Kevin Lalin
Photo by: Laura O'Dell
10/31/2026 4:45:00 PM | Football
2026 Chattanooga Mocs Football
Postgame Notes vs VMI
Oct. 31 – Chattanooga, Tenn. – Finley Stadium
SETTING THE SCENE
- The Chattanooga Mocs ground out a 24-10 win over the VMI Keydets Saturday afternoon in Finley Stadium…UTC is 6-3, 5-1 in the Southern Conference while VMI moves to 0-9, 0-5 in the league.
- The Mocs entered the game receiving votes in both the Stats Perform and AFCA Coaches Top 25 polls.
- 10th time reaching 5-1 in SoCon play for the Mocs…first since 2023 (6-1).
- 18th time winning five SoCon contests in 50 seasons in the league…sixth time in eight seasons under Coach Rusty Wright.
- Came into the game tied for second in the league…improve to 5-1…will either be tied for first (Tennessee Tech) or alone in second (5-0 ETSU) depending on the final from the Golden Eagles at Bucs which kicks off at 3:30 p.m.
- 3-game win streak…Wright teams have had at least one in all eight seasons…longest run by a coach in school history…the team record is nine years in a row (1977-85).
- Wright is third on the Mocs coaching win list at 48…he is two wins shy of joining Scrappy Moore (170) & Russ Huesman (59) at the 50+ win level.
- Wright is second on the Mocs coaching win list at 38 SoCon victories…he is two wins shy of joining Huesman (42) at the 40+ win level.
- 3-1 in Finley Stadium in 2026…24-13 (.649) under Wright…19-10 (.655) in the SoCon.
- 85-70 (.548) all-time in Finley Stadium…7-1 (.875) vs VMI.
- 119th season of football at Chattanooga…game number 1,191…587-569-35 (.508) all-time record…50th as a DI program.
- 50th season in SoCon for the Mocs...game number 362...184-176-2 (.511).
- Game captains: DB Nick Coates, DE Orlando Daniels, RB Kevin Lalin & OL Devin Lively.
- VMI won the toss & chose to defer…Mocs are 4-5 on the coin toss.
COACH RUSTY WRIGHT
Season: 8 | Game: 85
Overall Record: 48-37…48-29 vs. FCS opposition.
SoCon Record: 38-20…5-2 vs VMI…3-0 at Finley Stadium.
In October: 22-6
SERIES
Meeting: 32
Record: 22-9-1 | SoCon: 21-8-1
In Chattanooga: 12-3-1 | SoCon: 12-2-1
Streak: +5 | in Chattanooga: +6
Last 5: 5-0 | Last 10: 8-2 | 20: 14-6
TEAM NOTES
- The nation's third-ranked defense held VMI to 241 yards on 55 plays…31.0 yards below the average allowed entering the contest.
- Sixth time in nine games allowing 250 yards or less to an opponent.
- Gave up 117 yards rushing on 43 carries…limited the Keydets' triple option attack to just 2.7 yards per carry.
- Offense tallied a season-high 22 first downs…one better than last week's 21 at Western Carolina…third time this year with 20+.
- Registered 353 yards of total offense with 218 on the ground and 135 by air…5-0 when rushing for 200+ yards this season…15 straight wins when topping the 200-yard plateau.
- Averaged a robust 27.0 yards per completion as the Mocs completed five of eight passes for 135 yards…the record? 43.7 vs Western Kentucky, Nov. 2, 1991.
- 116 points (12.9 ppg) allowed through nine games…120 in 1985…school record for a season is just 9.1 points per game in 1951…modern era? 2021 (17.1 ppg)
- 60 points allowed in last six games (10.0 ppg)…fewest in a 6-game stretch since the final six games of 1957 (53-8.83).
- 12 "big plays" on the day for the offense…three were passes of 25+ yards along with nine runs of 10+.
PLAYER NOTES
- QB Battle Alberson had 170 yards of total offense today with 135 passing and 35 rushing…had a TD throwing running and passing…three touchdown runs over the last two weeks.
- RB Kevin Lalin led the rushing attack with 88 yards on 16 carries…6th contest with 80+ yards.
- Lalin now has 3,171 career rushing yards and 3,671 career all-purpose yards.
- WR Taylor Crumedy had a career day with four catches for 124 yards and a TD…the score was a 66-yard catch-and-run in the second quarter.
- Crumedy had catches of 66, 28 and 25 yards…five receptions of 25+ yards in the last two games.
- RB Journey Wyche accounted for 56 yards on 15 totes with one TD…now has 1,114 career rushing yards and nine rush TDs and 10 total scores.
- RB Harrison Bey-Buie added another 45 yards on six carries…increased his career numbers to 1,467 rushing yards…he had the long run of 20 yards setting up the Mocs victory formation in the final minute.
- K Jude Kelley scored six points on 3-3 PAT and 1-1 FG…kick was from 46 yards out…still third on the Mocs all-time scoring list with 258 points...trails Henrique Ribeiro '16 (307) and Jacob Huesman '15 (264).
- LB Kristian Ozane led the defense with nine tackles…third time with nine or more in a contest.
- DB Kam Baah-Slay collected eight stopes and had an interception…second pick of the year…joins Ozane (3), fellow safety Jaden Nelson (2) and corner DJ Adams (2) with multiple interceptions on the campaign.
- DT Montrell Henderson was strong up the middle of the Mocs defense with seven tackles including two for loss…tied career highs in both.
SOCON SCOREBOARD
Western Carolina at Furman, late
The Citadel at Mercer, late
Tennessee Tech at ETSU, late
Wofford at Samford, late
For late scores that were unavailable at press time, please click this link,
Postgame Notes vs VMI
Oct. 31 – Chattanooga, Tenn. – Finley Stadium
SETTING THE SCENE
- The Chattanooga Mocs ground out a 24-10 win over the VMI Keydets Saturday afternoon in Finley Stadium…UTC is 6-3, 5-1 in the Southern Conference while VMI moves to 0-9, 0-5 in the league.
- The Mocs entered the game receiving votes in both the Stats Perform and AFCA Coaches Top 25 polls.
- 10th time reaching 5-1 in SoCon play for the Mocs…first since 2023 (6-1).
- 18th time winning five SoCon contests in 50 seasons in the league…sixth time in eight seasons under Coach Rusty Wright.
- Came into the game tied for second in the league…improve to 5-1…will either be tied for first (Tennessee Tech) or alone in second (5-0 ETSU) depending on the final from the Golden Eagles at Bucs which kicks off at 3:30 p.m.
- 3-game win streak…Wright teams have had at least one in all eight seasons…longest run by a coach in school history…the team record is nine years in a row (1977-85).
- Wright is third on the Mocs coaching win list at 48…he is two wins shy of joining Scrappy Moore (170) & Russ Huesman (59) at the 50+ win level.
- Wright is second on the Mocs coaching win list at 38 SoCon victories…he is two wins shy of joining Huesman (42) at the 40+ win level.
- 3-1 in Finley Stadium in 2026…24-13 (.649) under Wright…19-10 (.655) in the SoCon.
- 85-70 (.548) all-time in Finley Stadium…7-1 (.875) vs VMI.
- 119th season of football at Chattanooga…game number 1,191…587-569-35 (.508) all-time record…50th as a DI program.
- 50th season in SoCon for the Mocs...game number 362...184-176-2 (.511).
- Game captains: DB Nick Coates, DE Orlando Daniels, RB Kevin Lalin & OL Devin Lively.
- VMI won the toss & chose to defer…Mocs are 4-5 on the coin toss.
COACH RUSTY WRIGHT
Season: 8 | Game: 85
Overall Record: 48-37…48-29 vs. FCS opposition.
SoCon Record: 38-20…5-2 vs VMI…3-0 at Finley Stadium.
In October: 22-6
SERIES
Meeting: 32
Record: 22-9-1 | SoCon: 21-8-1
In Chattanooga: 12-3-1 | SoCon: 12-2-1
Streak: +5 | in Chattanooga: +6
Last 5: 5-0 | Last 10: 8-2 | 20: 14-6
TEAM NOTES
- The nation's third-ranked defense held VMI to 241 yards on 55 plays…31.0 yards below the average allowed entering the contest.
- Sixth time in nine games allowing 250 yards or less to an opponent.
- Gave up 117 yards rushing on 43 carries…limited the Keydets' triple option attack to just 2.7 yards per carry.
- Offense tallied a season-high 22 first downs…one better than last week's 21 at Western Carolina…third time this year with 20+.
- Registered 353 yards of total offense with 218 on the ground and 135 by air…5-0 when rushing for 200+ yards this season…15 straight wins when topping the 200-yard plateau.
- Averaged a robust 27.0 yards per completion as the Mocs completed five of eight passes for 135 yards…the record? 43.7 vs Western Kentucky, Nov. 2, 1991.
- 116 points (12.9 ppg) allowed through nine games…120 in 1985…school record for a season is just 9.1 points per game in 1951…modern era? 2021 (17.1 ppg)
- 60 points allowed in last six games (10.0 ppg)…fewest in a 6-game stretch since the final six games of 1957 (53-8.83).
- 12 "big plays" on the day for the offense…three were passes of 25+ yards along with nine runs of 10+.
PLAYER NOTES
- QB Battle Alberson had 170 yards of total offense today with 135 passing and 35 rushing…had a TD throwing running and passing…three touchdown runs over the last two weeks.
- RB Kevin Lalin led the rushing attack with 88 yards on 16 carries…6th contest with 80+ yards.
- Lalin now has 3,171 career rushing yards and 3,671 career all-purpose yards.
- WR Taylor Crumedy had a career day with four catches for 124 yards and a TD…the score was a 66-yard catch-and-run in the second quarter.
- Crumedy had catches of 66, 28 and 25 yards…five receptions of 25+ yards in the last two games.
- RB Journey Wyche accounted for 56 yards on 15 totes with one TD…now has 1,114 career rushing yards and nine rush TDs and 10 total scores.
- RB Harrison Bey-Buie added another 45 yards on six carries…increased his career numbers to 1,467 rushing yards…he had the long run of 20 yards setting up the Mocs victory formation in the final minute.
- K Jude Kelley scored six points on 3-3 PAT and 1-1 FG…kick was from 46 yards out…still third on the Mocs all-time scoring list with 258 points...trails Henrique Ribeiro '16 (307) and Jacob Huesman '15 (264).
- LB Kristian Ozane led the defense with nine tackles…third time with nine or more in a contest.
- DB Kam Baah-Slay collected eight stopes and had an interception…second pick of the year…joins Ozane (3), fellow safety Jaden Nelson (2) and corner DJ Adams (2) with multiple interceptions on the campaign.
- DT Montrell Henderson was strong up the middle of the Mocs defense with seven tackles including two for loss…tied career highs in both.
SOCON SCOREBOARD
Western Carolina at Furman, late
The Citadel at Mercer, late
Tennessee Tech at ETSU, late
Wofford at Samford, late
For late scores that were unavailable at press time, please click this link,
Players Mentioned
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DE
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DT
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K
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OL
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/ FootballTuesday, October 27
Tuesday, October 27
Tuesday, October 20
Saturday, October 10
