No. 3 UTC (6-0, 4-0 SoCon) at No. 8 The Citadel (5-0, 3-0)
3 p.m. > Johnson Hagood Stadium, Charleston, S.C.
Fox Sports Southeast & 96.1 FM
THE MATCHUP
The Citadel’s triple-option attack leads the country in the FCS with 388.8 yards per game, while the UTC defense is third, allowing 71.7 yards per game. That Mocs defense has been built with speed capable of handling teams out in the open, while the Bulldogs are very good at getting into space and allowing their athletes room to run.
ONE TO WATCH
UTC quarterback Alejandro Bennifield has played in away games, but they’ve been against teams (Furman, East Tennessee State) with a combined 1-6 record in the Southern Conference. Every game becomes a new experience for the 6-foot-2, 220-pound lefty, and today will be the most hostile environment he’s walked into. It’ll be interesting to see how the confident junior handles it.
IN THE END
The Mocs aren’t fond of the “co-champion” label stapled to last season, the title they shared with the Bulldogs. UTC has dominated every opponent when it has played its best, and although the Mocs have shown flashes they really haven’t put together a 60-minute game yet. Russ Huesman-coached teams have handled the Bulldogs in the past (6-1 record), and his eighth team, with a chip on its shoulder, pushes that to 7-1 with a close victory that helps it take control of the SoCon.
Prediction
UTC 29, The Citadel 22