GAME NOTES | TUESDAY PRESSER | MONDAY PRIMER | SCHEDULE | TICKETS
 
CHATTANOOGA---The 9th-ranked Chattanooga Mocs are headed to prime time. It's a short week with this Thursday's kickoff at Illinois.  It's a tall enough order with playing two games over the space of a six-day span, the Mocs head into unfamiliar territory with their first meeting with a Big Ten opponent.
 
The Mocs offense continued its trending forward with the highest-scoring output putting 41 points on the board. The defense is also on a historic pace once again leading the Southern Conference in all major categories.
 
The Fighting Illini are 2-1 with wins over Wyoming (38-6) and Virginia (24-3) sandwiching a narrow 23-20 loss at Indiana in their lone trip outside Memorial Stadium.
 
The rushing attack seems like the focal point with both teams running & stopping the run well early. Illinois is +416 yards (138.7 ypg), while the Mocs come in at +321 (107.0 ypg).
 
Thursday's broadcast is on the Big Ten and Mocs Sports Networks. Kickoff is at 8:30 p.m., Eastern time.
 
If you do not get the Big Ten Network, there is no separate stream opportunity to watch the game. It is available on the Fox Sports app, but it requires login through your network provider which would need to carry BTN for the login to be successful.
 
If you do not have BTN, we suggest you go to the weekly home for "Chat with the Mocs", Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux on Broad Street, a proud partner of Chattanooga athletics.
   
COACHES
Chattanooga: Rusty Wright (Chattanooga '96) | UTC: 18-13 (4th) | Career: Same | vs. UI: 0-0
Illinois: Bret Bielema (Iowa '92) | UI: 7-8 (2nd) | Career: 104-66 (14th) | vs. UTC: 0-0        
 
MEDIA
TV: BIG - Lisa Byington (PxP), Anthony Herron (Analysis) & Elise Menaker (Sideline)
 
Radio: 96.1 FM, 100.3 FM & 1070 AM - Jim Reynolds (PxP), Todd Agne (Analysis) & Will Poindexter (Sideline). Also available online at GoMocs.com.
 
App: Go Mocs & Varsity Network          
 
SERIES           
Game: 1st | Record: 0-0 | Home: 0-0 | Away: 0-0 | SoCon: n/a | Last 5: 0-0 | Streak: ---    
 
LAST MEETING          
First meeting with Illinois & with a member of the Big Ten conference at kickoff.
- Record vs. Illinois football/basketball? 2-1. The men's basketball team beat the Illini 75-63 to go to the 1997 NCAA Sweet 16. The 2015-16 triumphed 81-77 over Illinois early in the regular season in a school-record 29-win campaign. Last year's squad led the entire game only to lose in the final minute 54-53 to the Big Ten champs in the NCAA Tournament.
 
QUOTABLE
WR Javin Whatley on the matchup with Illinois:
"It's probably a big atmosphere, more than what we usually get on the road, but I'm excited. I know the team is excited. We just need to do what we do. At the end of the day. just play hard and execute and do what we were taught to do."
 
DT Devonnsha Maxwell on senior D-Max would tell freshman D-Max playing this game in 2018:
"It's just football at the end of the day. It's lining up and doing your job right? It's nothing different. You don't have to do anything greater than any other day. You just have to do what you've been doing every other game for this."
 
3 NOTES TO KNOW

• Offensive line is top 10 nationally in TFLs allowed (4th) & sacks allowed (5th).
• Reuben Lowery III is off to a fantastic start ranking 2nd on the team in tackles (16) and tackles for loss (5.0). He has a pick 6 (1st career INT) and PBU playing in the slot.
• 10 2022 punts, six downed inside the 20 including three by QB Preston Hutchinson.

 
BTN CHANNEL GUIDE VIA TRADITIONAL PROVIDERS
DirecTV: 610
Dish: 410
EPB: 610/630
Spectrum: 307/822
XFinity: 742/1313
 
TICKETS
Home tickets can be purchased at the link above or by calling (423) 266-MOCS (6627). Single-game sales start at $15.
 
2022 WEEKLY HONORS
Week 1
Reuben Lowery III, SoCon Defensive Player of the Week
Reuben Lowery III, TSWA Defensive Player of the Week
Ailym Ford, TSWA Offensive Player of the Week
 
Week 2
Preston Hutchinson, SoCon Offensive Player of the Week
Preston Hutchinson, TSWA Offensive Player of the Week
 
Week 3
Preston Hutchinson, SoCon Offensive Player of the Week
Preston Hutchinson, TSWA Offensive Player of the Week
Ty Boeck, TSWA Defensive Player of the Week
 
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