2022 FCS Season Preview: Chattanooga

Chattanooga was in great shape for a SoCon title and playoff berth entering the last two weeks of the season. But then it all fell apart. The Mocs couldn’t find the end zone in a 10-6 loss to Mercer and then fell in the season finale at home to The Citadel. A win in either of those games would have given them a playoff berth.

The strength of the Mocs team last season was its defense, just as it figures to be again this year. They had 79 tackles for loss and 32 sacks. Most of their leaders on defense are back this year which should lead to an even better unit than last season. Offensively, the Mocs were uneven and that’s what wound up costing them. Drayton Arnold and Cole Copeland combined to throw 13 interceptions but only seven touchdowns. Copeland is back and finds himself competing for the job with Eastern Michigan transfer Preston Hutchinson.

(For a link to CSJ’s full 2022 SoCon preview, click here.)

Impact Players

RB Aylim Ford had an excellent season last year, gaining 1071 yards and 11 touchdowns. The team will lean on him as the chief option on offense and work the passing game off his production.

DL Devonnsha Maxwell was among the semifinalist for the Buck Buchanan award in 2021. He should figure into the voting again in 2022. Maxwell led the Mocs with 15 tackles for loss and 12 sacks in 2021 and will look to build on that in 2022.

LB Ty Boeck led the Mocs in tackles by a large margin in 2021 and added 10 tackles for loss. He can play all three downs and spends a lot of time around the football.

Key Game: October 1 at ETSU

Worst Case: The offense cant score enough points and the Mocs finish in the middle of the SoCon standings.

Best Case: The Mocs offense improves and the defense is suffocating and they win the conference and maybe a playoff game or two.

Chattanooga 2022 Season

September 3, 2022 0 - 31 Finley Stadium N/A Chattanooga 31, Wofford 0 Highlights: Available
September 10, 2022 38 - 20 O'Brien Field N/A Chattanooga 38, Eastern Illinois 20
September 17, 2022 6:00 pm Finley Stadium N/A North Alabama at Chattanooga TV/Streaming: ESPN+
September 22, 2022 0 - 31 Memorial Stadium (Illinois) N/A Illinois 31, Chattanooga 0 Highlights: Available
October 1, 2022 24 - 16 William B. Greene Stadium N/A Chattanooga 24, East Tennessee State 16 (Rail Rivalry) Highlights: Available
October 15, 2022 1:30 pm Finley Stadium N/A VMI at Chattanooga
October 22, 2022 21 - 41 Finley Stadium N/A Chattanooga 41, Mercer 21 Highlights: Available
October 29, 2022 2:00 pm Paladin Stadium N/A Chattanooga at Furman
November 5, 2022 2:00 pm Johnson Hagood Stadium N/A Chattanooga at The Citadel TV/Streaming: ESPN+
November 12, 2022 1:30 pm Finley Stadium N/A Samford at Chattanooga TV/Streaming: ESPN+
November 19, 2022 1:00 pm E.J. Whitmire Stadium N/A Chattanooga at Western Carolina

Jamie Williams

Jamie is a proud 2002 graduate of James Madison University. He’s witnessed the growth of the program from no one in the stands in 1998, to the hiring of Mickey Matthews, to the 2004 National Championship, to the 2008 team, to the struggles in the early 2010s, and finally the rebuild under Mike Houston. He also allegedly really enjoys Washington, DC-based Stanley Cup winners.

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