master's in Criminal Justice
Jerrell Lawson (UTC) - Master's of Business Administration
Jonathan Stovall (UTC) - Post-Bac in Physical Education
Tyrin Summers (Cincinnati) - Master's in Criminal Justice
Nick Tiano (UTC) - Master's of Business Administration
 
MOCS SET NEW GPA MARK IN SPRING OF 2019
Football's 2.79 GPA in the spring of 2019 is a program record.  The Mocs football program had 26 on the Dean's List, 40 on the A.D. Honor Roll and five 4.0s.
 
ROYSTER up to 46
Two members of the Mocs football crew are two of the most experienced in their respective professions.  UTC Assistant Athletic Director for Equipment and Facilities Mike Royster is in his 46th season with the Mocs.  In addition, the Voice of the Mocs, Jim Reynolds is in his 40 year as the play-by-play announcer for Mocs football and basketball.
 
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE NO. 2 in the FCS
UTC's 2019 strength of schedule is ranked No. 2 in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), according to HeroSports.com.  Written by Senior FCS Analyst Sam Herder (@SamHerderFCS), the listing is based on the number of Top 25 opponents in the HERO Sports' Preseason Poll, FBS opponents, games against 2018 playoff teams, non-counter games and the strength of the conference schedule.
 
REYNOLDS AMONG THE LONGEST TENURED PXP IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL
The "Voice of the Mocs" Jim Reynolds is in his 40th season calling UTC football and basketball games.  Below is a list of the longest tenured in Division I football: 
1. 51 - Bill Hillgrove, Pittsburgh
2. 47 – Don Fischer, Indiana
    47 – Tommy Suggs, South Carolina
4. 46 - Art Challis, Southern Utah
    46 - Dave Nitz, LA Tech
    46 - Joe Starkey, California
7. 42 - John Cox, Southern Miss
    42 – George Blaha, Michigan State
9. 41 - Mike Reis, Southern Illinois
    41 - Gene Deckerhoff, Florida State
    41 - Johnny Holliday, Maryland
12. 40 - Jim Reynolds, Chattanooga
      40 - Bill Baker, Northern Illinois
      40 – Jack Nixon, New Mexico State
 
LETTERMEN/STARTERS RETURNING/LOST
UTC returns a total of 45 lettermen from the 2018 campaign.  There are 24 on the offensive side of the ball, 17 on defense and four specialists.  There are 17 starters back, including nine on offense, six on defense, along with the punter and kicker.
 
TWO THURSDAY NIGHT GAMES IN 2019
Coach Wright announced UTC's season-opener against Eastern Illinois has moved from Saturday, Aug. 31, to Thursday, Aug. 29, at Finley Stadium.  The Mocs also host in-state Southern Conference rival ETSU on Thursday, Oct. 17. 
 
MOCS PICKED FOURTH BY THE COACHES, FIFTH IN MEDIA POLL
The Mocs were picked to finish fourth in the Southern Conference by the league's coaches and fifth by the media.  The coaches were not allowed to vote for their teams in their preseason poll. Wofford, Furman and ETSU were the top three picks in both the coaches and media preseason polls.  Mercer, Samford and The Citadel followed the Mocs in the coaches poll, with Western Carolina and VMI filling in the last two spots in both listings.  Mercer is fourth in the media poll, followed by UTC, Samford and The Citadel.
 
MOCS ON NFL ROSTERS
With the close of trainging camp, there were six Mocs on an NFL roster or practice squad.  Those on the 53-man roster include Buster Skrine ('10) – Chicago Bears, Tae Davis ('17) – New York Giants, Isaiah Mack ('18) – Tennessee Titans, C.J. Board ('16) – Jacksonville Jaguars and Corey Levin ('16) – Tennessee Titans.  Kareem Orr ('18) is on the Tennessee Titans' practice squad while Keionta Davis ('16) is on injured reserve with the New England Patriots.  Davis Tull ('14) was recently granted an injury settlement from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Joseph Parker ('18) participated in training camp with the Tennessee Titans, while Derek Mahaffey ('18) took part in the spring rookie camp with the L.A. Rams.