Game #11- Chattanooga

In the Catamount's eleventh and final regular season game of the 2022 season, the Cats return to  Cullowhee to face the #15/17 University of Tennessee - Chattanooga Mocs.  

Western faces the Mocs for the 48th time on the gridiron, since 1973. The Ingles SoCon Game of the Week is also Hall of Fame & Senior Day for the Catamounts

Game #11 - at UT Chattanooga Mocs

When: Saturday, November 19, 2022

Time:  1:00 pm
Where:   E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field, Cullowhee, NC
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
   -announcers: Gary Ayers, PxP; Daniel Hooker, Color

TV/video: Nexstar Network / ESPN+

   -announcers: Pete Yanity - PBP, Jared Singleton - Analyst  (Nexstar affiliates with the opportunity to     air games are: ECBD (Charleston), WMYT (Charlotte), WWCW (Lynchburg/Roanoke), and WYCW (Greenville/Spartanburg/Asheville).

Live Stats:  WCU Live Stats

Fan Message Board:  Moc Nation

Game Notes:  Western Carolina    -     Chattanooga

The Series: In the 48th meeting between the two teams, the Cats own a 17-30 record against the Mocs. The Cats have lost 3 straight to Chattanooga, and 11 of the last 12 games played.  Western is 10-14 against UTC in games played in Cullowhee since 1973. 

Last Game vs. Chattanooga: (10-2-21) Big Plays, Miscues Lead 19th-ranked Chattanooga over Western Carolina  - No. 19 Chattanooga used big plays and a strong defensive effort that produced three turnovers in downing Western Carolina 45-17 on Saturday afternoon in Southern Conference action at Finley Stadium. Among UTC's 271 total rushing yards were three scoring runs totaling 146 yards including rushes of 54 yards, 35 yards, and 54 yards.

Last Season's Record (2021):  6-5 overall, 3-2 home, 3-3 away, 5-3 SoCon  

This Season's Record (2022):  7-3 overall, 4-1 home, 3-2 away, 5-2 SoCon

Head Coach:  Rusty Wright - Rusty Wright is in his fourth year as head coach of the Mocs football program. He was officially introduced on Friday, Dec. 21, 2018. A 23-year veteran of the collegiate coaching ranks, Wright is a 1996 graduate of UTC with a degree in Sports Administration. He was a four-year letter winner for the Mocs football team and had two stints as an assistant coach at UTC

Offensive Formation: Multiple

Defensive Formation: Multiple

Starters Returning/Lost: 15/10 2-Deep 

Rusty Wright vs. WCU:  3 - 0

Kerwin Bell vs. UTC:  0 - 1

The Mocs were the preseason favorites of both the media and coaches to take the conference championship in 2022. In preseason honors, senior defensive lineman Devonnsha Maxwell headlined the individual honors by being selected to repeat as the league's Defensive Player of the Year. He was joined on the preseason first team by running back Ailym Ford and offensive lineman McClendon Curtis on offense. Edge defender Jay Person and linebacker Ty Boeck joined Maxwell on the lead defensive selections. Offensive lineman Colin Truett, linebacker Kam Jones, and defensive back CaMiron Smith made the second team. 

As of today, the SoCon is poised to potentially have 3 or 4 teams in the playoffs, however, that will require the Mocs to beat the Catamounts in the regular season final to end up with that all-important, 8 DI wins this season. However, for the Mocs, going into the regular season's final weekend, the Mocs can't risk a loss - if - they want one of the 14 at-large spots in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. 

"If that sounds familiar, it's because that's basically the same scenario they were in at the end of the 2021 campaign. Like then, they are coming off a loss to one of the top teams in the Southern Conference (10-6 to Mercer last year, 35-24 to Samford on Saturday) with a game against a middle-of-the-pack conference opponent to finish things off."

"We'll find out what this team is made of," fourth-year UTC coach Rusty Wright said. "We'll find out if it's been all talk and if we have the right people here, so I'm excited to go with them. I think they will prepare themselves like they should."

"The combination of being a ranked team all season and finishing with eight wins would likely be enough to get the Mocs in. The only way to avoid what would be perceived as another regular-season meltdown is to win."

Currently, the Mocs are ranked #15 in the STATS Poll & #17 in the Coaches Poll. AGS ranks them at #14.

 

2022 Mocs Statistics (10 games):

Rushing Offense: 1640 yards 
Yards per game: 164
Yards per rush: 4.4 yards
Rushing 1st downs: 76
TDs rushing: 21
Passing Offense: 2415 yards or 241.5 yards per game
Avg. per pass: 8.8 yards
Passing 1st downs: 115
Passing Comp-Att-Int: 166-276-10               
TDs Passing: 13
Total Offense: 4055 yards or 405.5 yards per game
Fumbles-Lost: 10-4
3d Down Conversions: 51 of 122 (42%)
4th Down Conversions: 4 of 9 (44%)
Field goal attempts: 11 - 18
On-side kicks: 0-0
Red Zone Scores: 34 of 43  (79%)
Red Zone Touchdowns: 24 of  43 (56%)
PAT:  36 of 37 (97%)