2025 Chattanooga Football
Postgame Notes & Records
Nov. 8 – Furman – Finley Stadium
 
SETTING THE SCENE
- The Chattanooga Mocs rolled past the Furman Paladins 45-28 in the home finale at Finley Stadium Saturday afternoon…Mocs are now 5-5, 4-2 in the Southern Conference, while the Paladins move to 3-4 in conference, 5-5 overall.
- 56th matchup with Furman. It's the second-longest series in school history behind 59 vs The Citadel.
- 4-4 against the Paladins under Coach Rusty Wright with a cumulative score of 180-157.
- Since 2010, the series is a tight 10-7…2010 win was the largest fourth quarter in school history (18 points down 10-28) which was almost matched this year coming back from 38-21 with 10 minutes left to beat ETSU 42-38.
- 82-69 (.543) all-time in Finley Stadium.
- 118th season of football at Chattanooga…581-564-35 (.507) all-time record.
- 49th season in SoCon membership…179-173-2 (.509) all-time record.
- 16-3 after the last four midseason byes for the program: 3-1 (2025), 5-0 (2024), 3-1 (2022) & 5-1 (2021).
- Game captains: RB Justus Durant, DE Marquise Freeman & OT Ryan Merklinger…Furman won and deferred... Chattanooga is 2-4 when winning toss, 3-1 when losing it.
 
COACH RUSTY WRIGHT
- 42-32 in his seventh season…33-17 in SoCon play.
- 21-12 at home…16-10 in the SoCon.
- 4-4 against Furman…2-2 in Chattanooga.
 
SERIES
Meeting: 56
Record: 23-33 | As SoCon Members: 18-31
In Chattanooga: 10-19 | As SoCon Members: 7-19
Last 5: 2-3 | Streak: +2 | Home: +1
 
TEAM NOTES
- 45 points marks the fourth time with 40 or more points this season (63-Stetson, 42-ETSU & 49-at Samford)….most since four in 2016 (3-DI opp.)…most against all DI opposition since 2014 (4).
- 529 yards total offense…second-highest total of 2025 behind 539 against Stetson…third with 500+ (519 at Samford).
- Ground out 252 yards rushing on 51 carries…fourth time with 250+ yards on the ground this season.
- Passed for another 277…averaged 18.5 yards per completion.
- Season-high 38:26 in time of possession…had the ball for all but 7:58 in the second half (22:02)…averaged 37:56 over the last two ballgames.
- Offensive line allowed one tackle for loss and zero sacks…zeroes on both for Furman defensive lineman Joshua Stoneking who entered the game leading the nation in TFL and second in sacks.
- Converted eight of 16 on third down and another three of four on fourth.
- Defense allowed 368 yards to the Paladins…shut down the rush with 72 rush yards (3.0 per carry)…gave up 296 by air.
- Zero turnovers on offense…defense recorded three with two interceptions and a fumble recovery…gained eight turnovers in the last five games (4-1) after only four in the first five (1-4).
- 21-point third quarter is the fifth of the season…most on record for the program.
- 45 points ties for the Mocs highest total in the series also done in the 1979, 1993 and 2014 seasons.
- 86 points over the last two seasons against the Paladins (86-38)…most in a 2-year period…prior high was 79 done first when Rusty Wright was a player over the 1993 and 1994 matchups and then again in 1999 and 2000.
 
PLAYER NOTES
- What a debut for QB Battle Alberson…made first career start and set the school's freshman record for total offense with 362 yards…prior high was Jacob Huesman's 347 yards at Jacksonville State on Sept. 9, 2012.
- Alberson completed 15 of 22 passes for 277 yards and four touchdowns…ran for 85 yards on seven carries.
- 28th Mocs QB with four or more TD passes…second time this year with Camden Orth turning the trick in the win over ETSU.
- The four TD passes went to four different receivers.
- RB Ryan Ingram ran for 94 yards on 22 carries…led a rushing attach with three different Mocs topping 60 yards.
- RB Justus Durant added 65 yards on 16 attempts.
- 2-touchdown day for RB Journey Wyche with one rushing and one throwing…first multi-score game of his career.
- Six catches for a career-high 115 yards and a TD for Josh Williams…long of 66 came on a catch over the top with a broken tackle at the 47 to run the rest of the way for the score.
- WR Markell Quick had three receptions for 70 yards…TD was a 47 yarder over the top of the defense.
- TE Landon Strickland got his "first careers" all at the same time with a 25-yard touchdown down the right sideline…first catch and score…had two catches for 35 yards.
- DT Ky Tayo had a "thick-6"…the big man picked off a screen and scooted 51 yards for the score…added a tackle.
- Team-high nine stops for LB Zion Rutledge…fourth time leading the squad in tackles and for the third straight contest.
- DE Marquise Freeman had four tackles with 1.5 TFLs (-12 yards), all on sacks.
- DE Orlando Danels also had 1.5 TFLs…ended with four tackles too including a half sack.
 
SOCON SCOREBOARD
at Ole Miss 49, The Citadel 0.
Wofford 52, at VMI 10
Mercer at Western Carolina, 2:30 p.m.
ETSU at Samford, 3:30 p.m.
 
Click here for scores of games not completed at press time.