TICKETS (UTC)

CHATTANOOGA---The 20th-ranked Chattanooga Mocs are back on the road with a trip to Macon, Ga., this weekend. The Mercer Bears are up next in the fifth of eight straight weeks of Southern Conference Saturdays.
 
One of the first questions at the weekly press conference for Coach Rusty Wright…does it get any easier going from one opponent (Western Carolina) to another (Mercer) in league play?
 
"I can promise you it doesn't," he chuckled. "That's what's good about our league. You get the opportunity to play everybody. You have to be prepared every week to win and compete. I'd like to get to catch my breath a little bit, that our guys get to catch their breath, but that's not how it works."
 
The Mocs and Bears are long-time rivals that are together again in the SoCon. It's just the 10th league matchup in modern times, but it's the 34th all-time.
 
That's the past, the present portends an exciting matchup.  Chattanooga is second in the league in scoring (37.0), while Mercer enters second in scoring defense (24.8). On the flip side, Mercer is fifth in offense (24.7), while the Mocs come in fourth defensively (25.5).
 
Kickoff Saturday is at 4 p.m., airing on ESPN+ as well as the Mocs Sports Network (radio).
 
Week 7: #20 Chattanooga (4-2/3-1) at Mercer (4-2/2-1)
Last Week: Western Carolina 52, Chattanooga 50 | Mercer 24, at ETSU 6
Game Time: 4 p.m. | Location: Five Star Stadium; Macon, Ga. (Tickets)
Series: 21-11-1 (History) | Media: ESPN+ | Mocs Sports Network | Live Stats
Game Notes: UTC Media Center
 
ICYMI
This week's stories ahead of Saturday gameday in Macon: Monday | Tuesday
 
Coaches
Chattanooga: Rusty Wright (Chattanooga '96) | UTC: 26-19 (5th) | Career: Same | vs. MU: 2-2
Mercer: Drew Cronic (Georgia '97) | MU: 23-15 (4th) | Career: 70-21 (8th) | vs. UTC: 2-1
 
Vs. Mercer

• One of the oldest rivals with the first matchup coming in Macon on Nov. 9, 1909, a 10-2 loss.
• 34th matchup...11th-most frequent opponent.
• 21 series wins ranks tied for eighth in program history with Furman.
• Game features five of the top 10 receivers in the SoCon. Mercer's Ty James leads with 602 receiving yards just ahead of Javin Whatley (546) and Jamoi Mayes (526) in 2nd and 3rd. Sam Phillips is 7th (362) with Devron Harper in 10th (287).
• Three of DB Kam Brown's nine career picks are against Mercer including a pick 6 in 2022.
• RB Ailym Ford's career vs. the Bears: 68-296 (3 TD).
• Mayes has 16 catches for 253 yards with 2 scores vs. Mercer.
• DE Ben Brewton has 3.5 TFLs including 1.5 sacks vs. the Bears.

 
Notes to Know…

• Chattanooga is No. 20 in the AFCA Coaches Top 25 & 25th in the Stats Perform Poll. Mercer is receiving votes in both polls.
• 79-81-1 as a ranked team (54-53 at the FCS level)…31-58-1 in road games as a ranked team, 23-38 at FCS level…3-3 vs. Mercer as a ranked team, 0-2 in Macon.
• 13-10 under Rusty Wright as a ranked team, 1-1 vs. Mercer...23rd week ranked under him.
• Wright and Mercer's Drew Cronic worked together as assistant coaches at Furman in 2010 and again at Reinhardt in 2012.
• The Mocs are the best team in the nation in the red zone. Only team to rank in the top 5 in both scoring in that vital area 26 of 27 times on the campaign (96.3%) and defensively, 63.6 percent (7/11), ranking fifth on both sides of the ball.
• Javin Whatley is this week's SoCon & Tennessee Sports Writers Offensive Player of the Week. Set program record with 353 all-purpose yards against Western Carolina with the 5th-best receiving yards (231) and just the 3rd game with four or more TD catches (4) in school history.

 
What We're Hearing
"They're playing well defensively. They haven't given up a touchdown in eight quarters. They've got two of the best wideouts in the country. We'll have our hands full (Saturday)." - Coach Wright on Mercer
 
"I'm not a big stats guy, I'm more of a team guy. When one guy has a big week, I'm happy for them. When I have that week, they're happy for me." - WR Jamoi Mayes on the emergence of the WR room
 
"We're itching to get back out there. Chattanooga's defense has been a staple. In the four years I been here, we've been built on our defense. (Last week) leaves a bad taste in your mouth. We're looking to bounce back this weekend." - DB Romeo Wykle on the defense wanting to get back out there after the last performance
 
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