2025 Chattanooga Football
Postgame Notes & Records
Nov. 15 – at Mercer – Five Star Stadium
 
SETTING THE SCENE
- The Chattanooga Mocs fell 63-17 at the Mercer Bears in Five Star Stadium Saturday afternoon…Mocs are now 5-6, 4-3 in the Southern Conference, while the Bears finish 8-0 in conference, 9-1 overall.
- Mercer entered the game ranked eighth in both FCS polls…third opponent this season currently ranked in the top 10: (5) Tennessee Tech & (6) Tarleton State or (5) Tarleton State & (6) Tennessee Tech depending on the poll you choose.
- The Bears extend their win streak to nine games on the season…12 straight wins in SoCon play.
- 44-167 all-time vs ranked opponents, 38-119 FCS…13-111 on the road vs ranked (13-78 FCS)…4-6 against FCS Top 25 on the road under Rusty Wright.
- 10-2 in last 12 SoCon road games…17-8 during Wright's tenure.
- The Bears are a historic opponent with the series first kicking off in 1909…however, this is just the 36th meeting.
- 118th season of football at Chattanooga…581-565-35 (.507) all-time record.
- 49th season in SoCon membership…179-174-2 (.507) all-time record.
- 16-4 (.800) after the last four midseason byes for the program: 3-2 (2025), 5-0 (2024), 3-1 (2022) & 5-1 (2021).
- Game captains: RB Ryan Ingram, DE Marquise Freeman & OT Ryan Merklinger… Chattanooga won and deferred... Chattanooga is 2-5 when winning toss, 3-1 when losing it.
 
COACH RUSTY WRIGHT
- 42-33 in his seventh season…33-18 in SoCon play.
- 21-21 on the road…17-8 in the SoCon.
- 3-4 against Mercer…2-2 in Macon.
 
SERIES
Meeting: 36
Record: 22-13-1 | As SoCon Members: 5-7
In Macon: 5-8 | As SoCon Members: 2-7
Last 5: 2-3 | Streak: -2 | Road: -1
 
TEAM NOTES
- 198 yards of total offense with 138 passing yards and 60 rushing...Mercer had 545 yards with 212 on the ground and 333 passing.
- The Bears had 32 first downs…season high for an opponent…12 on offense is a season low.
- Mocs struggled on third down converting two of 15…Bears were eight of 10.
- Chattanooga was three of four on fourth down (75%)…entered the game seventh in the nation with a 71.4 percent conversion rate on the season.
- -1 in turnover margin…had three today with two interceptions and a fumble while getting two back with an interception and a fumble.
- Mercer managed nine tackles for loss including three sacks…Bears came into the game leading the nation in sacks (4.11/game) and tops in the league in TFLs (8.2).
 
PLAYER NOTES
- True freshman slot safety Kamari Todd got his first career interception on the opening drive of the game…he returned it 34 yards to the Mercer 24 which became the 12 after a late hit out of bounds…set up a 3-0 start for the squad.
- WR Markell Quick had three catches for 75 yards and a touchdown…had a 56-yard catch-and-run setting up his 7-yard score in the fourth quarter…12th reception of 20+ yards this season and third topping 50 yards.
- Quick extended his personal career best season total to 645 yards…leads team…up to 1,245 receiving yards for career…TD was fifth of season and 10th of his career.
- QB Battle Alberson threw for 138 yards on 11 of 25 passing with a TD and two interceptions.
- RB Journey Wyche had a team-high 44 yards rushing…averaged 4.0 yards per carry.
- Safety Kam Baah-Slay and LB Zion Rutledge each lodged 10 tackles…second double-digit effort of his career for Baah-Slay and fourth for Rutledge…gets Rutledge to 93 total stops for 2025.
 
SOCON SCOREBOARD
ETSU 52, at Western Carolina 35
at Furman 32, VMI 14
at Austin Peay 30, Samford 16
Wofford 16, at The Citadel 14
 
Click here for scores of games not completed at press time.