Chattanooga Football Game Notes
Chattanooga Mocs (1-0, 0-0 SoCon) at No. 17/18 Jacksonville State Gamecock (0-1, 0-0 OVC)
Burgess-Snow Field (24,000) – Jacksonville, Ala.
Saturday – Sept. 7, 2019 – 7:05 p.m. (E.D.T.)
Radio:  Mocs Sports Network (WFLI 1070 AM / 97.7 FM – Flagship) - Jim Reynolds (pxp), Todd Agne (color), Will Poindexter (sideline)
TV: ESPN+ - Mickey Shadrix (pxp) and Butch Barker (analyst)
Online: Live audio, ESPN+ & live stats links on GoMocs.com

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team hits the road this weekend for a regional matchup at No. 17/18 Jacksonville State.  Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. (E.D.T.) at Burgess-Snow Field in Jacksonville, Ala., on Saturday, Sept. 7. 
 
The Mocs are 1-0 after last week's season-opening 24-10 win over Eastern Illinois.  UTC is receiving votes in both the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll and the STATS FCS Top 25.  Jacksonville State came into the regular season No. 6 in both polls, but fell on the road 35-14 at Southeastern Louisiana last weekend.  The Gamecocks dropped to No. 17 in the coaches poll and No. 18 in the STATS Top 25 in this week's rankings. 
 
The rivalry with Jacksonville State dates back to 1904 and this is the 42nd meeting between the two schools. Chattanooga holds a 26-15 lead in the all-time series, but is just 2-10 since 2004 and 1-6 since 2010.
 
This is the second-straight game against a team from the Ohio Valley Conference and the second of four consecutive non-conference games to start the season.  UTC had the second-toughest schedule coming into the season, according to HeroSports.com, with games at Tennessee (Sept. 14) and No. 2 James Madison (Sept. 21) in the coming weeks.     
 
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.
 
ESPN+
ESPN+ games are produced by the home institution. This week's contest is called by Mickey Shadrix (pxp) and Butch Barker (analyst).
 
SEASON NO. 112
As a part of the year-long celebration of 150 years of college football, the Mocs are preparing for their 112th season.  The University of Chattanooga was founded in 1886 and football 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 540-532-35 (.504) and have won 13 conference titles.
 
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
• Former Moc and former UTC assistant coach Rusty Wright was hired on Dec. 19 as the new head coach.
• Mocs are 62-58 all-time at Finley Stadium ... 41-45 in SoCon home games.
• UTC drew 8,254 fans for the home opener, 15th-best home crowd last weekend 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.
• Mocs were flagged 11 times for 119 yards against EIU.
• UTC used eight first-time starters in the win over Eastern Illinois, including McClendon Curtis (OL-Fr.), Kyle Miskelley (OL-Jr.), Lameric Tucker (WR-Fr.), Juwan Tyus (WR-So.), Kam Jones (LB-So.), Telvin Jones (DL-Sr.), Kayne Roberts (LB-So.) and Cameron Turner (DB-Sr.).
 
Offense
• 24 letter winners and nine starters back ... all five starters return to the offensive line.
• Did not allow a sack in the first game.
• 350 yards of total offense is No. 6 in the SoCon and No. 55 in the FCS. 
• 8th/70th in rushing offense (94.0).
• Third in the SoCon and No. 30 in the FCS in passing offense (256.0). 
• Fifth in the SoCon and No. 47 in the FCS in scoring offense (24.0).
• 6/15 (40.0%) on third down ... 7th in the SoCon and 40th 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 had six catches for 100 yards against Eastern Illinois.
• Senior running back Tyrell Price was a preseason second team All-SoCon selection ... he led the team with 63.4 rushing yards per game in 2018 ... he had 15 carries for 33 yards against EIU.
• True freshman Ailym Ford led the Mocs with 52 rushing yards and a TD on 12 carries ... first true freshman to score in a debut since Chris Awuah against Glenville State on Sept. 3, 2009.
• 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.
• Second in the SoCon and No. 14 in the FCS in scoring defense (21.0) in 2018 ... allowed a SoCon-low 10 points to EIU in Week 1.
• One of only five teams in the FCS to not allow 30 points in a game to an FCS opponent in 2018. 
• Nine fumble recoveries led the SoCon and was No. 40 in the FCS in 2018 ... picked up two in the win over EIU.
• 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. 
 
Special Teams
• Victor Ulmo was on the 2018 Fred Mitchell Award Watch List ... 13-19 (68.4%) in 2018 and 23-33 (69.6%) for his career ... fifth-best career average at UTC ... 1-2 vs. EIU with a make from 37 and a miss from 36.
• Senior Colin Brewer was solid against EIU with 43.2 yards on six punts. 
• Second in the SoCon in net punting (44.1). 
 
NOTES TO KNOW ABOUT THE JACKSONVILLE STATE GAME
• This is the 42nd meeting in the regional matchup ... UTC leads 26-15 ... series dates back to 1904 and is one of UTC's oldest rivalries. 
• Following a 13-6 UTC win in Chattanooga in 1983, the series was suspended for 21 seasons until it restarted in 2004...UTC is just 2-10 since then.
• At least one of these two teams has been ranked in each of the last eight meetings. 
• The Mocs and JSU have played in the first two games of the season nine times since 2004.
• UTC is just 1-6 in the series since 2010, but the total score is a tight 179-167 in favor of the Gamecocks. 
• Four of the last five games, all losses for UTC, have been decided by three points or in overtime.
• The last meeting was a 27-13 win by the fifth-ranked Gamecocks in the Montgomery Kickoff Classic in Montgomery, Ala., on Aug. 26, 2017. 
• The last meeting in Jacksonville was a 41-35 overtime loss in the second round of the FCS Playoffs on Dec. 5, 2015 ... JSU went on to advance to the FCS Championship game.
 
SCOUTING NO. 17/18 JACKSONVILLE STATE
• The Gamecocks are 52-18-3 in home openers at Burgess-Snow Field. JSU is 14-2 in home openers since joining the OVC in 2003 and has won its last 13 home openers.
• Jacksonville State has won its last 28 regular season games at Burgess-Snow Field ... last regular season loss at home came on Oct. 12, 2013 in a 31-15 loss to #23 Tennessee State. John Grass is 26-0 at home during the regular season since taking over as head coach in 2014.
• JSU has won the last five Ohio Valley Conference championships ... Gamecocks are the only team in Div. I (FCS or FBS) to win their last five conference titles outright.
• JSU has been ranked for 74 consecutive weeks, the third-longest active streak in FCS. All but four of those weeks have seen JSU in the Top 10.
• 2019 Preseason All-Americans include WR Josh Pearson, SAF Marlon Bridges, QB Zerrick Cooper, OL Darius Anderson, TE Trae Barry and LS Josh Brady.
• In JSU's season opener at Southeastern Louisiana, junior quarterback Zerrick Cooper completed a school-record 40 passes on 52 attempts ... his 414 passing yards were just the fourth 400-yard game in school history.
• JSU head coach John Grass currently has the highest career winning percentage of any active FCS head coach with at least 25 games under his belt ... 52-13 (.800).
• Senior receiver Josh Pearson and junior quarterback Zerrick Cooper were both listed among 25 players selected by STATS as players to watch for the
postseason honor that goes to the Offensive Player of the Year in FCS Football.
• JSU senior Marlon Bridges is on the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List. 
 
GAME NOTES VS. EASTERN ILLINOIS
• UTC improved to 1-0 for the just the fourth time in the last 13 years with a 24-10 win over Eastern Illinois at Finley Stadium.
• The Mocs put up 350 yards on 60 plays (5.8), while EIU posted 354 yards on 83 plays (4.3).
• Won a season-opener against an FCS opponent for the second year in a row … first time UTC has opened with wins over an FCS opponent in back-to-back seasons since 2005 and 2006.
• UTC is 75-34-3 (.683) in home openers all-time. UTC is 13-9 (.591) in the 22 at Finley Stadium.
• Chattanooga is 62-49-1 (.558) in all-time season openers. The Mocs have lost seven of the previous nine openers, but four of those were to FBS teams.
• Was the 11th Thursday night home game for the Mocs since Finley Stadium opened in 1997.  Chattanooga is 7-4 when playing in Finley Stadium on Thursday nights.
• Ty Boeck – So.-LB - Career-high six tackles.
• Colin Brewer – Sr.-P - Six punts for 43.2 average ... long of 55 yards … longest since a 60-yarder against Western Carolina in 2016.
• Marshall Cooper – Sr.-LB - Game-high 10 tackles ... fourth game with 10+ tackles ... two PBUs in a game for the first time.
• Telvin Jones – Sr.-DL - Second career sack for the fifth-year senior.
• Bryce Nunnelly – Jr.-WR - Six catches for 100 yards and one TD ... 59-yard TD catch in the second quarter … 8th career catch of 50+ yards … 8th career TD reception.
• Seventh time in the last 12 games he's topped the century mark ... six catches gave him 12 straight with five or more.
• Nick Tiano – Sr.-QB - 17-27 for 256 yards, one TD and two INTs ... ran three times for seven yards and a TD … one-yard reach over the top in the second quarter was his second career rushing TD ... 3,839 career passing yards passes Antonio Miller (2004-07) for ninth all-time at UTC ... 337 career completions passes Tim Couch (1984-86) for eighth all-time at UTC ... 4,207 career yards of total offense passes Tim Couch (1984-86) for ninth all-time at UTC.
 
LAST TIME VS. JACKSONVILLE STATE - L, 13-27 - MONTGOMERY, ALA. - AUG. 26, 2017
• The No. 12 Chattanooga Mocs dropped a 27-13 matchup against No. 5 Jacksonville State in the Guardian FCS Kickoff in Montgomery, Ala.
• Chattanooga put up 294 yards of total offense … 76 rushing and 218 passing.
• UTC lost the turnover battle 3-2 … the Mocs threw two INTs and lost a fumble … JSU had two INTs.
• This was the first game of the Tom Arrth era.
• Richardre Bagley – Sr.-RB - Five catches for 55 yards ... tied career-high for receptions ... 627 career receiving yards is fifth all-time for RBs at UTC … passes Marquis Green (2011-14) ... 74 receptions is second all-time at UTC for RBs … passes Carlos Locklyn (1996-99).
• Tavon Lawson – Jr.-LB - Career-high 14 tackles ... first career game with 10+ tackles.
• Isaiah Mack – Jr.-DL - Seven tackles ... 2.0 TFLs and two hurries.
• Joseph Parker – Jr.-WR - Six catches for 56 yards and TD.
• Nick Tiano – So.-QB - 23-43 passing for 218 yards, one TD and an INT ... ran eight times for 68 yards.
• Victor Ulmo – Fr.-K - 2-2 on FGs (25, 31).
• Lucas Webb – Sr. – DB - INT in the first half is the 11th of his career ... ties Kadeem Wise (2010-13) and David McCrary (1982-85) for sixth all-time at UTC.
 
LAST TIME AT JACKSONVILLE STATE - L, 35-41 (OT) - NCAA FCS PLAYOFFS 2ND RD - DEC. 5, 2015
• The No. 7 Chattanooga Mocs ended their season in the second round of the FCS Playoffs with a 41-35 overtime loss at No. 1 Jacksonville State … UTC drops to 9-4 overall, while the Gamecocks advance with an 11-1 record.
• JSU put up 640 yards of total offense in the game … 432 rushing and 208 passing … most yards allowed by UTC since 662 against Furman in 2005 … first time UTC had allowed 500 in a game since giving up 628 at No. 2 Auburn on Nov. 6, 2010 … most rushing yards allowed in a game since 493 at Georgia Southern on Sept. 24, 2005.
• The Mocs' 35 points are the most in a loss since a 49-35 setback to Elon at home on Oct. 30, 2010 … UTC is 40-8 when scoring 25+ points in the Russ Huesman era (since 2009).
• UTC's 91-yard scoring drive in the first quarter ties for the sixth-longest in the Russ Huesman era (since 2009.)
• Teammates Derrick Craine (1,251) and Jacob Huesman (1,244) have the top-2 single-season rushing yards totals in school history … both passed Eldra Buckley's previous mark of 1,233 set in 2005.
• UTC's senior class finishes with 33 wins over the last four years … tied for the most in school history with the 1980 group.
• Alejandro Bennifield – So.-QB - 3 rushed for 30 yards ... 39-yard TD pass to Jacob Huesman in the 4th quarter.
• Derrick Craine – Jr.-RB - 20 carries for 95 yards - 1,251 rushing yards is UTC's new single-season school record … passed Eldra Buckley's previous mark of 1,233 in 2005.
• Keionta Davis – Jr.-DL - 2.0 sacks and a forced fumble ... sack on JSU's first play tied Davis Tull's single-season school record of 12.5 set in 2012 ... set the record (13.5) with a sack-forced fumble on JSU's next possession.
• Jacob Huesman – Sr.-QB - 11-18 passing for 161 yards, two TDs and an INT ... 16 carries for 97 yards and two TDs ... one TD catch for 39 yards … 12th catch of his career … first this season … first career TD reception ... 1,244 rushing yards is second highest single-season school record next to Craine 1,251 … both passed Eldra Buckley's previous mark of 1,233 in 2005 in the game ... 12th game with 2 rushing TDs ... became the third QB in FCS history to rush for over 4,000 yards on his second quarter 45-yard TD run … 4,051 trails only Southern Utah's Matt Cannon (4,852 – 1997-00) and Appalachian State's Armanti Edwards (4,361 – 2006-09) ... 12,240 career yards of total offense moves him into 15th place on the FCS all-time list.
• Henrique Ribeiro – Jr.-P/K - 43.3 yards on six punts ... career-high four downed inside the 20.
• Cedric Nettles – Jr.-DB - Career-high 14 tackles ... previous high was 12 last season against Jacksonville State ... DNP in the first game against JSU this year.
 
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.
 
NUNNELLY ON 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 posted 100 receiving yards and a TD on six catches against Eastern Illinois.  He is now tied for third all-time at UTC with seven 100-yard receiving games.
 
NUNNELLY'S 2018 HIGHLIGHTS
• Recipient of the Parks McCall Memorial Athletic Scholarship.
• 2018 Academic All-SoCon team and the CoSIDA Google Cloud Academic All-District squad with a 3.80 GPA as a Mechanical Engineering major.
• First Team All-Southern Conference selection as a sophomore in 2018 when he was second in the league and No. 6 in the FCS with 112.5 receiving yards per game. 
• Third in the SoCon and No. 8 in the FCS with 7.2 receptions per game.
• School-record with four straight 100-yard receiving games and tied the UTC single-season mark with six 100-yard receiving games overall.
• Burst on to the scene in 2018, putting up 429 receiving yards in the first two games ... UTC school-record for yards in consecutive outings.
• Opened the season by earning SoCon Offensive Player of the Week honors with seven catches for 161 yards against Tennessee Tech ... 89-yard connection with quarterback Nick Tiano was the fifth-longest pass play in school history.
• The next week he was named STATS FCS National Offensive Player of the Week, SoCon Student-Athlete 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 ... those were the 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 ... also the third-most yards in a league game in SoCon history.
• Another marquee showing included five catches for 141 yards at South Carolina ... most receiving yards by a Moc against an SEC opponent since Rocky Turner had 198 at Ole Miss on Nov. 13, 1971.
• Posted 11 catches of 40+ yards in 2018 ... Mocs only had five such plays as a team the year before.
 
O-LINE GETTING BETTER
The Mocs did not allow a sack in the season opener against Eastern Illinios.  That continues the Mocs 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 a big improvement from 2017 when they were last in the SoCon and 109th in the FCS, allowing over three per game.
 
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 Southern Conference 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.  He threw one touchdown and had two interceptions.  With 16 games at UTC under his belt, he is climbing the following lists in UTC's record book:
• 337-563 (.599) career passing.
• 3,838 career passing yards is ninth all-time at UTC ... needs 295 to pass Tim Couch (1984-86) for eighth.
• 10th in career attempts ... needs 40 to pass Steve Woods (1978-81) for ninth.
• Eighth in career completions ... needs 49 to pass Antonio Miller (2004-07) for seventh.
• Seventh in career completion percentage.
• 22 career TD passes is 10th all-time at UTC ... needs seven to pass Tony Merendino (1975-78) and Brian Hampton for eighth.
• 10 200-yard passing games is seventh all-time at UTC ... needs three more to pass Kenyon Earl for sixth.
• 4,206 yards of total offense is ninth all-time at UTC ... needs 512 yards to pass Antonio Miller (2004-07) for eighth.
 

	CAREER PASSING YARDS
1.	Jacob Huesman (2012-15)	8,197
2.	Chris Sanders (1999-00)	7,230
3.	B.J. Coleman (2009-11)	6,871
4.	Kenyon Earl (1991-94)	6,400
5.	Brian Hampton (1995-98)	6,200
6.	Mickey Brokas (1970-73)	5,869
7.	Steve Woods (1978-81)	5,026
8.	Tim Couch (1984-86)	4,133
9.	Nick Tiano (2017-Present)	3,839
	CAREER TOTAL OFFENSE
1.	Jacob Huesman (2012-15)	12,248
2.	Chris Sanders (1999-00)	7,247
3.	Kenyon Earl (1991-94)	7,097
4.	Mickey Brokas (1970-73)	5,535
5.	B.J. Coleman (2009-11)	6,791
6.	Brian Hampton (1995-98)	5,999
7.	Steve Woods (1978-81)	5,228
8.	Antonio Miller (2004-07)	4,717
9	Nick Tiano (2017-Present)	4,206

 
TIANO HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2018
• Graduated with a degree in Business Management in the spring of 2019 ... currently pursuing a Master's of Business Administration in UTC's Rollins College of Business.
• 233-378 passing for 2,710 yards and 15 touchdowns against only six interceptions in 2018.
• Passing yards were fifth on the Mocs single-season list, and he had the third-most completions in a season at UTC. 
• Fewest INTs among those who have completed over 200 passes in a season at UTC.
• 61.6 completion percentage was fourth among those at UTC with 2,000 passing yards in a season. 
• 23rd in the FCS and third in the SoCon in total offense (268.1).
• Third in the league and No. 20 in the FCS in passing yards (246.4).
• Other SoCon/FCS rankings include 4th/53rd with 15 passing TDs, 3rd/16th in completions per game (21.2) and 3rd/19th in completion percentage (61.6%). 
• First Moc to throw back-to-back 300-yard games (TTU & The Citadel) since B.J. Coleman against Furman (432) and Elon (386) in 2010.
• 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. 
• In the season finale at South Carolina, Tiano was 17-36 for 254 yards ... most passing yards by a Moc against an FBS opponent since Chris Sanders had 367 at Louisville on Sept. 11, 1999 ... most passing yards by a Moc against an SEC opponent since Steve Woods had 286 at Vanderbilt on Nov. 22, 1980.