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Thursday, October 29, 2026Oct 29

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Mocs analysis: Rough start doesn’t forecast rough season for UTC

AP photo by Wade Payne / Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop avoids being tackled by UTC linebacker Kobe Joseph during Saturday's season opener at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville.
AP photo by Wade Payne / Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop avoids being tackled by UTC linebacker Kobe Joseph during Saturday's season opener at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville. AP photo by Wade Payne / Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop avoids being tackled by UTC linebacker Kobe Joseph during Saturday's season opener at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville.

KNOXVILLE — The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga had a rough start to its 2024 football season, falling behind 45-0 by halftime and losing 69-3 to the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday in front of 101,915 at Neyland Stadium.

It was the opener for two nationally ranked teams from separate levels of NCAA Division I, with UTC eighth in the Football Championship Subdivision coaches poll and ninth in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25, while the Vols are 15th in both The Associated Press Top 25 and the coaches poll for the Football Bowl Subdivision.

UTC beat writer Gene Henley breaks down the performance by the Mocs.


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