chattanooga MOCS

Box Score | Notes | Quotes | Photos

CARROLLTON, Ga. (August 27, 2026) --- The Chattanooga Mocs football team opened the new 2026 season with a controlling 24-10 road victory over UAC-member West Georgia on a humid Thursday night inside University Stadium in Carrollton, Ga., during non-conference action.
 
With the win, Chattanooga (1-0) handed West Georgia (0-1) its first season-opening defeat since 2011 which snapped the program's 13-game winning streak in season openers. It also marked UWG's first Thursday night defeat since 2011 as the team entered the night 10-0 on Thursday night since 2012.
 
Quick Records & Series
Chattanooga: 1-0
West Georgia: 0-1
Series: First-ever meeting between the two programs… UTC now leads 1-0.
 
Game Breakdown

• Chattanooga and West Georgia went scoreless in the first quarter as the two teams combined for four punts and just 72 yards of total offense.
• The Mocs briefly entered the redzone early in the second quarter but failed to convert following a sizable rushing loss and a missed 40-yard field goal attempt.
• Aided by consecutive personal foul penalties on UTC, West Georgia capped off a seven-play, 78-yard touchdown drive with a short goal-line plunge to grab a 7-0 lead with 7:46 left before half.
• Jude Kelley beat the halftime buzzer with a 39-yard field goal to put Chattanooga on the board and cut the deficit to 7-3 heading into the break.
• On the second play of the half, Battle Alberson connected with Ashton Schumann on a 72-yard touchdown strike to briefly put UTC ahead before UWG responded with a 43-yard field goal from Freddy Perez to tie things 10-10 at the 12:50 mark of the third.
• The Mocs regained the lead, 17-10, as Alberson found Boobie Leavell on a 20-yard throw and catch to cap off an eight-play, 71-yard scoring drive with 8:22 left in the third.
• Chattanooga extended its lead with 9:53 remaining in the game as Kevin Lalin punched it in from six yards out to make it 24-10 in favor of the guests. The 14-point difference would settle as the game's final.

 
Inside the Stats

• Chattanooga out-gained West Georgia 329-219 (+110) in total offense… out-rushed the Wolves by a wide 149-38 (+111)… held UWG to just three second-half points.
• Chattanooga controlled the clock by a wide margin… won the time of possession battle 36:43-23:17 (+13:26)… no turnovers for either team.
• RB Kevin Lalin rushed the ball 30 times for 128 yards and a touchdown… QB Battle Alberson finished 9-of-17 for 180 yards and two touchdowns… WR Ashton Schumann caught four passes for 100 yards (56 YAC) and a touchdown.
• DB Kam Baah-Slay led the team in tackles with eight total (seven solo, one assist)… DL Myles Mays, LB CJ Smith and LB Ky Tayo all recorded a sack during the victory.
   

Game Notes

• Chattanooga snapped West Georgia's 13-game win streak in season openers… UWG's last season-opening loss came back in 2011… UWG also entered 10-0 in Thursday night games since 2012… UWG had won seven-straight home games on Thursday night before tonight.
• RB Kevin Lalin had the first 100-yard debut since March 2021… 30 carries for 128 yards and a touchdown... Lance Jackson had the last with 135 yards on 19 carries against Mercer… of Lalin's 30 runs, he was stopped for a loss just once (1 yd).
• WR Ashton Schumann ended up with 100 yards on four catches with the score… the last receiver with 100 yards in a debut?... current defensive ends coach Tyrus Ward... he collected four passes for 107 yards and a touchdown at Memphis on Sept. 11, 2004.

 
Postgame Quotes
Rusty Wright, Head Coach
On the team's total effort tonight.
"We were missing a lot of skill on offense. We talked about it this morning in the pregame meal. This was going to be four quarters of team football finding a way. Defensively, we were physical for four quarters. Offensively, credit to that staff finding some stuff we could go to and get some things done, I'm proud of those players and coaches for doing that because it was hard out there tonight."

Devin Lively, OL
On the play of the O-line.
"Yeah, we got out there the first drive and I thought we were moving the ball well. We missed the protection early, things like that are going to happen in a game. We got some stuff to clean up there, but I could feel we're leaning on them, we're moving them, we're moving the line vertically, you know what I mean? So there's always going to be some stuff to clean up, but I thought overall we moved the line of scrimmage well."
 
On the response in the second half.
"Yeah, I mean, you come in at halftime and you're down and obviously that's disappointing. But at the same time, I don't think that we felt like we were out of control of the game. I felt like we were in control of the game for the most part. Like I said, we had some small stuff we had to fix, came out in the second half, executed a little better. I mean, we got that first quick score and then scored again, it's stuff like that."
 
Kam Baah-Slay, DB
On the physical play of the defense.
"Yeah, of course. It started out in fall camp. Our coaches, the first thing they did was put us in great positions to make those plays. Physicality is the main part of the game, that's what we take pride in because Coach Wright, every day, emphasizes physicality, so that's what we're trying to be good at."
 
On controlling the game.
"We want to be able to control the football game, not really give them any lanes to run the football at all, keeping the quarterback in the pocket every time. I think the only time they scored, we committed some personal fouls moving down the field, so other than that, we really held them to nothing."
 
Up Next | Buy Tickets
Chattanooga hosts Tennessee Tech in its home opener next Saturday (September 5) at Finley Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. (ET). Despite TTU joining the Southern Conference, this contest will be a non-conference tilt due to prior scheduling arrangements.

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