2024 Chattanooga Football
Postgame Notes & Records
Oct. 26, 2024 – VMI – Finley Stadium
 
SETTING THE SCENE
- The Chattanooga Mocs ground out a 31-10 win VMI on a rain-splattered Saturday afternoon at Finley Stadium…Chattanooga is 5-3, 4-1 in the Southern Conference, while the Keydets move to 0-8, 0-4 in conference play.
- The win puts the Mocs in a tie for first at 4-1 in the conference race in the first game after the midpoint in league play…Mercer (4-1) is tied with UTC after a 44-33 home win over Western Carolina (3-1)…the Mocs travel to the Catamounts next weekend in a pivotal matchup.
- Extends winning streak to five games…1st 5-game win streak since a victory in the final game of 2017 and four straight to open 2018.
- Chattanooga entered the contest No. 19 in the Stats Perform Top 25 and No. 25 in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll.
- 86-87-1 when ranked...51-25 home...71-47-1 when ranked vs. unranked (41-16 home).
- 6-4 when ranked #19...6-2 at home...6-3 as #19 vs. unranked opponent (6-2 home).
- 6-1 vs. VMI when ranked (4-0 home)...6-1 ranked vs unranked Keydets (4-0 home).
- 117th season…574-557-35 (.507) all-time record.
- 46th year in the SoCon…174-169-2 (.507) all-time record.
- Game captains: Chase Artopoeus, Reuben Lowery III, Quay Wiggles & Reid Williams…4-2 when losing the toss.
 
COACH RUSTY WRIGHT
- 35-25 in his sixth season…28-13 in SoCon play.
- 3-2 against VMI…2-0 in Finley Stadium.
- 14-7 in SoCon home games.
- Most wins (35) by a Mocs ball coach in his first 60 games…Russ Huesman second (33).
- Best winning percentage by a Mocs ball coach in his first 60 games (.583)…Joe Morrison & Scrappy Moore are second (.567).
- First win streak of five or more games under Wright.
 
SERIES
All-Time Meetings: 30
Record: 20-9-1 | Home: 11-3-1 | Away: 9-6 | SoCon: 19-8-1 | Streak +3

• Last 5: 3-2 | Last 10: 8-2 | 20: 13-7

 
TEAM NOTES
- Won the last three SoCon games by 31, 32 and 21 points…1st time in program history winning three league games in a row by 21+ points each.
- 45 points allowed in SoCon play through five games…fewest to this point in the schedule since 45 in 1984...record for a season is 65 in 1984, 10.83 ppg (6G played)…this is the 40th anniversary season of the 1984 squad which was the first in Mocs history to go to the FCS Playoffs.
- Season-high 285 yards rushing today…most since 299 yards on 46 carries the last time VMI visited Finley Stadium (Oct. 15, 2022).
- Four rushing touchdowns…most since four at Eastern Illinois on Sept. 11, 2022.
- 399 yards of total offense with 35:58 time of possession…TOP in five wins? 35:18.
- Defense was stout again giving up just 220 yards of total offense – 86 rushing & 134 passing.
- Defense is averaging 9.0 points and 244.4 yards per game of total offense in league play…that's averages of 123.6 on the ground and 120.8 by air.
- Two more takeaways for the group, one each by fumble and interception…17 total for the season: 14 picks and three fumble recoveries.
- One sack for VMI tonight… offensive front allowed one or fewer sacks 41 times in the 60 games of the Wright Era.
- Two sacks by the Mocs…defensive front recorded multiple sacks in 38 of Wright's 60 games to date.
- 11 VMI first downs tonight…fourth straight opponent with 12 or fewer.
- 10 of 16 (62.5%) on third down tonight by the Mocs…43 of 75 (57.3%) over the 5-game win streak.
 
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Career-high 131 yards rushing for Reggie Davis on 27 carries, also a new career best…added a touchdown…entered the contest leading the SoCon in rushing yards improving to 660 yards through seven games (94.2 ypg).
- Third 100-yard game of the season for Davis, all coming in last five games…517 yards over that span (103.4 ypg).
- Career-high 82 rushing yards for Chase Artopoeus…196 yards total offense adding 114 in the air on 13 of 26 passing…scored on runs of 17 and 23 yards…added a career-best 32-yard scamper as well.
- Career-high 64 rush yards for true freshman Journey Wyche on 13 carries…got his first career TD from 1 yard out on the first play of the fourth quarter.
- High volume tackle day for Alex Mitchell with eight including a tackle for loss…high number considering VMI only ran 53 plays and he did not play much in fourth quarter.
- Big day for DE Chris Victor…five tackles with two for loss (both sacks) and a forced fumble (strip sack)…1st career multi-sack game.
- DE Leroy Harris III got his second career fumble recovery…returned it 30 yards.
- LB Zion Rutledge had two of the Mocs pass breakups on the night.
- DB Jeremiah Batiste made his second career start…also collected his second career interception.
 
RECORD WATCH
Pass Yards (Career):
1. Jacob Huesman (2012-15): 8,197
8. Steve Woods (1978-81): 5,026
9. Chase Artopoeus (2023-present): 4,472
 
Pass TDs (Career):
1. Jacob Huesman (2012-15): 64
6. Nick Tiano (2017-19): 35
tie. Mickey Brokas (1970-73): 35
8. Chase Artopoeus (2023-present): 29
tie. Alejandro Bennifield (2014-17): 29
tie. Brian Hampton (1995-98): 28
 
300-yd Pass Games (Career):
1. Chris Sanders (1999-00): 12
2. B.J. Coleman (2009-11): 6
3. Chase Artopoeus (2023-present): 4
 
Total Offense (Career)  
1. Jacob Huesman (2012-15): 12,248
8. Steve Woods (1978-81): 5,228
9. Antonio Miller (2004-07): 4,717
10. Chase Artopoeus (2023-present): 4,702
 
Receptions (Career)
1. Emmanuel Hassell (2004-06): 169
8. Jeremy Grier (2001-03): 144
tie. Terrell Owens (1992-95): 144
10. Sam Phillips (2022-present): 137
Javin Whatley (2022-present): 125
 
Receiving Yards (Career)
1. Stefpon Hawkins (1996-99): 2,375
6. C.J. Board (2013-16): 2,032
tie. Jamoi Mayes (2020-23): 2,032
8. Javin Whatley (2022-present): 1,959
9. Joel Bradford (2008-11): 1,944
10. Sam Phillips (2022-present): 1,914
 
SOCON SCOREBOARD
at The Citadel 28, Samford 11
ETSU 24, at Wofford 7
at Mercer 44, Western Carolina 34