C.J. Board (86) prepares for handoff from Jacob Huesman (14)
photo by Dennis Norwood
UTC's C.J. Board (86) Wofford stiff arms a Wofford player earlier in the season
photo by Dennis Norwood
“C.J. Board has a hunger to be great. “
-- UTC receivers coach Will Healy
Prior to today and UTC’s quarterfinal playoff game, wide receiver C.J.
Board’s best birthday present has been a car his senior year in high school.
“If we can win a national championship in January, then an NCAA ring for a late birthday present would definitely trump the car I got a few years ago as my best present ever,” said Board with a smile.
UTC –New Hampshire ESPN2: Tonight at 8 p.m. on ESPN Board and the rest of the Mocs take on host and No.1 seed New Hampshire in a FCS quarterfinal playoff game.
The winner would face the No.5 Eastern Washington-No.4 Illinois State winner next weekend in one semifinal game with the championship game set for Jan.10 in Frisco, Texas.
“C.J. is a talented, gifted player one with good character and has made some big catches for us this season,” said UTC receivers coach Will Healy.
Board, a starter in 10 games this season, is second on the team in receptions (33) behind senior Tommy Hudson (35), averages 15 yards a catch and has two touchdown receptions.
The 6-2 175 redshirt sophomore earned all-state honors at West Creek High School in Clarksville before coming to UTC.
Playoff Notes: The Mocs are 10-3 and their first-ever 10 win season … New Hampshire is 11-1 and has won 11 straight games since a season opening loss to Toledo.
UTC IN DECEMBER
The Mocs are 4-3 all-time in the month of December, including last week’s 35-14 win over Indiana State. Prior to that, the last time UTC played in December was a 39-0 loss to Alabama in a postseason charity game on Dec. 5, 1931.
UTC Playing on Friday: The Mocs have played on Friday in the past, including a few Homecoming Games during the Scrappy Moore Era.
MOCS VS. NO. 1
UTC has two wins in 10 tries against the No. 1 ranked team in the country in
school history. The Mocs defeated No. 1 Marshall 33-31 at home on Oct. 2, 1993.
Chattanooga also bested No. 1 Furman 21-14 at home on Sept. 29, 1984. UTC has
faced Georgia Southern fi ve times when the Eagles were ranked No. 1.
Below is the list of the 10 games against top-ranked teams for the Mocs.
Defeated No. 1 Furman at home - 21-4 - Sept. 29, 1984
Lost to No. 1 ETSU on the road - 14-34 - Sept. 19, 1987
Lost to No. 1 Georgia Southern at home - 3-13 - Sept. 17, 1988
Lost to No. 1 Georgia Southern on the road - 13-34 - Nov. 11, 1989
Defeated No. 1 Marshall at home - 33-31 - Oct. 2, 1993
Lost to No. 1 Marshall on the road - 20-56 - Oct. 1, 1994
Lost to No. 1 Marshall on the road - 0-45 - Oct. 5, 1996
Lost to No. 1 Georgia Southern on the road - 10-49 - Sept. 25, 1999
Lost to No. 1 Georgia Southern on the road - 7-70 - Sept. 22, 2001
Six Seniors Graduate Saturday
Win or Lose, it’s a Busy Weekend for Six Seniors
Regardless of the outcome of the game with New Hampshire, Chris Mayes (Health & Human Performance), Zack Rayl (Integrated Studies), Faysal Shafaat (Psychology), Davis Tull (Health & Human Performance), Muhasibi Wakeel (Sociology) and Keon Williams (Integrated
Studies) will have a very busy weekend.
The teams charter is expected to return to Chattanooga around 3:30 a.m. on Saturday morning. These six will get a few hours of sleep before attending graduation ceremonies in McKenzie Arena.
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net