Kevin Lalin
Photo by: Tommy Quarles
Postgame Notes at Eastern Kentucky
9/12/2026 10:59:00 PM | Football
2026 Chattanooga Mocs Football
Postgame Notes
Sept. 12 – at Eastern Kentucky – Kidd Stadium
SETTING THE SCENE
- The Chattanooga Mocs lost a 22-17 decision at the Eastern Kentucky Colonels in Kidd Stadium Saturday evening…both programs are 1-2 early in the season.
- 1-2 to start the season for the 30th time in program history.
- 1-1 on the road this season. 22-15 (.595) vs FCS competition on the road under Rusty Wright, 11-7 (.611) over the last three seasons.
- The Mocs are among others receiving votes in the AFCA Coaches Poll…one of eight SoCon school ranked or receiving votes in either of the two major FCS Top 25 lists.
- Sixth matchup against UAC opponent. 3-3 (.500) against the league all-time which started in 2023 with all six games on the road: Austin Peay (2-0), North Alabama (0-1), Tarleton State (0-1) & West Georgia (1-0).
- EKU QB Tyler Travers has close ties to Chattanooga…his mom Miranda Warfield Travers is a UTC Hall of Famer (2018 inductee…she was a 4-time Southern Conference Champion at the start an unprecedented 11-season run of SoCon Championships for the program…she was a 2-time SoCon Tournament MVP, 3-time All-SoCon selection and was thrice named to the SoCon All-Tournament Team.
- Just the eighth meeting all-time between the two schools despite the relative proximity…first matchup since 2011…loss snaps a 3-game series win streak for UTC…more below.
- 119th season of football at Chattanooga…game number 1,185…582-568-35 (.506) all-time record…50th as a DI program.
- Game captains: DB Nick Coates, DE Jestin Gilmore, DT Montrell Henderson, RB Kevin Lalin & OL Devin Lively.
- Eastern Kentucky won the toss and chose to defer…opponents have won the toss in all three contests.
COACH RUSTY WRIGHT
- 43-36 in his eighth season…43-28 vs. FCS opposition.
- 22-15 at on the road against FCS competition…22-23 overall.
- 0-1 against KUU…0-1 at Kidd Stadium.
SERIES
Meeting: 7
Record: 3-3-1
In Richmond: 1-3
Last 5: 3-2 | Last 10: 3-3-1 | 20: 3-3-1
TEAM NOTES
- EKU led 16-3 at halftime…the Mocs scored on their first two possessions of the second half to flip it to a 17-16 lead…the Colonels used a nine-play, 79-yard fourth quarter drive to get the go ahead touchdown with 3:48 remaining.
- A 56-minute lightning delay came shortly after the Mocs went up 17-16 on Battle Alberson's 5-yard run.
- EKU ran for 274 yards…the Mocs defense entered the game ranked sixth in the country in run defense (57.0 ypg).
- UTC was +1 in turnover margin with two interceptions to the Colonels one.
- The Mocs limited their hosts to 120 yards in the air…EKU came into the game averaging 305.0 yards passing per FCS game.
- Chattanooga had 254 yards of total offense with 119 on the ground and 135 by air…178 of those yards came in the second half.
- The 96-yard TD run in the second quarter for EKU is the longest by an opponent in school history…previous high was 95 by Detrez Newsome of Western Carolina on Oct. 29, 2016.
- EKU held the time of possession advantage with 33:12 on the night…that included 9:02 in the pivotal fourth quarter.
- The Mocs had 61 yards on six penalties...55 of those yards came on the opening drive, an EKU touchdown.
- The offensive line allowed just one sack…51st time in the Rusty Wright era with one or fewer.
PLAYER NOTES
- RB Kevin Lalin had 98 yards on 17 carries with one score...now has 2,548 yards for his collegiate career including stops at Limestone (1,433) and Catawba (825)…topped the 2500 mark with his seventh carry, a 15-yard dash into EKU territory converting a 2nd & 10.
- Lalin's 27-yard TD run in the third quarter put him over 3,000 career all-purpose yards…he now stands at 3,038.
- WR Ashton Schumann had five catches for 98 yards…he hit two milestones of his own topping 150 catches with his third of the game…he exceeded 2,000 career yards with his 59-yard catch-and-run that setup a 5-yard touchdown run by QB Battle Alberson giving the Mocs a 17-16 third quarter advantage.
- Schumann now has 152 career receptions for 2,021 yards.
- K Jude Kelley's second quarter field goal is the 34th of his UTC career…he's tied for fifth in the record book with Victor Ulmo '20…Kelley has 210 points which is five shy of third among kickers in school history behind Rodney Allen '92.
- First career interceptions for senior DJ Adams thwarted EKU's second foray into the red zone in the first half and got his second on the first possession of the second half…Adams collected the overthrown ball at the eight and returned it to the UTC 12…he now has four passes defensed in three games.
- First time with multiple picks by a Moc since CB Kameron Brown had two against Mercer on Oct. 22, 2022.
- Career long 41-yard punt return by Davon Kiser at the start of the second quarter gave the Mocs a short field at the EKU 33…set up a 31-yard FG for Jude Kelley…previous high came for Cornell against Dartmouth in 2023.
- Season-high 13 tackles for LB Zion Rutledge…fourth career game in double digits…added a pass breakup.
- SS Jaden Nelson had a high of his own with nine stops.
- So did CB Keyshawn Jackson with eight tackles, 0.5 for loss and a PBU…that gives Jackson a team-high five passes defensed for the season.
- QB Battle Alberson scored his first career TD on a 5-yard run for the 17-16 lead in the third quarter…he was 12-27 with an interception throwing for 135 yards.
Postgame Notes
Sept. 12 – at Eastern Kentucky – Kidd Stadium
SETTING THE SCENE
- The Chattanooga Mocs lost a 22-17 decision at the Eastern Kentucky Colonels in Kidd Stadium Saturday evening…both programs are 1-2 early in the season.
- 1-2 to start the season for the 30th time in program history.
- 1-1 on the road this season. 22-15 (.595) vs FCS competition on the road under Rusty Wright, 11-7 (.611) over the last three seasons.
- The Mocs are among others receiving votes in the AFCA Coaches Poll…one of eight SoCon school ranked or receiving votes in either of the two major FCS Top 25 lists.
- Sixth matchup against UAC opponent. 3-3 (.500) against the league all-time which started in 2023 with all six games on the road: Austin Peay (2-0), North Alabama (0-1), Tarleton State (0-1) & West Georgia (1-0).
- EKU QB Tyler Travers has close ties to Chattanooga…his mom Miranda Warfield Travers is a UTC Hall of Famer (2018 inductee…she was a 4-time Southern Conference Champion at the start an unprecedented 11-season run of SoCon Championships for the program…she was a 2-time SoCon Tournament MVP, 3-time All-SoCon selection and was thrice named to the SoCon All-Tournament Team.
- Just the eighth meeting all-time between the two schools despite the relative proximity…first matchup since 2011…loss snaps a 3-game series win streak for UTC…more below.
- 119th season of football at Chattanooga…game number 1,185…582-568-35 (.506) all-time record…50th as a DI program.
- Game captains: DB Nick Coates, DE Jestin Gilmore, DT Montrell Henderson, RB Kevin Lalin & OL Devin Lively.
- Eastern Kentucky won the toss and chose to defer…opponents have won the toss in all three contests.
COACH RUSTY WRIGHT
- 43-36 in his eighth season…43-28 vs. FCS opposition.
- 22-15 at on the road against FCS competition…22-23 overall.
- 0-1 against KUU…0-1 at Kidd Stadium.
SERIES
Meeting: 7
Record: 3-3-1
In Richmond: 1-3
Last 5: 3-2 | Last 10: 3-3-1 | 20: 3-3-1
TEAM NOTES
- EKU led 16-3 at halftime…the Mocs scored on their first two possessions of the second half to flip it to a 17-16 lead…the Colonels used a nine-play, 79-yard fourth quarter drive to get the go ahead touchdown with 3:48 remaining.
- A 56-minute lightning delay came shortly after the Mocs went up 17-16 on Battle Alberson's 5-yard run.
- EKU ran for 274 yards…the Mocs defense entered the game ranked sixth in the country in run defense (57.0 ypg).
- UTC was +1 in turnover margin with two interceptions to the Colonels one.
- The Mocs limited their hosts to 120 yards in the air…EKU came into the game averaging 305.0 yards passing per FCS game.
- Chattanooga had 254 yards of total offense with 119 on the ground and 135 by air…178 of those yards came in the second half.
- The 96-yard TD run in the second quarter for EKU is the longest by an opponent in school history…previous high was 95 by Detrez Newsome of Western Carolina on Oct. 29, 2016.
- EKU held the time of possession advantage with 33:12 on the night…that included 9:02 in the pivotal fourth quarter.
- The Mocs had 61 yards on six penalties...55 of those yards came on the opening drive, an EKU touchdown.
- The offensive line allowed just one sack…51st time in the Rusty Wright era with one or fewer.
PLAYER NOTES
- RB Kevin Lalin had 98 yards on 17 carries with one score...now has 2,548 yards for his collegiate career including stops at Limestone (1,433) and Catawba (825)…topped the 2500 mark with his seventh carry, a 15-yard dash into EKU territory converting a 2nd & 10.
- Lalin's 27-yard TD run in the third quarter put him over 3,000 career all-purpose yards…he now stands at 3,038.
- WR Ashton Schumann had five catches for 98 yards…he hit two milestones of his own topping 150 catches with his third of the game…he exceeded 2,000 career yards with his 59-yard catch-and-run that setup a 5-yard touchdown run by QB Battle Alberson giving the Mocs a 17-16 third quarter advantage.
- Schumann now has 152 career receptions for 2,021 yards.
- K Jude Kelley's second quarter field goal is the 34th of his UTC career…he's tied for fifth in the record book with Victor Ulmo '20…Kelley has 210 points which is five shy of third among kickers in school history behind Rodney Allen '92.
- First career interceptions for senior DJ Adams thwarted EKU's second foray into the red zone in the first half and got his second on the first possession of the second half…Adams collected the overthrown ball at the eight and returned it to the UTC 12…he now has four passes defensed in three games.
- First time with multiple picks by a Moc since CB Kameron Brown had two against Mercer on Oct. 22, 2022.
- Career long 41-yard punt return by Davon Kiser at the start of the second quarter gave the Mocs a short field at the EKU 33…set up a 31-yard FG for Jude Kelley…previous high came for Cornell against Dartmouth in 2023.
- Season-high 13 tackles for LB Zion Rutledge…fourth career game in double digits…added a pass breakup.
- SS Jaden Nelson had a high of his own with nine stops.
- So did CB Keyshawn Jackson with eight tackles, 0.5 for loss and a PBU…that gives Jackson a team-high five passes defensed for the season.
- QB Battle Alberson scored his first career TD on a 5-yard run for the 17-16 lead in the third quarter…he was 12-27 with an interception throwing for 135 yards.
Players Mentioned
QB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
DE
/ Football
DT
/ Football
DB
/ Football
K
/ Football
WR
/ Football
RB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
DB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
WR
/ FootballTuesday, September 08
Saturday, September 05
Tuesday, September 01
Tuesday, September 01
