UTC football players react after receving No.8 seed in FCS playoffs
photo by Dennis Norwood
The hugs, high fives and first pumps by the Tennessee at Chattanooga football players late Sunday morning let everyone know in Moc Nation that the Blue and Gold had received a highy-coveted seed and would be hosting a second round NCAA FCS playoff game Dec 6 at Finley Stadium at 1 p.m.
"When the television announcers called our name as the No.8 seed (out of eight seeds in the 24-team field), it was a sense of relief as we have worked so hard to gain a bye and host a game," said UTC quarterback Jacob Huesman.
"I am happy for my teammates as all our hard work has paid off."
Mocs Opponent: UTC will host the winner of Eastern Kentucky-Indiana State Dec. 6 at 1 p.m. at Finley Stadium.
Tickets: Playoff tickets are on sale today .... Reserved Chairback - $30 ... General Admission - $20
Youth General Admission - $10
A win in the second round would advance the Mocs to the quarterfinals with a possilble road matchup against No.1 seed New Hampshire. The Fordham-Sacred Heart winner this Saturday travels to New Hampshire Dec.6.
"I feel our guys deserved a seed and am excited that this all worked out for us," said UTC head coach Russ Huesman."I am proud of our football team and the players and coaches are not satisfied to just be in the tournament but have a goal to win the national championship."
The Teams
Chattanooga (9-3) ... undefeated Southern Conference Champions ...first time in NCAA playoffs since 1984 and a 1-AA road loss at Arkansas State, 37-10 ... Mocs ended regular season on a six-game win streak ... First time since 1940 in which a Chattanooga football team won its final six regular season games ... 1940 Mocs were 7-1-1 and Dixie Conference co-champs.
Eastern Kentucky (9-3): Colonels host Indiana State Nov. 29 at 1 p.m. ... UTC holds a 3-2-1 all-time series record with EKU ... EKU is in the Ohio Valley Conference.
Common Opponents: EKU and Chattanooga both beat Austin Peay on the road and both lost to No.2 seed Jacksonville (Ala.) State at home ... UTC beat Tenn. Tech on the road and EKU lost in Cookeville.
Indiana State (7-5): UTC has never played ISU ... Member of the Missouri Valley Conference ... Sycamores lost two of last three games this season ... ISU also beat Tenn. Tech.
Top Eight Seeds
1.New Hampshire (10-1) ... 8-0 and CAA champs ... hosts winner of Fordham-Sacred Heart ... NH has won 12 straight at home over two seasons ... lost opener at Toledo and proceeded to win 10 straight.
2. North Dakota State (11-1) ... is three-time defending FCS champion ... tied with Illinois State for Missouri Valley Conference title ... plays winner of South Dakota State-Montana State game ... Bison opened the season with a win at Iowa State ... only loss was to at conference foe Northern Iowa Nov. 8
3 Jacksonville (Ala.) State (10-1) ... Ohio Valley Conference champs ... hosts winner of S.E. Louisiana-Sam Houston State game Dec. 6 at 1 p.m. ... 15th NCAA playoff appearance ... has won 10 straight after opening season loss at Michigan State ... beat UTC at Finley Stadium earlier this season
4. Eastern Washington (10-2) ... Big Sky Champions ... won the FCS title in 2010 before North Dakota State won three in a row ... will face winner of San Diego-Montana game ... The Eagles stadium is known as "The Inferno"
5. Illinois State (10-1) ..the Redbirds are co-champs Missouri Valley Conference with No.2 seed and three-time NCAA FCS champ North Dakota State ... UTC play-by-play announcer Jim Reynolds is an ISU alum ... first 10-win regular season in school history
6. Villanova (10-2) ... CAA ... one of three CAA members (Villanova, Richmond, James Madison) to earn at-large berths following CAA champ New Hampshire ... 'Nova plays winner of James Madison-Liberty game in second round ... lost at Syracuse and Richmond.
7. Coastal Carolina (11-1)... co-champs Big South Conf. ... received at large bid ... plays Richmond-Morgan State winner ... won 11 straight before Saturday's loss to Big South foe Liberty.
8. Chattanooga (9-3) ... undefeated Southern Conference champs ... will face Indiana State-Eastern Kentucky winner Dec. 6 at Finley Stadium at 1 p.m. ... Mocs won last six games ... last time a Chattanooga team won its last six regular season games was 1940 as the Mocs won the Dixie Conference title ... 1927 Chattanooga team lost its opener and won final eight in a row to win SIAA ... 1929 Mocs won final six in a row and were SIAA champs ... In only other NCAA playoff appearance, Mocs lost at Arkansas State, 37-10, in 1984.
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net
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