No. 23 UTC (2-3, 0-2) at No. 1 Georgia Southern (4-0, 3-0)
3 p.m. • Paulson Stadium • WTCI/105.1 FM
Coming off two losses, by a total of three points, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team now faces the tall task of trying to right its ship against the No. 1 team in the country. Georgia Southern has dominated its opponents thus far, but UTC should be the best team it has faced in 2011.
WHEN UTC HAS THE BALL
UTC OFFENSIVE STARTERS
QB B.J. Coleman (19) 6-5, 220, Sr.
TB Chris Awuah (9) 5-9, 200, Jr.
FB Taharin Tyson (2) 5-11, 225, Fr.
WR Joel Bradford (4) 6-0, 165, Sr.
WR Marlon Anthony (3) 6-5, 205, So.
TE Faysal Shafaat (88) 6-5, 240, Fr.
LT Brandon Morgan (73) 6-2, 280, Fr.
LG Austin Wilson (54) 6-3, 265, Jr.
C Patrick Sutton (72) 6-1, 255, Fr.
RG Kevin Revis (52) 6-2, 275, So.
RT Adam Miller (53) 6-4, 275, Jr.
PK Nick Pollard (30) 6-0, 180, Fr.
GEORGIA SOUTHERN DEFENSIVE STARTERS
DE Josh Gebhardt (90) 6-2, 235, So.
DT Blake Riley (96) 6-1, 278, So.
NT Brent Russell (66) 6-2, 291, Jr.
DE John Douglas (92) 6-2, 245, Sr.
BAN Darius Eubanks (13) 6-0, 222, Jr.
MLB Josh Rowe (10) 5-11, 219, Jr.
WLB Carlos Cave (15) 5-10, 208, So.
CB Hudson Presume (21) 5-9, 168, Sr.
SS Lavelle Westbrooks (18) 5-11, 178, So.
FS Deion Stanley (29) 5-9, 190, Fr.
CB Laron Scott (34) 5-9, 179, Sr.
P Charlie Edwards (48) 5-11, 208, Sr.
• The matchup: Georgia Southern in strong where UTC is weak (the ground game), while the Mocs are strong where the Eagles are week (passing game). The Mocs will have to have a very good day passing to pull out a win, but UTC also must have some success on the ground to both keep the defense a little honest and stretch out some drives.
WHEN GEORGIA SOUTHERN HAS THE BALL
GEORGIA SOUTHERN OFFENSIVE STARTERS
QB Jaybo Shaw (14) 6-0, 200, Sr.
RB Robert Brown (5) 5-11, 203, So.
RB J.J. Wilcox (19) 6-0, 215, Jr.
RB Jonathan Bryant (23) 6-2, 168, Jr.
WR Kentrellis Showers (80) 5-11, 168, Fr.
WR Patrick Barker (84) 6-1, 190, Jr.
LT Dorian Byrd (71) 6-1, 265, So.
LG Blake DeBartola (77) 6-0, 271, Jr.
C Brandavious Mann (63) 6-2, 268, Sr.
RG William Maxwell (51) 6-1, 294, Sr.
RT Brett Moore (57) 6-3, 255, Sr.
PK Adrian Mora (45) 5-11, 181, Sr.
UTC DEFENSIVE STARTERS
DE Davis Tull (90) 6-3, 235, Fr.
DT Devin Scates (92) 6-2, 250, Fr.
DT Josh Freeman (55) 6-0, 270, Fr.
DE Josh Williams (95) 6-2, 235, Jr.
SLB Ryan Consiglio (45) 6-1, 220, Sr.
MLB Wes Dothard (25) 6-1, 235, So.
WLB Gunner Miller (11) 6-1, 225, So.
CB Kadeem Wise (5) 5-10, 180, So.
FS D.J. Key (20) 6-0, 195, So.
SS Jordan Tippit (22) 6-0, 205, Sr.
CB Chris Lewis-Harris (6) 5-11, 175, Sr.
P Mike Hammons (49) 5-10, 180, Sr.
• The matchup: The Mocs saw one version of the triple option last week against The Citadel. Before everything collapsed in the second half, UTC had totally stymied the Bulldogs. The Eagles run a more sophisticated version of the option and they run it with better athletes. UTC can give up a few 10-yard runs, but it can't afford to let the Eagles free for a bunch of big gains.
THE ONE TO WATCH
B.J. Coleman: The Mocs quarterback needs to have one of his best games if UTC is to pull off its first win over a No. 1 team since 1993. Coleman will face an opportunistic defense, one that has eight interceptions but is allowing 271.2 passing yards a game. His ankle must hold up, as must the Mocs' offensive line.
IN THE END
• Breakdown: The Eagles haven't lost yet this season and have lost only once in their last 11 games. Despite being just a couple of plays away from 4-1, the Mocs have dropped two heartbreakers in a row. A fully confident UTC team with a lot of momentum might be able to go into Paulson Stadium and come away with a win, but it's the Eagles that are soaring - and that will continue.
• Prediction: Georgia Southern 31, UTC 24
For more Mocs coverage, see tomorrow's Times Free Press. You can also follow beat writer John Frierson on Twitter at twitter.com/mocsbeatCTFP.