Saturday, October 24
Cullowhee, N.C.
2:30 PM
Chattanooga
at
Western Carolina
Zion Rutledge
Photo by: Derek Daniel
10/21/2026 12:54:00 PM | Football
Zion Rutledge and the Chattanooga Mocs are back on the road this weekend taking on Western Carolina on ESPN+ and the SoCon Nexstar stations.
The Chattanooga Mocs football team is back from the bye week with a trip to the Smoky Mountains for this weekend's matchup with the Western Carolina Catamounts. The Mocs and Catamounts are both coming off a bye.
The Mocs enter at 4-3 overall, 3-1 in the SoCon and tied for second, while the Cats are 3-4, 1-2 in the league. In a scheduling anomaly, Western will have played its first four conference games against the four teams currently in first or second in the league in Chattanooga, ETSU (3-0), Tennessee Tech (3-1) and Mercer (3-1).
The matchup kicks off at 2:30 p.m., on ESPN+ and the SoCon Nexstar network of stations as well as over the airwaves via the Mocs Sports Network and WFLI Chattanooga.
Resources – Game Notes | Series | Live Stats
2026 Chattanooga Mocs Football
Chattanooga Mocs (4-3/3-1) at Western Carolina Catamounts (3-4/1-2)
Oct. 17 | Cullowhee, N.C. | Whitmire Stadium (14,000)
Scheduled Start Time: 2:30 p.m.
Series
Meeting: 52 | Series: 30-21 (Home: 17-9/Road: 13-12) | Streak: -4
First Meeting: 10-20-1973, L, 0-14 (Away) | Last Meeting: 11/1/2025, L, 28-35 (Home)
Media
TV: ESPN+/Nexstar (PxP: Pete Yanity, Color: Jay Sonnhalter, Sideline: Dave Friedman)
Radio: WFLI Chattanooga (96.1/100.3 FM & 1070 AM) - Jim Reynolds (PxP), Todd Agne (Analysis) & Will Poindexter (Sideline). Also available online at GoMocs.com & Varsity Network app.
Coaches
Chattanooga: Rusty Wright (Chattanooga '96) | Record at UTC: 46-37 (8th season) | Overall: Same
Western Carolina: Kerwin Bell (Florida '88) | Record at WCU: 34-30 (6th) | Career Record: 127-72 (18th)
Openers
About Western Carolina
3 Notes to Know
Quotable
Coach Rusty Wright on the close nature of the last four meetings:
"It's gone down to the wire the last few times we've played them. I think if you look back at it, we've turned the ball over more than they have, and that's the difference in those games when it's all said and done. They've all been one score games of some sort. Usually in our league, when you get in those games, it's awful hard to win when you turn it over more (than your opponent)."
LB Zion Rutledge on the confidence of his unit:
"I'd say there's a confidence in ourselves, and there's a healthy respect for who is across the line of scrimmage. We know for a fact that every game we play, especially this upcoming game, they have players. This group has really good skilled players. Every time we take the field, we know we have to respect our opponent, and we have to understand that they're gonna give us their best shot, so we have to prepare and do what we need to do."
TE John McIntyre on possible expansion of the passing game:
"I think one thing that's key in this game is to take care of the ball. I think we do a very good job of running the football, but I mean it just depends how the defense is playing us. Whatever the role they need me to do, I can do."
Football Ticket Quick Links – Mini-Plans | Game
As always, for all Mocs and McKenzie Arena events, go to GoMocs.com/tickets. Football mini-plans and single-game tickets are available with season tickets on sale as well for men's and women's basketball along with wrestling. The Arena also has Leanne Morgan's "The Time of Our Lives" Tour available.
GoMocs.com is the official website of the Chattanooga Mocs. Wear what the teams wear in our BSN Team Store or go to the bookstore's official True Spirit Stop. The Mocs can also be followed on their official Facebook, X & Instagram accounts. Find out how to join the Mocs Club and support more than 300 student-athletes by clicking here & by checking out NIL possibilities here.
The Mocs enter at 4-3 overall, 3-1 in the SoCon and tied for second, while the Cats are 3-4, 1-2 in the league. In a scheduling anomaly, Western will have played its first four conference games against the four teams currently in first or second in the league in Chattanooga, ETSU (3-0), Tennessee Tech (3-1) and Mercer (3-1).
The matchup kicks off at 2:30 p.m., on ESPN+ and the SoCon Nexstar network of stations as well as over the airwaves via the Mocs Sports Network and WFLI Chattanooga.
Resources – Game Notes | Series | Live Stats
2026 Chattanooga Mocs Football
Chattanooga Mocs (4-3/3-1) at Western Carolina Catamounts (3-4/1-2)
Oct. 17 | Cullowhee, N.C. | Whitmire Stadium (14,000)
Scheduled Start Time: 2:30 p.m.
Series
Meeting: 52 | Series: 30-21 (Home: 17-9/Road: 13-12) | Streak: -4
First Meeting: 10-20-1973, L, 0-14 (Away) | Last Meeting: 11/1/2025, L, 28-35 (Home)
Media
TV: ESPN+/Nexstar (PxP: Pete Yanity, Color: Jay Sonnhalter, Sideline: Dave Friedman)
Radio: WFLI Chattanooga (96.1/100.3 FM & 1070 AM) - Jim Reynolds (PxP), Todd Agne (Analysis) & Will Poindexter (Sideline). Also available online at GoMocs.com & Varsity Network app.
Coaches
Chattanooga: Rusty Wright (Chattanooga '96) | Record at UTC: 46-37 (8th season) | Overall: Same
Western Carolina: Kerwin Bell (Florida '88) | Record at WCU: 34-30 (6th) | Career Record: 127-72 (18th)
- Wright is 2-4 against the Catamounts.
- Bell is 4-1 against the Mocs.
- The last four contests in the series have been decided by a combined four points.
Openers
- 67th game following a bye week (10+ game schedule). 37-28-1 overall, 10-15 on the road.
- Western Carolina is one of four programs that Chattanooga has beaten 30+ times: The Citadel (37), Samford (36), Western Carolina (30) & Tennessee Tech (30).
- 52 meetings ranks third most among opponents (60-The Citadel, 56-Furman, 51-Samford).
- Series started in 1973. The two schools have met every year since, save two (1974, 2020-21).
- 119th season (50-DI) of football at Chattanooga and game number 1,190: 585-569-35 (.507) all-time record.
- 50th season in SoCon for the Mocs and game number 361: 182-176-2 (.508).
- 2-2 on the road in 2026. 23-16 (.590) under Wright against FCS competition, 18-10 (.643) in the SoCon. 10-4 (.714) in SoCon road games over the last four seasons (2023-current).
- Defense ranks top 5 in the nation in pass defense (2nd), scoring (4th), total (4th) & sacks (5th).
- League leaders: scoring defense (12.6), rush defense (118.9), pass defense (140.6), total defense (259.4), sacks (3.1), first downs allowed (103), turnovers lost (4) & fumbles lost (1).
- Individual leaders: Kevin Lalin, Rush Yds/Game (98.6); Zion Rutledge, tackles/game (9.0); Orlando Daniels, sacks (0.71), Daniels, TFLs (1.00), Daniels, forced fumbles (2); Davon Kiser, punt return TDs (1).
About Western Carolina
- 3-4 on the season, 1-2 in the league. 1st three league games were at first-place ETSU (31-58), home to Tennessee Tech (44-20) & at Mercer (14-17).
- Also coming off a bye week. 4-1 under Kerwin Bell following an idle Saturday. Lone loss? 45-17 on Oct. 2, 2021 at Chattanooga.
- Won four in a row in the series by a combined 16 points (4.0 ppg).
- 3-0 in Cullowhee, 0-4 on the road. Averaging 49.0 ppg at home, 18.5 ppg on the road.
- Balanced offense average 418.6 yards per game: 162.9 on the ground and 255.7 by air averaging 31.6 points per game.
- SoCon leaders: First Downs (157), Passes Had Intercepted (2), Red Zone Offense (96.4). TO Margin (1.29) & Turnovers Lost (4).
- Individuals: Bryan McCollum, FG% (91.7), Lex Thomas, Total Offense (281.0), Nassor Ashenafi, Forced Fumbles (2).
3 Notes to Know
- Current total defense average of 259.4 yards per game are the fewest since 247.2 in 2020-21 (4 games). From a complete season? Fewest since 1983 (248.4).
- 4.0 or more sacks in three of the last four games. The 17 total have come against just 107 pass snaps.
- Lead running backs Journey Wyche (5.6) and Kevin Lalin (5.2) average better than five yards a carry. Last time that happened in a full season? 2021: Tyrell Price (6.4) & Ailym Ford (5.3).
Quotable
Coach Rusty Wright on the close nature of the last four meetings:
"It's gone down to the wire the last few times we've played them. I think if you look back at it, we've turned the ball over more than they have, and that's the difference in those games when it's all said and done. They've all been one score games of some sort. Usually in our league, when you get in those games, it's awful hard to win when you turn it over more (than your opponent)."
LB Zion Rutledge on the confidence of his unit:
"I'd say there's a confidence in ourselves, and there's a healthy respect for who is across the line of scrimmage. We know for a fact that every game we play, especially this upcoming game, they have players. This group has really good skilled players. Every time we take the field, we know we have to respect our opponent, and we have to understand that they're gonna give us their best shot, so we have to prepare and do what we need to do."
TE John McIntyre on possible expansion of the passing game:
"I think one thing that's key in this game is to take care of the ball. I think we do a very good job of running the football, but I mean it just depends how the defense is playing us. Whatever the role they need me to do, I can do."
Football Ticket Quick Links – Mini-Plans | Game
As always, for all Mocs and McKenzie Arena events, go to GoMocs.com/tickets. Football mini-plans and single-game tickets are available with season tickets on sale as well for men's and women's basketball along with wrestling. The Arena also has Leanne Morgan's "The Time of Our Lives" Tour available.
GoMocs.com is the official website of the Chattanooga Mocs. Wear what the teams wear in our BSN Team Store or go to the bookstore's official True Spirit Stop. The Mocs can also be followed on their official Facebook, X & Instagram accounts. Find out how to join the Mocs Club and support more than 300 student-athletes by clicking here & by checking out NIL possibilities here.
Players Mentioned
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