On September 5, 2026, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Mocs faced off against No. 12 Tennessee Tech at their home stadium, only to see the visitors pull away with a 24-9 victory that left the Mocs at a 1-1 start to the season.
First Half Action
The Mocs opened the scoring with a 24-yard field goal from kicker Jude Kelley, giving them an early 3-0 lead before the Tech’s defense forced an interception that set up an eight-play drive.
Marcus Harris II capitalized on the turnover, punching in a touchdown that swung the lead to 7-3 late in the first half, a momentum shift that the Mocs would struggle to reverse.
Undeterred, Chattanooga answered with a 59-yard drive that culminated in a 33-yard field goal by Kelley, narrowing the gap to 7-6 at halftime and keeping the game within reach.
Second Half Momentum
In the third quarter, Tennessee Tech extended its advantage with a 50-yard field goal, making the score 10-6, before quarterback Jax Leatherwood connected with Maury Sullivan on a 16-yard touchdown pass that pushed the lead to 17-6.
Despite the final margin, the Mocs’ defense limited Tech to just 237 total yards and a modest 3.9 yards per play, while their own offense managed 227 yards, 190 of which came on the ground, reflecting a 5.4 yards per carry average.
Running back Journey Wyche was the engine of the ground attack, rushing for 113 yards on 12 carries and averaging 9.4 yards per attempt, the highest per‑carry output of any Mocs back in the game.
The Mocs’ aerial attack was tightly contained, contributing only 37 yards through the air, whereas Tennessee Tech threw for 161 yards and two scores, underscoring the disparity in passing efficiency.
Head coach Rusty Wright acknowledged after the game that the team 'struggled with execution' and emphasized the need for improvement in future matchups.
The loss dropped Chattanooga to a 1-1 record, while Tennessee Tech improved to 2-0 and remains undefeated early in the season; the matchup was notable as a non‑conference game despite Tech’s upcoming entry into the Southern Conference for the 2026 campaign.