2023 Chattanooga Mocs Football
at VMI – Oct. 28 – Foster Stadium – Lexington, Va.
Postgame Notes
 
GENERAL
- The 15th-ranked Chattanooga Mocs edged VMI 24-23 Saturday afternoon on post at Foster Stadium…now 7-2, 6-1 in the Southern Conference…the Keydets are 3-5, 2-3 in SoCon play.
- Entered the game ranked 15th AFCA FCS Coaches Poll and 17th in the Stats Perform Top 25.
- 26th ranked week under Rusty Wright, 164th all-time…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).
- 84-79-1 as a ranked team (59-52 at the FCS level)…33-58-1 on the road, 25-38 at FCS level…5-1 vs VMI as a ranked team, 2-1 in Lexington..
- Seven wins in the first nine games (or better) for the 14th time in school history…last? 2022.
- Six wins in SoCon play for the 5th time: 2013 (6-2, T1), 2014 (7-0, 1st), 2015 (6-1, T1) & 2016 (6-2, T2).
- All-time SoCon record at 170-167-2…1st SoCon matchup was in 1977…won championships in 1977*, 1978*, 1979, 1984, 2013*, 2014, 2015* (*co-champs).
- Game captains: DB Reuben Lowery III, Edge Jay Person & OL Reid Williams.
 
SERIES
All-Time Meetings: 29
Record: 19-9-1 | Home: 10-3-1 | Away: 9-6 | SoCon: 18-8-1 | Streak +2

• Last 5: 3-2 | Last 10: 7-3 | Last 20: 12-8
• Series dates back to 1971…only two meetings outside of Southern Conference membership.
• 1st win in Lexington since 2017 (63-7).
• Least frequent opponent among current SoCon members.

 
COACH
Rusty Wright (Chattanooga '96)

• Record: 29-19 | Home: 15-7 | Away: 14-12
• vs. VMI: 2-2 | Home: 1-0 | Away: 1-2
• vs. SoCon: 24-11 | Home: 12-5 | Away: 12-6
• Ranked: 16-10

 
Most Wins - 1st 5 years
Russ Huesman (2009-13): 31
Rusty Wright (2019-23): 29
Bill Oliver (1980-83): 29
Joe Morrison (1973-77): 28
Buddy Nix (1984-88): 26
Frank Thomas (1925-28): 26
Buddy Green (1994-98): 22
Scrappy Moore (1931-35): 21
 
SOUTHERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS
With today's win, the Mocs (6-1) are essentially tied for first with the winner of Furman at 5-0 with a 1-game advantage in the win column and deficit in the loss.
Furman: 5-0 (7-1 overall)
Chattanooga: 6-1 (7-2)
Mercer: 4-2 (6-3)
Western Carolina: 3-2 (5-3)
Samford: 4-3 (5-4)
VMI: 2-3 (3-5)
ETSU: 1-4 (2-6)
Wofford: 0-4 (0-7)
The Citadel: 0-5 (0-8)
 
TEAM
- 172 rushing yards on 35 carries with two touchdowns…second-highest total this season (183 vs. The Citadel).
- Lowest time of possession of the season at 23:38…entered the game fifth in the country (34:04)…lowest since 20:18 in 2021 loss to The Citadel.
- Offense posted 356 yards on 52 plays…6.8 yards per play.
- Three of 10 on third down (30%)…the third was crucial on a Chase Artopoeus swing pass to Gino Appleberry in the flat for 19 yards converting a 3rd-and-5.
- Season-low 16 first downs…converted one on 30.8 percent of the snaps…entered game leading the nation in total first downs with 195 but was converting on 29.4 percent of snaps.
- Season-high 10 third-down conversions allowed…previous high was eight at Samford…Keydets converted 55.6 percent (10-18)…defense entered contest 13th nationally in conversions allowed (32.4%).
- Defense gave up 440 yards but recorded two turnovers, bot interceptions including one in the end zone (Jordan Walker) in the fourth quarter.
- Allowed three scores in five red zone entries (60%)…entered the game 4th in red zone defense (66.7%).
 
INDIVIDUAL
- Career-high 113 rushing yards on 21 carries for Gino Appleberry…previous high was 109 in 2022 vs...VMI…had one of the Mocs three TDs…152 all-purpose yards with three catches for 39 yards.
- First touch of the game for Reggie Davis resulted in the first TD of the game…45-yard run is a career best…finished with seven carries for 65 yards and the TD.
- Second career pick by Kobe Joseph set up the second scoring drive with a short field at the VMI 26…game-high 12 tackles with one for loss.
- Ben Brewton had four tackles with two for loss including a sack…also recorded two QB hurries.
- Jay Person registered six tackles with 1.5 for loss and a sack.
- Jordan Walker's third career pick came in the early fourth quarter in the end zone stopping a key Keydets threat…posted seven tackles.
- Nine stops for Clay Fields III with a pass breakup…it was his fifth breakup in the last two weeks.
- Chase Artopoeus threw his 18th passing TDs for the season for Artopoeus…ties Kenyon Earl (1994) and Ryan McCall (2002) for eighth most in a season…had 184 yards passing for on 9-17 with zero interceptions.
- Jamoi Mayes had three catches for a team-high 82 yards…819 for the season is just 17 shy of the top 10 list for the Mocs with No. 10 having 836…that's Terrell Owens.
- Javin Whatley added two catches for 61 yards including a 43-yard score…seven TDs on the season are the most since Chris James' same total in 2019…one shy of the season top 10 with five tied at eight with the most recent being Xavier Borishade (2016).
 
OPPONENT SCOREBOARD
at (3) Furman 16, ETSU 8
Mercer at (16) Western Carolina
at Samford 37, The Citadel 7