The Chattanooga Mocs and ETSU Bucs have plenty of history. It covers a variety of sports with basketball probably feeling the heat of the rivalry the most over the years. That’s grown more and more on the gridiron since the Bucs returned to the OVC.
This year’s “Rail Rivalry” has all the makings of a classic Southern Conference matchup.
Both teams earned the eye of the SEC with ETSU’s season-opening win at Vanderbilt, and the Mocs near-miss at No. 11 Kentucky. The teams are built in similar ways.
It’s a matchup of arguably the two most physical defenses in the league. It’s also two of the best rushing attacks with four of the best running backs in the league on display in Finley Stadium. Chattanooga’s duo of Ailym Ford ((98.8) and Tyrell Price (70.8) average nearly 170 yards per game after combining for 240 at VMI on Saturday.
Quay Holmes leads the SoCon with 124.8 yards per game for the Bucs. He’s supported by Jacob Saylors’ 66.8. They face the league’s No. 1 rush defense from Chattanooga.
No. 10 ETSU at Chattanooga
Game 6 | Oct. 16 | Chattanooga, Tenn. | Finley Stadium (20,660)
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Team
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Record
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SoCon
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Stats Perform Top 25
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AFCA Coaches Top 25
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Chattanooga
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2-3
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1-1
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RV
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ETSU
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6-0
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3-0
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10
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10
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MEDIA
TV - ESPN+/Nexstar: Pete Yanity (PxP) & Jared Singleton (Analysis)
Radio - WFLI 97.7 FM/1070 AM: Jim Reynolds (PxP), Todd Agne (Analysis) & Will Poindexter (Sideline)
Listen Live - Radio broadcast is available for free online at GoMocs.com & on the Varsity Network App.
SERIES VS. ETSU
Game: 44th | Record: 23-19-1 | Home: 15-8 | Away: 8-11-1 | Last 5: 3-2
Three wins in the four games since the Bucs return to the league.
Last Meeting: 16-13 win on Oct. 17, 2019 at Finley Stadium
- Last year’s meeting was cancelled due to COVID.
- Ran for 244 yards led by Ailym Ford’s career-high 200 with two TDs.
- Chattanooga came back from a 13-7 halftime deficit behind a 14-yard TD run from Ford in the third quarter and a 30-yard Victor Ulmo ‘20 game-winner with 14 seconds to go.
More on the series & notes from last meeting on page 11 of the Chattanooga game notes.
COACHES
UTC: Rusty Wright (Chattanooga ‘96) | UTC: 11-11 (3rd) | Career: Same | vs. ETSU: 1-0
ETSU: Randy Sanders (Tennessee ‘89) | ETSU: 21-15 (4th) | Career: Same | vs. UTC: 0-1
3 NOTES TO KNOW
- We mentioned yesterday that the cumulative score in the last three meetings is 40-33 in Chattanooga’s favor. But it includes drastic splits: 33-7 advantage to ETSU in first half, 33-0 Mocs in the second.
- Ailym Ford is now tied for eighth with Gene Roberts (1945-46) in 100-yard rushing games with nine. His next makes him the eighth with 10 or more matching joining Gwain Durden ‘80 (16), Jacob Huesman ‘15 (15), Mike Smith ‘80 (15), Eldra Buckley ‘06 (13), Derrick Craine ‘16 (12), James Roberts ‘91 (12) and Tyrone Coleman ‘98 (10).
- The Mocs lead the league in sacks with 2.8 per game. ETSU has allowed just four in six games. DE Devonnsha Maxwell is No. 4 all-time at Chattanooga in sacks with 22.5 for his career. He’s two behind third-place Josh Williams’ (2009-12) 23.5 and 10 shy of runner-up Keionta Davis (2013-16) with 31. Davis Tull (2011-14) holds the school and conference mark (37).
PROMOTIONS
It’s Teacher Appreciation Week along with a special guest. American Idol winner Ruben Studdard is performing the National Anthem.
Educators get a free ticket with valid work ID and discounted seats for their immediate families joining them at the game. The Mocs are also honoring the great work of its student-athletes with the annual Academic Day which folds perfectly with the appreciation of those who help lay the foundation for our future success as a society.
There’s also a ticket deal tied to our featured performer. Studdard is from Birmingham and often wore “205” shirts during the competition so for this game, tickets in the chair-backed section 205 are $20, a 20 percent discount. Section 205 tickets are available by calling (423) 266-MOCS (6627). The game is sponsored by UTC’s Division of Diversity and Engagement.
TICKETS
Home tickets are available by calling (423) 266-MOCS (6627) or online here at GoMocs.com. Fans also can go through the GoMocs app available on Android and Apple IOS devices in their respective app stores.
NEXT 3 WEEKS
Oct. 23: at Samford, 1 p.m. | Current Record: 2-3/1-2 | This Week: at Wofford
Oct. 30: Furman (Homecoming), 1:30 p.m. | Current Record: 3-2/1-1 | This Week: The Citadel
Nov. 6: at Wofford, 1:30 p.m. | Current Record: 1-4/0-3 | This Week: Samford