Chattanooga Mocs quarterback Jacob Huesman (14) picks up a few yards around left end.CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Presumably the large purple and gold bell that sits in the corner of one end zone at E.J. Whitmire Stadium rings after each Western Carolina score. That bell remained silent all afternoon Saturday, at least until a University of Tennessee at Chattanooga player rang it as he passed by on his way off the field.
UTC, ranked 12th in the FCS, dismantled the host Catamounts 51-0 to take sole possession of first place in the Southern Conference. It was the first time Western Carolina was shut out at home since 1974.
“I told the team, in (my) six years here that’s the best team performance by a million miles,” UTC coach Russ Huesman said. “It was an unbelievable effort — offensively, defensively and special teams. All the way around.
“In six years nothing was even close to what happened out here today — and against a good football team. Our players and coaches should be really proud of themselves.”
In what was built up to be a showdown of the last two teams unbeaten in the SoCon, the Mocs showed up ready to prove a point, particularly after some trash talk by the Catamounts during warmups. It was all quiet on the Western front later, however.