Ryan Bell
Photo by: Willis Glasgow
Postgame Notes at The Citadel
9/26/2026 6:22:00 PM | Football
2026 Chattanooga Mocs Football
Postgame Notes
Sept. 26 – at The Citadel – Johnson Hagood Stadium
SETTING THE SCENE
- The Chattanooga Mocs rolled to a 27-8 triumphs at The Citadel Bulldogs in Johnson Hagood Stadium Saturday afternoon…UTC is 3-2, 2-0 in the Southern Conference while The Citadel moves to 1-3, 0-2 in the league.
- Chattanooga is tied for the league lead at 2-0 with Tennessee Tech…TTU eked out a 42-38 win at Wofford.
- Fifth straight win in Charleston…last loss was the No. 3 Mocs falling 22-14 to No. 8 Bulldogs on Oct. 15, 2016.
- 60th matchup with The Citadel. The Bulldogs are the Mocs most frequent opponent.
- The Citadel is one of four programs that Chattanooga has beaten 30+ times: The Citadel (37), Samford (35), Western Carolina (31) and Tennessee Tech (30)…more on the series before.
- Rusty Wright is now third on the Mocs coaching win list at 45 breaking a tie with Joe Morrison (1973-79) and Buddy Nix (1984-92). He trails Scrappy Moore (170) & Russ Huesman (59) on the all-time list.
- 2-1 on the season away from Chattanooga. 23-15 (.605) vs FCS competition on the road under Wright…18-9 (.667) on the road in the SoCon.
- 39-5 under Rusty Wright when leading at the half…was ahead 6-0 today.
- 119th season of football at Chattanooga…game number 1,187…584-568-35 (.507) all-time record…50th as a DI program.
- 50th season in SoCon for the Mocs...game number 359...181-175-2 (.507).
- Game captains: DB Nick Coates, DE Orlando Daniels, RB Kevin Lalin & OL Devin Lively.
- The Citadel won the toss and chose to defer…fourth time in five games that the opponent has won the toss.
COACH RUSTY WRIGHT
- 45-36 in his eighth season…45-28 vs. FCS opposition.
- 35-19 in SoCon matchups…6-2 vs The Citadel…4-0 at Johnson Hagood Stadium.
- His six victories ties Buddy Nix (1984-92) and Russ Huesman (2009-16) for most by a Mocs ball coach against The Citadel.
SERIES
Meeting: 60
Record: 37-21-2 | SoCon: 30-17-1
In Charleston: 17-12-1 | SoCon: 14-9
Streak: +1 | in Charleston: +5
Last 5: 4-1 | Last 10: 7-3 | 20: 13-7
TEAM NOTES
- 10.0 tackles for loss by the defense…19.0 over the last two weeks.
- Last time with double-digit TFLs? 10.0 on Nov. 16, 2024 against Samford.
- In a battle of heavy rush offenses, the Mocs were a +69, thundering for 241 yards on 38 carries (6.3 ypc)…The Citadel had 172 but at just 3.8 yards per carry (45).
- That's 71 yards below the Bulldogs average of 243.3 which was sixth in the country.
- It was a dominant fourth quarter for the offense…leading 13-0, the Mocs added 14 points with 168 rushing yards on 15 carries (11.2 ypc).
- 15 points allowed in back-to-back games…fewest in SoCon play since 2024: 37-5 over Wofford and 31-10 vs VMI.
- Last time the Mocs defense allowed consecutive single-digit scores was consecutive shutouts to start 2016 against Shorter (66-0) and Presbyterian (34-0)…to SoCon opponents? 2013: Furman (31-9) and at Elon (20-9).
- Defense held The Citadel to 233 yards total offense…69 of those came in the final drive against a reserve group…Mocs came into the contest in 9th nationally (275.0).
- 551 yards rushing the last two weeks after 310 in the win over Wofford…most in back-to-back SoCon games since 625 in 2019 (400-Western Carolina/225 at Mercer)…the third game after that duo was ETSU where the Mocs travel to next weekend…had 225 in the 2019 meeting in Finley.
PLAYER NOTES
- Journey Wyche led the rushing attack with 93 yards on 11 carries…8.5 yards per carry…came into the came ranked fifth in the country (7.2).
- Kevin Lalin added 14 carries for 79 yards and two TDs…he now has six TDs in five games.
- Lalin's 26-yard TD run in the fourth quarter converted a 4th & 1…also converted a 4th down TD for 20+ yards at Eastern Kentucky.
- Lalin's career numbers: 2,737 rushing yards, 3,227 all-purpose in his fourth year of collegiate football along with 17 rush scores and 20 TDs overall.
- QB Battle Alberson earned his second career rush score with a 25-yard dash in the fourth quarter…ran seven time for 39 yards…passed for 74 yards connecting on eight of 12 passes.
- WR/RS Devin Kiser returned a punt 56 yards for the game's first score in the first quarter…it's his first career punt return for a score and second overall in the return games for his collegiate career…that's the third by a Moc in the last two seasons…prior to game week three last year, the last had been Tommy Hudson (66 yards) against Samford on Sept. 27, 2014.
- LB Zion Rutledge had a game-high 13 tackles…ties season high (at EKU)…30 stops in the last two seasons against The Citadel…at 2.0 TFLs.
- LB Kristian Ozane had a career-high 11 tackles.
- DE Ryan Bell had three tackles, all for loss…set up Lalin's third quarter score after stripping QB Quentin Hayes on a run and immediately recovering it at the 12…Lalin scored on the next play.
- LB LaRawn Robinson (4 tackles) and Isaiah Harvey (1) both had sacks.
SOCON SCOREBOARD
at Samford 45, VMI 7
Tennessee Tech 42, at Wofford 38
at Richmond 13, Furman 9
Western Carolina at ETSU, late
Mercer at Abilene Christian, late
Postgame Notes
Sept. 26 – at The Citadel – Johnson Hagood Stadium
SETTING THE SCENE
- The Chattanooga Mocs rolled to a 27-8 triumphs at The Citadel Bulldogs in Johnson Hagood Stadium Saturday afternoon…UTC is 3-2, 2-0 in the Southern Conference while The Citadel moves to 1-3, 0-2 in the league.
- Chattanooga is tied for the league lead at 2-0 with Tennessee Tech…TTU eked out a 42-38 win at Wofford.
- Fifth straight win in Charleston…last loss was the No. 3 Mocs falling 22-14 to No. 8 Bulldogs on Oct. 15, 2016.
- 60th matchup with The Citadel. The Bulldogs are the Mocs most frequent opponent.
- The Citadel is one of four programs that Chattanooga has beaten 30+ times: The Citadel (37), Samford (35), Western Carolina (31) and Tennessee Tech (30)…more on the series before.
- Rusty Wright is now third on the Mocs coaching win list at 45 breaking a tie with Joe Morrison (1973-79) and Buddy Nix (1984-92). He trails Scrappy Moore (170) & Russ Huesman (59) on the all-time list.
- 2-1 on the season away from Chattanooga. 23-15 (.605) vs FCS competition on the road under Wright…18-9 (.667) on the road in the SoCon.
- 39-5 under Rusty Wright when leading at the half…was ahead 6-0 today.
- 119th season of football at Chattanooga…game number 1,187…584-568-35 (.507) all-time record…50th as a DI program.
- 50th season in SoCon for the Mocs...game number 359...181-175-2 (.507).
- Game captains: DB Nick Coates, DE Orlando Daniels, RB Kevin Lalin & OL Devin Lively.
- The Citadel won the toss and chose to defer…fourth time in five games that the opponent has won the toss.
COACH RUSTY WRIGHT
- 45-36 in his eighth season…45-28 vs. FCS opposition.
- 35-19 in SoCon matchups…6-2 vs The Citadel…4-0 at Johnson Hagood Stadium.
- His six victories ties Buddy Nix (1984-92) and Russ Huesman (2009-16) for most by a Mocs ball coach against The Citadel.
SERIES
Meeting: 60
Record: 37-21-2 | SoCon: 30-17-1
In Charleston: 17-12-1 | SoCon: 14-9
Streak: +1 | in Charleston: +5
Last 5: 4-1 | Last 10: 7-3 | 20: 13-7
TEAM NOTES
- 10.0 tackles for loss by the defense…19.0 over the last two weeks.
- Last time with double-digit TFLs? 10.0 on Nov. 16, 2024 against Samford.
- In a battle of heavy rush offenses, the Mocs were a +69, thundering for 241 yards on 38 carries (6.3 ypc)…The Citadel had 172 but at just 3.8 yards per carry (45).
- That's 71 yards below the Bulldogs average of 243.3 which was sixth in the country.
- It was a dominant fourth quarter for the offense…leading 13-0, the Mocs added 14 points with 168 rushing yards on 15 carries (11.2 ypc).
- 15 points allowed in back-to-back games…fewest in SoCon play since 2024: 37-5 over Wofford and 31-10 vs VMI.
- Last time the Mocs defense allowed consecutive single-digit scores was consecutive shutouts to start 2016 against Shorter (66-0) and Presbyterian (34-0)…to SoCon opponents? 2013: Furman (31-9) and at Elon (20-9).
- Defense held The Citadel to 233 yards total offense…69 of those came in the final drive against a reserve group…Mocs came into the contest in 9th nationally (275.0).
- 551 yards rushing the last two weeks after 310 in the win over Wofford…most in back-to-back SoCon games since 625 in 2019 (400-Western Carolina/225 at Mercer)…the third game after that duo was ETSU where the Mocs travel to next weekend…had 225 in the 2019 meeting in Finley.
PLAYER NOTES
- Journey Wyche led the rushing attack with 93 yards on 11 carries…8.5 yards per carry…came into the came ranked fifth in the country (7.2).
- Kevin Lalin added 14 carries for 79 yards and two TDs…he now has six TDs in five games.
- Lalin's 26-yard TD run in the fourth quarter converted a 4th & 1…also converted a 4th down TD for 20+ yards at Eastern Kentucky.
- Lalin's career numbers: 2,737 rushing yards, 3,227 all-purpose in his fourth year of collegiate football along with 17 rush scores and 20 TDs overall.
- QB Battle Alberson earned his second career rush score with a 25-yard dash in the fourth quarter…ran seven time for 39 yards…passed for 74 yards connecting on eight of 12 passes.
- WR/RS Devin Kiser returned a punt 56 yards for the game's first score in the first quarter…it's his first career punt return for a score and second overall in the return games for his collegiate career…that's the third by a Moc in the last two seasons…prior to game week three last year, the last had been Tommy Hudson (66 yards) against Samford on Sept. 27, 2014.
- LB Zion Rutledge had a game-high 13 tackles…ties season high (at EKU)…30 stops in the last two seasons against The Citadel…at 2.0 TFLs.
- LB Kristian Ozane had a career-high 11 tackles.
- DE Ryan Bell had three tackles, all for loss…set up Lalin's third quarter score after stripping QB Quentin Hayes on a run and immediately recovering it at the 12…Lalin scored on the next play.
- LB LaRawn Robinson (4 tackles) and Isaiah Harvey (1) both had sacks.
SOCON SCOREBOARD
at Samford 45, VMI 7
Tennessee Tech 42, at Wofford 38
at Richmond 13, Furman 9
Western Carolina at ETSU, late
Mercer at Abilene Christian, late
Players Mentioned
QB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
DB
/ Football
DE
/ Football
DT
/ Football
RB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
LB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
RB
/ FootballTuesday, September 22
Sunday, September 20
Sunday, September 20
Tuesday, September 15
