There was plenty of food, family and, of course, light-hearted trash talk during Thanksgiving between University of Tennessee at Chattanooga center Jacob Revis and his brother, former UTC offensive lineman Kevin, who is now a graduate assistant coach at Jacksonville State.
The seventh-ranked Mocs knew that if they defeated 14th-ranked Fordham in the first round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, they would get another chance to face the top-ranked and top-seeded Gamecocks. Kevin Revis and the JSU coaching staff knew it, too.
"Yeah, we kid around about it," Jacob Revis said. "We don't take it personal, of course; it's fun."
UTC's Mocs (9-3) wanted a rematch of the Sept. 5 season opener in Chattanooga won 23-20 by the Gamecocks. They circled it on their calendars when the playoff brackets were announced, all the while knowing they had to defeat a top-15 team to get that opportunity, which they did in convincing fashion, 50-20.
"We'll put the film on Sunday and try to figure out a way," UTC coach Russ Huesman said after Saturday's win. "They're an excellent team and they deserve to be No. 1 in the country. We're going to have to play extremely, extremely well to win at their place."
The Mocs' goal was to get this rematch. And now that they have it, the team has hunkered down for the preparation and practices this week.
"We just have to play football," defensive end Keionta Davis said. "That's all I want to say and all I want to do. The rest will take care of itself."
It's not often a team gets a second chance at avenging a loss in the same season in football. The Mocs are happy to get this opportunity, and particularly happy it comes against the Gamecocks, who have pulled out three-point victories in the last three meetings - in 2012 and 2014 in addition to this year.
"We know it's going to be a tough game on the road," Jacob Revis said. "We just have to have a good week of practice and prepare the best we can for them."
CFPA honors Jacob
UTC quarterback Jacob Huesman was named the College Football Performance Awards national performer of the week for his game against the 14th-ranked Rams. He completed 17 of 25 passes for 211 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 129 yards on 15 carries.
For the season, he has 1,147 rushing yards and is 86 yards shy of the school record set by Eldra Buckley in 2005. Huesman is 46 yards away from 4,000 for his career.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.