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PREVIEW: Mocs host VMI to open second half of SoCon Slate

PREVIEW: Mocs host VMI to open second half of SoCon Slate

SCHEDULE | TICKETS

CHATTANOOGA—Homecoming week 2024 is here. It is the second of two home games in which the VMI Keydets come to town for kick-off in the late afternoon. It’s scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m. on ESPN+.

The 19th-ranked Chattanooga Mocs look to continue their upward trend with four straight wins to land at No. 19 nationally. It was a complete performance with 37 or more points scored three times and just 10 points or fewer the three times were given defensively. The total score of the last four? 140-55.

It’s always a big week when the alumni are back in town. The Mocs have won eight of the last 10 homecoming games. They’ll be interested to see if the secondary’s recent run continues.

The DBs – with help from the D-line and linebackers – have intercepted eight passes in the last two games, four in each win. The “D” need seven more picks to become the sixth squad in school history with 20 or more in a season.

Week 9: VMI (0-7/0-3) at (19) Chattanooga (4-3/3-1)
Playtime: 4 p.m. | Finley Stadium (20,660) | Chattanooga, Tenn.
series: 19-9-1 (History) | media: ESPN+; Mocs Sports Network; Live statistics
Game notes: GoMocs.com | Captains: Pursue Artopoeus, Jay Gibson, Reuben Lowery III, Kai wobbles, Reid Williams

Homecoming – Theme: Scrappy Ever After | Student Affairs Schedule | Alumni Schedule

Daily stories – Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday

trainer

Chattanooga: Rusty Wright (UTC ’96) | UTC: 34-25 (6th) | Career: Same | vs. VMI: 3-2
VMI: Danny Rocco (SIU ’80) | VMI: 5-13 (2nd) | Career: 126-78 (18th) | vs. UTC: 0-1

media
TV: ESPN+ – Chris Goforth (PxP), Chris Barnett (Analysis) and Dave Keylon (Sideline).

Radio: Radio: WFLI Chattanooga (96.1 FM, 100.3 FM and 1070 AM) & 99.1 FM Cleveland – Jim Reynolds (PxP), Todd Agne (Analysis) and Will Poindexter (sideline). Also available online at GoMocs.com.

App: Go Mocs & Varsity Network

series

Game: 30. | Record: 19-9-1 | SoCon: 18-8-1 | H: 10-3-1, A: 9-6 | Last 5: 3-2 | Strike: +2

vs VMI

– Keydets rankings in SoCon:
Scoring Offensive: 9th (11.6) | Scoring Defense: 8th (34.0)
Total offense: 9th (208.0) | Total Defense: 7th (387.3)
Rush offense: 7th (96.6) | Rush Defense: 5th (143.7)
Pass offense: 9th (111.4) | Pass Defense: 6th (243.6)
– The Mocs are 4-0 against the Keydets in Chattanooga since VMI rejoined the league in 2014, 7-2 overall. Overall score of these four home games: 160-60. Average: 40-15.
– 4-0 against Keydets at Homecoming (1998, 2000, 2014, 2018).
– A UTC student-athlete from Virginia: WR Chris Houston (Chesterfield).
– There are no Keydets from the Chattanooga area.

Notes

  • 4 game winning streak. For the third time in the Wright era with a winning streak of four or more games. There are 33 such streaks: Scrappy Moore (11), Russ Huesman (5), Joe Morrison (4), Frank Thomas (3), Wright (3), Bill Oliver (2), Walter Hullihen (1), HD Drew ( 1), Harold Wilkes (1), Buddy Nix (1) & Buddy Green (1).

  • A win on Saturday would be the first five-game winning streak for the program since 2017-18. The Mocs won the 2017 regular season finale against ETSU and opened 2018 with four straight games.

  • 3-1 or better SoCon start in all six of Wright’s seasons. The first Mocs head coach to do so. 4-1 or better in five league games in each of the last three seasons.

  • Lead in the first three games? -1. +9 over last four with 11 interceptions and one fumble recovery.

  • No. 19 in the latest Stats Perform Top 25 and No. 25 in the AFCA Coaches Poll.

  • 85-87-1 when ranked…50-25 at home…70-47-1 when ranked vs. unranked (40-16 at home).

  • 5-4 at No. 19…5-2 at home…5-3 at No. 19 against an unranked opponent (5-2 at home).

  • 5:1 vs. VMI when ranked (3:0 at home)… 5:1 when vs. VMI when ranked (3:0 at home).

STAT STUFF
Top 5 nationwide

2nd, interception (13)
3., Receiving Yards/Game: Sam Phillips (104.8)
4. Receiving yards: Sam Phillips (629)
4., Yards Passing/Completion: Pursue Artopoeus (15.05)
5., Pass Yards/Completion (15.00)

Other national personalities
7., Snack bars (15)
8. Defensive touchdowns (2)
9., TFLs allowed (3.43)
9. TO margin (1.00/g)
10., Sam PhillipsRec. Yards (629)
10., Pursue ArtopoeusYds/Gm pass (256.8)
10., Pursue ArtopoeusYards/Pass Att. (8.87)
14., Sam PhillipsYds/Rec. (19.06)
14., Pursue ArtopoeusPass yards (1,686)
15., Pursue ArtopoeusPass yards/game (240.9)
19th, Pursue ArtopoeusTotal offense (241.7)
19th, Sam PhillipsRec/Game (5.5)

SoCon team leader
Pass yards per completion (15.00)
Allowable TFLs (3.43)
Sacks allowed (1.29)
Interception allowed (5)

SoCon individual leader

Pursue ArtopoeusPassing Yards/Completion (15.05)
Sam Philipips, Rec. Yards (629)

Sam PhillipsRec. Yds/Gm (104.8)

Reggie DavisRush yards (529)

Joseph Bakhole/Leroy Harris IIIFumble Rec. (1)



Tickets on sale

  • 3 game mini plans | link

  • Single game | link

  • A ticket voucher is available at each of the five Chattanooga Public Library branches.

  • A skybox is also available to rent for each game link

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