2023 Chattanooga Mocs Football
at #7 Furman – Dec. 2 – Paladin Stadium – Greenville, S.C.
Postgame Notes
 
GENERAL
- The 18th-ranked Chattanooga Mocs lost a 26-7 decision at No. 7 Furman Saturday afternoon at Paladin Stadium…now 8-5 overall…the Paladins are 9-3.
- 13th season winning eight or more games.
- Ranked 18th in the Stats Perform Top 25 and 19th in AFCA Coaches Poll…the Paladins were No. 7 in Stats Perform and No. 6 per the coaches.
- Fifth FCS Playoffs entry all-time (1984, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2023)…9th contest.
- 4-5 in playoff games…1-5 on the road with last week's win in Clarksville being the first on the road…1-3 in the second round (0-3 on the road).
- One of three SoCon squads in the field…Furman obviously, while Mercer is on the road at South Dakota State.
- 30th ranked game week under Rusty Wright, 168th all-time…Russ Huesman's 52 (32-20) 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).
- 85-82-1 as a ranked team (60-54 vs. FCS opposition)…4-5 in the FCS Playoffs.
- Game captains: C Reid Williams, DE Ben Brewton, LB Alex Mitchell, RB Gino Appleberry & WR Jamoi Mayes.
 
SERIES
All-Time Meetings: 54
Record: 21-33 | Home: 9-19 | Away: 12-14 | Streak -3

• Last 5: 2-3 | Last 10: 4-6 | Last 20: 8-12
• First meeting was Oct. 6, 1928…15-0 win in Greenville.
• 1st non-conference meeting between the two schools since 1970…5-2 in non-league matchups.
• Chattanooga has more series wins in Greenville (12) than Chattanooga (9).

 
COACH
Rusty Wright (Chattanooga '96)

• Record: 30-22 | Home: 15-8 | Away: 15-14
• vs. Furman: 2-4 | Home: 1-2 | Away: 1-2
• FCS Playoffs: 1-1 | Home: 0-0 | Away: 1-1
• When Ranked: 17-13
• vs. Ranked Opp.: 6-10 (6-9 FCS)

 
PLAYOFF HISTORY
Record: 4-5 | Years Seeded: 2014 (8)
 
Year-by-Year Results
Date: Round | (Opp Rank) Opponent (UTC Rank) | Result
11/24/1984: 1st | (10) @Arkansas State (17) | L, 10-37
12/6/2014: 2nd | (21) Indiana State (8) | W, 35-14
12/11/2014: Quarters | (1) @New Hampshire (8) | L, 30-35
11/28/2015: 1st | (14) Fordham (7) | W, 50-20
12/5/2015: 2nd | (1) @Jacksonville State (7) | L, 35-41 (ot)
11/26/2016: 1st | (23) Weber State (9) | W, 45-14
12/3/2016: 2nd | (1) @Sam Houston (9) | L, 36-41
11/25/2023: 1st | (13) @Austin Peay (18) | W, 24-21
12/2/2023: 2^nd | (7) @Furman (18) | L, 7-26
 
TEAM
- Third time in school history meeting a regular season opponent in the postseason…all three times were losses at home in the regular season and on the road in the playoffs…1978: Arkansas State (16-0/37-10) and 2015: Jacksonville State (23-20/41-35 OT).
- Seven points scored is a season low…fewest since being shutout at Illinois on Sept. 22, 2022…fewest against an FCS opponent since six at Mercer on Nov. 13, 2021.
- Nine first downs on the day…entered the day sixth in the nation with 263 total.
- Offensive line allowed zero sacks and just two tackles for loss…that's down from five sacks in the earlier season meeting.
- Entered the contest with 35 sacks ranking 11th in the country…recorded one today…the 36 sacks are second highest in school history exiting a tie with last season and 2014…30 or more for the 8th time, 3rd under Rusty Wright (5 seasons).
- 24:25 time of possession is second lowest of the season…23:38 in the win at VMI…top 10 nationally in the statistic…just the third time this season losing the possession battle but first loss (2-1).
- 6 of 14 on third down…converted six of first eight…fourth game with six or more conversions.
- Allowed 383 yards of total offense to Furman (191 rush/192 pass)…Paladins ran 72 plays compared to 49 for the Mocs.
 
INDIVIDUAL
- LS Cody Olszewski tied the school record for games played with 52…matches OL Corey Levin (2013-16) and LB Nakevion Leslie (2013-16)…DB Kam Brown played his 51st game, while DE Ben Brewton became the 12th Mocs student-athlete to reach No. 50.
- Brewton is the longest serving member of the squad signing with the Tom Arth staff beginning his career in 2018…he is one of 19 with 4+ years in the program with his six topping the list ahead of Olszewski, Brown, Ailym Ford, Jay Person & Colin Truett with five each.
- Brewton, Gino Appleberry, Alex Mitchell and Jamoi Mayes were game captains for the first time in their careers.
- Mayes had three catches for 38 yards…became the fifth Mocs receiver with 1,000-yard season and seventh with 2k for a career  with his 32-yard 1st quarter catch…1,037 yards this season ranks 4th and is 247 shy of Joel Bradford's '11 record of 1,284 in 2010…2,022 is 7th in program history and 353 short of Stefpon Hawkins' '99 record 2,375.
- RB Reggie Davis ran for 60 yards on eight carries…7.5 yards per rush…also had 11 receiving yards on one catch.
- Safety Jordan Walker led all tacklers with 11 stops…included 1.5 for loss and a half sack.
- Fellow safety Clay Fields III collected his first UTC interception with a pick ending Furman's first drive…10th pass defended (9 PBUs) this season.
- QB Luke Schomburg completed nine of 19 passes for 84 yards and an interception.
- Mocs played without several starters on both sides of the ball…QB Chase Artopoeus, RB Ailym Ford, OL Colin Truett and OL Bryce Goodner before losing starting guard Almarion Crim in the first half and Schomburg in the second…the defense played without 2-time SoCon Defensive Player of the Year Jay Person and DB Reuben Lowery III.