SATURDAY GAME STORY | TICKETS

CHATTANOOGA---The Chattanooga Mocs make their final Southern Conference road trip Saturday with a visit to VMI. The Mocs are climbing the polls moving up to 15th in the AFCA FCS Coaches Top 25 and No. 17 in Stats Perform.
 
They're one of three SoCon schools in the rankings behind Furman (3) and ahead of Western Carolina (16) on the coaches side. The Paladins are third as well per Stats Perform with the Catamounts 10th. Mercer is among others receiving votes.
 
The SoCon race is getting closer to a 3-horse race, but there are three teams hanging within striking distance with two of the three leaders still having four games to play. There are three teams with 1.0 games, a fourth at 1.5 and a fifth within two with the front three still on the schedule:
Furman: 4-0
Chattanooga: 5-1 (behind solely on percentage points)
Western Carolina: 3-1 (1.0 GB)
Mercer: 3-2 (1.5)
VMI: 2-2 (2.0)
 
This week's schedule has four of the top 5 playing against each other with the Mocs at VMI and the Bears traveling to Western Carolina. The Paladins host ETSU while The Citadel travels to Samford.
 
The Keydets are squarely in contention due to a scheduling quirk. They have the top three – Chattanooga, Furman then Western Carolina – all in sight to close out the year providing plenty of hope while still needing help with the Paladins who are undefeated in the league thus far.
 
Week 9: #15 Chattanooga (6-2/5-1) at VMI (3-4/2-2)
Last Week: at Chattanooga 34, ETSU 3 | Samford 27, at VMI 14
Game Time: 1:30 p.m. | Location: Foster Stadium; Lexington, Va. (Tickets)
Series: 18-9-1 (History) | Media: ESPN+ | Mocs Sports Network | Live Stats
 
Chat with the Mocs
Chat with the Mocs radio show is back at Miller's Ale House tonight from 7-8 p.m. Live attendance is encouraged, but fans can also listen in on the Mocs Sports Network Flagship Station, WFLI 96.1 FM/1070 AM. "Voice of the Mocs" Jim Reynolds is joined by Coach Rusty Wright every week during the season along with a selected student-athlete. This week's guest appearance is Gino Appleberry.
 
Notes to Know…

• 164th ranked week (83-79-1), 26th under Wright (15-10). Russ Huesman had the most ranked weeks (52) ahead of Scrappy Moore (44). 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).
• Sixth win clinched winning season. 59th in school history and fourth under Wright. Wright is .500 or better in each of his five seasons, only Mocs head coach to start career .500 or better for five campaigns.
• Senior running back Ailym Ford is out for the season with a lower body injury. Ford is the school record holder with 19 100-yard games and is the only Mocs rusher with three 1,000-yard seasons. He has 785 career carries for 3,928 yards and 36 rushing TDs (38 total). He finishes three carries, 123 yards and seven rush TDs shy of Jacob Huesman's '15 program records. Gino Appleberry (20-71, 2TD) & Reggie Davis (15-68) combined for 35 rushes for 139 yards and two scores on Saturday.

 
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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