SHORTER (0-0) AT NO. 6 UTC (0-0)
7 p.m. Finley Stadium in Chattanooga
96.1 FM/SoCon Digital Network (online)
THE MATCHUP
UTC's defensive linemen talk continually about wanting to dominate. Their first opportunity of 2016 is tonight against a Shorter offensive front that matches up fairly well size-wise with the Mocs. If UTC can create pressure, it could rattle new Hawks quarterback Matt Williams - who once had Tennessee and LSU scholarship offers - into throwing some bad passes, and that could lead to some plays in the secondary.
ONE TO WATCH
It's Alejandro Bennifield's time. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound junior waited three seasons to start at quarterback, learning behind record-setting All-American Jacob Huesman. Bennifield takes the field with the benefit of four starters returning on the offensive line, the team's top seven receivers from 2015 and tailback Derrick Craine, who rushed for a school-record 1,251 yards last year. Not bad work if you can get it.
IN THE END
It's time for this "streak" to end. The Mocs will jump out to a healthy lead early and cruise as Bennifield starts to show his potential in a shortened evening and UTC earns its first season-opening victory since 2009 in a big way.
Prediction: UTC 52, Shorter 7