TICKETS

CHATTANOOGA---It's Rail Rivalry week as the 20th-ranked Chattanooga Mocs are home against ETSU Saturday afternoon. It's always a spirited week, even more so with both teams coming off big wins with the Mocs 22-10 triumph at Mercer and Bucs blowing past Wofford 41-10 in Johnson City.
 
You pull out all the stops when the most prestigious railroad tie in college sports is on the line. It's a White Out with all fans encouraged to wear white to the game. The wrestling team is also holding its Blue-Gold exhibition at the Pavilion during tailgating starting at 10 a.m.
 
The game itself is always a tight, physical affair. The cumulative score since ETSU re-joined the league in 2016? 122-72 for the Mocs (5-1 over that span). The last five were decided by a single score with an average of 17-13 in favor of the good guys.
 
Kickoff Saturday is at 1 p.m., airing as the SoCon/Nexstar Game of the Week. That's on WFLI 53.2 My Network TV in Chattanooga (308-EPB, 226-Comcast & 53-DirecTV). It's also available on ESPN+ as well as the Mocs Sports Network (radio).
 
Week 7: #20 Chattanooga (5-2/4-1) vs. ETSU (2-4/1-2)
Game Time: 1 p.m. | Location: Finley Stadium; Chattanooga, Tenn. (Tickets)
Series: 24-19-1 (History) | Media: Nexstar/ESPN+ | Mocs Sports Network | Live Stats
Game Notes: GoMocs.com
 
ICYMI
This week's stories leading up to gameday: Monday | Tuesday
 
Coaches
Chattanooga: Rusty Wright (Chattanooga '96) | UTC: 27-19 (5th) | Career: Same | vs. ETSU: 3-0
ETSU: George Quarles (Furman '88) | ETSU: 5-12 (2nd) | Career: Same | vs. UTC: 0-1
 
vs. ETSU
- Not the oldest series for such an intense rivalry. First matchup was a 27-6 win in Chattanooga on Sept. 29, 1961. Mocs were 9-4-1 in non-conference matchups prior to the 16-15 back-and-forth as fellow SoCon members.
- One of six opponent beaten 25 or more times: The Citadel (35), Samford (34), Western Carolina/Tennessee Tech (30) & Jacksonville State (26).
- Ailym Ford (3G): 73-400 (5 TDs)
- Jay Person (3G): 17 tackles, 5.0 TFL (3.0 sacks), 2 FR, 1 FF, 3 QB hurries
- Javin Whatley (1G): 6 rec.-75 yds
- Ben Brewton: 4 QB hurries in last year's comeback win
 
Openers

• Chattanooga is No. 20 in the AFCA Coaches Top 25 & 21st.
• 25th ranked week under Rusty Wright, 162nd all-time. He's 13-10 when ranked. Russ Huesman's (32-20) 52 holds the program lead ahead of Scrappy Moore 44 weeks. However, neither came close to Wright's total in first five seasons at the helm. Other coaches (ranked weeks): Buddy Nix (19), Harold Wilkes (9), Bill Oliver (8), Tom Arth (4) & Buddy Green (2).
• The Mocs are the best team in the nation in the red zone. Only team to rank in the top 15 ranking third on offense (97.0%, 32/33) and fourth on defense (64.3%, 8/14).
• P/K Clayton Crile is the first Moc to win National POTW honors since Devonnsha Maxwell '22 who won it in mid-October 2021. That came after a school-record 5-sack performance against...ETSU.
• Edge Jay Person's SoCon honor came after tying his career record of 4.0 tackles for loss in the win at Mercer. In fact, Person had TFLs in two out of three tackles (6 total). His previous high of 4.0 TFLs came with 3.0 sacks last season at...ETSU.
• PFF Colleges rates the pass blocking at 88.5. That's 3rd in DI (FBS/FCS) behind Oregon (89.5) & Arizona (89.4) and just ahead of Georgia (87.0) & Washington (86.8) for the Mocs offensive line.

 
What we're hearing…
"Our guys know every game matters, every day matters. It's a big game for us because we put ourselves in position to keep playing for something. That's what you want in October and November." – Coach Rusty Wright on the week ahead
 
"We played a good team game. We played together and trusted one another, trusted the game plan and played to the best of our abilities. Whenever we do that, we can have a high success rate as a unit." – DB Reuben Lowery III on whether the defense got its mojo back in the win at Mercer
 
"I'm just thankful for the offense putting us down there and giving us a chance at it. I didn't even realize it (school record 5 FGs), I mean I've never had more than three field goals in a game before. The offense put us in position, and the defense holding them up every drive." – P/K Clayton Crile on the overall game he had at Mercer
 
Game Time Awareness
Kickoff this week is at 1 p.m. It changed after the printing of several season tickets. Game time is 1 p.m., not 1:30.
 
White Out
This weekend is a WHITE OUT game with all fans encouraged to wear white.
 
Everything Is Cashless Now On Gamedays
No cash will change hands at Mocs athletics venues in 2023-24. That includes tickets, concessions, merchandising and even parking. Be prepared to pay by credit card when coming to enjoy the hard-working efforts of our student-athletes and coaches.
 
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