Saturday, September 19
Chattanooga, Tenn.
6 PM
Chattanooga
vs
Wofford
Battle Alberson
Photo by: Tommy Quarles
PREVIEW: SoCon Slate Starts at Finley on Saturday
9/16/2026 1:00:00 PM | Football
Battle Alberson and the Chattanooga Mocs head into the Southern Conference portion of the schedule with eight games in nine weeks ahead.
The Chattanooga Mocs football team is home again Saturday night. They start the Southern Conference championship run with a visit from the Wofford Terriers. The Mocs and Terriers meet at 6 p.m., on ESPN+, and the SoCon Nexstar stations, as well as over the airwaves via the Mocs Sports Network live from Finley Stadium.
Resources – Game Notes | Series | Live Stats | Roster | Tickets
2026 Chattanooga Mocs Football
Chattanooga Mocs (1-2/0-0) vs. Wofford Terriers (2-1/1-0)
Sept. 19 | Chattanooga, Tenn. | Finley Stadium (20,668)
Scheduled Start Time: 6 p.m.
Series
Meeting: 33rd | Series: 16-16 (Home: 11-6/Road: 5-10) | Streak: -1
First Meeting: 10-15-1927, W, 38-7 (Home) | Last Meeting: 11/22/2025, L, 13-35 (Away)
Media
TV: ESPN+/Nexstar (PxP: Pete Yanity, Color: Jay Sonnhalter, Sideline: Dave Friedman)
Radio: WFLI Chattanooga (96.1/100.3 FM & 1070 AM) - Jim Reynolds (PxP), Todd Agne (Analysis) & Will Poindexter (Sideline). Also available online at GoMocs.com & Varsity Network app.
Coaches
Chattanooga: Rusty Wright (Chattanooga '96) | Record at UTC: 43-36 (8th season) | Overall: Same
Wofford: Shawn Watson (So. Illinois '82) | Record at WC: 18-26 (5th) | Career Record: 29-48 (8th)
Openers
About Wofford
3 Notes to Know – "Special" Edition
Quotable
Coach Rusty Wright on returning home:
"You're always excited about being at home and getting a fresh start (in league play). When I looked at the schedule when it first came out, I'm like, wow, four out of the first six on the road. I know these kids like playing at home. Everybody likes sleeping in their own bed, a little more familiarity and those kinds of things. It's a tough opponent. I told our guys yesterday that it's going to be four quarters of physical football in all three phases, and we've got to get it figured out."
DE Orlando Daniels on starting SoCon competition:
"We're really excited (about starting conference play). We believe in our team. We are really confident in our team today. It starts with practice and coming out every day and doing what we need to do on both sides of the ball and the kicking game too."
WR Ashton Schumann on getting the offense firing:
"I think we just need to execute the game plan. I think our coaches put in place a great game plan each week, and we just have to go out there and execute it. We need to be more detail oriented and get the job done."
Football Ticket Quick Links – Mini-Plans | Game
As always, for all Mocs and McKenzie Arena events, go to GoMocs.com/tickets. Football mini-plans and single-game tickets are available with season tickets on sale as well for men's and women's basketball along with wrestling. The Arena also has Leanne Morgan's "The Time of Our Lives" Tour available.
GoMocs.com is the official website of the Chattanooga Mocs. Wear what the teams wear in our BSN Team Store or go to the bookstore's official True Spirit Stop. The Mocs can also be followed on their official Facebook, X & Instagram accounts. Find out how to join the Mocs Club and support more than 300 student-athletes by clicking here & by checking out NIL possibilities here.
Resources – Game Notes | Series | Live Stats | Roster | Tickets
2026 Chattanooga Mocs Football
Chattanooga Mocs (1-2/0-0) vs. Wofford Terriers (2-1/1-0)
Sept. 19 | Chattanooga, Tenn. | Finley Stadium (20,668)
Scheduled Start Time: 6 p.m.
Series
Meeting: 33rd | Series: 16-16 (Home: 11-6/Road: 5-10) | Streak: -1
First Meeting: 10-15-1927, W, 38-7 (Home) | Last Meeting: 11/22/2025, L, 13-35 (Away)
Media
TV: ESPN+/Nexstar (PxP: Pete Yanity, Color: Jay Sonnhalter, Sideline: Dave Friedman)
Radio: WFLI Chattanooga (96.1/100.3 FM & 1070 AM) - Jim Reynolds (PxP), Todd Agne (Analysis) & Will Poindexter (Sideline). Also available online at GoMocs.com & Varsity Network app.
Coaches
Chattanooga: Rusty Wright (Chattanooga '96) | Record at UTC: 43-36 (8th season) | Overall: Same
Wofford: Shawn Watson (So. Illinois '82) | Record at WC: 18-26 (5th) | Career Record: 29-48 (8th)
- 2-0 against Wofford in league beginnings, both during the Wright era. Chattanooga claimed a 24-13 win on Feb. 27, 2021 against the 11th-ranked Terriers, while the 12th-ranked Mocs blanked Wofford 31-0 on Sept. 3, 2022.
- All eight of the Mocs SoCon openers in the Wright Era have come at home.
- Both teams have shown stout work on the defensive side with the Mocs allowing 56 points (18.7 pgg) over the first three contests and the Terriers 63 (21.0).
Openers
- Winningest program in the SoCon over the last 16 conference schedules both in league wins (73) and win percentage (.640/73-41). Samford (66-51), Furman (66-51) and Wofford (64-52) also have 60+ wins, while Mercer (.579), Samford (.564), Furman (.564) & the Terriers (.552) are also above .500 over that span.
- SoCon opener for the Mocs facing league co-leader Wofford at 1-0.
- 50th SoCon opener: 24-25 all-time, 13-13 at home. 10-2 in last 12, 5-2 under Rusty Wright.
- The Mocs lead the league in first downs allowed (47), passing yards allowed (154.0) and passing yards per completion (13.04).
- Individual leaders: Keyshawn Jackson, passes defended (1.67/game); DJ Adams, interceptions (0.67/game); Kevin Lalin, rushing yards (96.7 ypg) and Ashton Schumann, yards per reception (19.3).
- Chattanooga running backs coach Joe Newman is a Wofford Hall of Famer. He led the Terriers to three SoCon titles.
About Wofford
- 2-1 on the season after a 41-14 win over The Citadel, a 17-13 win over Gardner-Webb, and a 36-15 loss at Kent State.
- Wofford is 1-0 for the first time in the SoCon standings since the spring 2021 season.
- Won eight of the last 10 games after starting the 2025 season 0-5.
- Return 13 starters from last season, with eight on the offense, four on the defense, and one specialist.
- Wofford led 15-14 heading into the fourth quarter at Kent State before the Golden Flashes scored three touchdowns in the final 15 minutes for a 36-15 win on a rainy Saturday afternoon.
- By quarter, Wofford leads in the first (+7) and second (+26) quarters and is tied in the third quarter but is being outscored in the fourth (-22). Opponents average 5.5 yards per play on 223 plays, while the Terriers average 4.4 yards per play on 165 plays. The 58 more plays by the opponent averages out to 19.3 more plays per game.
3 Notes to Know – "Special" Edition
- K Jude Kelley is one PAT shy of 100 (99) at Chattanooga.
- Kelley is one of seven Mocs all-time to top 200 career points scored. His 210 are tied for sixth with Derrick Craine '16.
- Kelley is 5th in FG made with 35 in his fourth season in the Scenic City.
- Bonus note…Kelley is 8-11 in his career on onside kicks.
Quotable
Coach Rusty Wright on returning home:
"You're always excited about being at home and getting a fresh start (in league play). When I looked at the schedule when it first came out, I'm like, wow, four out of the first six on the road. I know these kids like playing at home. Everybody likes sleeping in their own bed, a little more familiarity and those kinds of things. It's a tough opponent. I told our guys yesterday that it's going to be four quarters of physical football in all three phases, and we've got to get it figured out."
DE Orlando Daniels on starting SoCon competition:
"We're really excited (about starting conference play). We believe in our team. We are really confident in our team today. It starts with practice and coming out every day and doing what we need to do on both sides of the ball and the kicking game too."
WR Ashton Schumann on getting the offense firing:
"I think we just need to execute the game plan. I think our coaches put in place a great game plan each week, and we just have to go out there and execute it. We need to be more detail oriented and get the job done."
Football Ticket Quick Links – Mini-Plans | Game
As always, for all Mocs and McKenzie Arena events, go to GoMocs.com/tickets. Football mini-plans and single-game tickets are available with season tickets on sale as well for men's and women's basketball along with wrestling. The Arena also has Leanne Morgan's "The Time of Our Lives" Tour available.
GoMocs.com is the official website of the Chattanooga Mocs. Wear what the teams wear in our BSN Team Store or go to the bookstore's official True Spirit Stop. The Mocs can also be followed on their official Facebook, X & Instagram accounts. Find out how to join the Mocs Club and support more than 300 student-athletes by clicking here & by checking out NIL possibilities here.
Players Mentioned
DE
/ Football
DB
/ Football
K
/ Football
RB
/ Football
WR
/ FootballTuesday, September 22
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