Armed with arguably the best running back in the FCS nation, a talented Fordham football team (9-2) comes to Chattanooga Saturday to face the UTC Mocs (8-3) at Finley Stadium at 1 p.m. in a first round FCS playoff game.
Chattanooga won the Southern Conference’s automatic bid with a 6-1 league mark and an 8-3 overall record while Fordham finished second in the Patriot League at 5-1. The Rams received an at-large bid to the championships for the fifth time in program history.
Fordham is led by sophomore All-American running back Chase Edmonds with 1,643 yards and 20 touchdowns and QB Kevin Anderson with 2,854 passing yards and 29 touchdowns.
The Mocs counter with a pair of 1,000 yards rushers in RB Derrick Craine and quarterback Jacob Huesman.
Strong on Defense: Defensively, the Rams rank second in the NCAA FCS in turnovers gained with 28 ...
includes 16 interceptions, 12th best in the NCAA FCS ... fifth in the nation in turnover margin (+13)
TICKETS
Tickets for the game are available now at the UTC Ticket Office by calling (423) 266-MOCS (6627) or online on GoMocs.com. In addition to the regular business hours of the UTC Ticket Office (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) at McKenzie Arena, the First Tennessee Pavilion ticket window at Finley Stadium opens at 9 a.m. (EST) on gameday.
Radio/TV: The game will be broadcast on 96.1 FM The Legend and on ESPN3.
SCOUTING FORDHAM
• Fordham is making its third consecutive appearance in the FCS Playoffs after earning an at-large bid from the Patriot League ... Overall, the NCAA FCS championship appearance will be the fifth for Fordham, who also made the championship in 2002, 2007, 2013 and 2014.
• The Rams finished second in the Patriot League with a 9-2 overall record and 5-1 mark in league play.
• Fordham’s two losses were against Villanova (14-7) and Colgate (31-29).
• The Rams roster features 30 freshmen
• The 2015 Rams feature 18 new starters with the four returning starters being Chase Edmonds (RB), Garrick Mayweather (OL), Anthony Coyle (OL) & George Dawson (LB).
• Fordham is one of just four NCAA FCS team to defeat two NCAA FBS opponents since 2013.
• Fordham is No. 14 in the STATS FCS Top 25 and No. 15 in the FCS Coaches Poll ... 40 straight weeks in the top 25.
• Rams are 11th in the FCS on third down (47.2%) ... 18th in first downs (246).
• 38.4 ppg is No. 8 in the FCS ... 456.6 total offense is 17th in the FCS.
• Rams are adept at forcing turnovers, ranking second in the NCAA FCS in turnovers gained with 28 ... includes 16 interceptions, 12th best in the NCAA FCS ... fifth in the nation in turnover margin (+13)
• Sophomore Chase Edmonds is one of the top running backs in the country ... 9th in the FCS in yards per carry 6.63 ... 20 rushing TDs is second in the country ... 1,643 rushing yards is third in the FCS ... 13.6 points per game leads the country
• Junior QB Kevin Anderson is 7th in the FCS in completion % (67.2) ... 172.3 passer rating is No. 3 in the FCS ... 29 passing TDs is fifth in the FCS ... 11th in the country in passing yards (2,854).
• Senior LB Stephen Hodge is on the STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year Watch List ... leads the Rams with 109 total tackles, 61 solo, including 10.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
QUICK NOTES TO KNOW ABOUT THE MOCS
General
• UTC head coach Russ Huesman is in his seventh season at his alma mater. He is 49-32 overall and 36-18 in Southern Conference action.
• The Mocs led the SoCon in home attendance, averaging 11,204 in 2015 ... second year in a row UTC led the league in average attendance ... Chattanooga hit that mark only four previous times in school history ... three of those in the Russ Huesman era (2009, 2010, 2011). UTC is currently No. 21 in the FCS in home attendance.
• A win over Fordham would give the 2015 senior class 33 victories in their career, tying the 1980 class for the school record.
Offense
• Senior QB Jacob Huesman finished tied for 11th in the Walter Payton Award voting and was named the SoCon Offensive Player of the Year in 2014. He is the preseason SoCon Player of the Year in 2015 and on the STATS Offensive Player of the Year Watch List.
• Junior offensive lineman Corey Levin won the Jacobs Blocking Award as the top offensive lineman in the SoCon last season.
• UTC is third in the SoCon behind triple-option teams The Citadel and Wofford, and No. 15 in the nation, in rushing yards (232.0) ... RB Derrick Craine (91.1) and QB Jacob Huesman (92.5) two of the top three in the league in rushing ... Craine leads the SoCon and is No. 14 in the FCS with 12 rushing TDs.
• The Mocs are currently fourth in the FCS on third down (76/153 - 49.7%).
• Chattanooga is second in the SoCon and is No. 13 in the FCS in Time of Possession (32:57).
• Craine needs one more 100-yard game to tie the season record of seven set by Eldra Buckley in 2006.
Defense
• Chattanooga sacked Samford’s Michael Eubank six times for -38 yards … most sacks in a game for the Mocs since recording six against Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 18, 2010 ... UTC also had five sacks at VMI ... the Mocs lead the SoCon with 26 sacks.
• Mocs are allowing a SoCon-low 20.9 ppg.
• UTC leads the SoCon and is No. 8 in the FCS in passing yards allowed (161.3).
• The Mocs have posted a pick-6 in three games ... four defensive scores overall this season is the most since 2011 ... 17 in the Huesman era and 14 in the last four years ... last time they had five was 2011.
• Chattanooga allowed over 300 yards of total offense just four times in the last eight games.
• Junior DL Keionta Davis leads the SoCon in sacks (10.5) and TFLs (14.0) ... he is No. 7 in the FCS in sacks ... the single-season school record is 12.5 set by Davis Tull in 2012.
• The Mocs lead the SoCon and are No. 21 in the nation in total defense (309.1 ypg).
Special Teams
• Junior Henrique Ribeiro is a preseason first team All-SoCon pick and on the Fred Mitchell Award Watch List ... he is also a six-time SoCon Special Teams Player of the Week.
• Ribeiro is averaging 43.3 yards per punt ... third in the SoCon.
• Ribeiro is 15-19 on FGs this season.
• Junior C.J. Board had a career-long 48-yard punt return against Jacksonville State. He is No. 13 in the FCS, averaging 11.6 yards per return.
COACH HUESMAN’S 80TH GAME
Russ Huesman coached his 80th game against The Citadel on Nov. 14. He was 49-31 for a .613 winning percentage in the first 80 game of his time at Chattanooga. In the 80 games prior to his return to the Scenic City, the Mocs were 19-61 (.238). He’s led the program to six winning campaigns in seven seasons. There was just one in the previous 11, 6-5 in 2005.
NOTES TO KNOW ABOUT FORDHAM SERIES
• This is the first meeting between the Mocs and the Rams.
• This is also the first meeting between UTC and any current member of the Patriot League.