In the end, it wasn't enough.
For the sixth straight season, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga was unable to secure a spot in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
The 24-team field for the five-round event was announced Sunday afternoon, and the Mocs did not receive one of the 13 at-large bids. That was not a complete surprise after UTC closed the regular season with a 32-29 loss at Western Carolina the day before, but a crowded playoff bubble left open the possibility of the Mocs making the bracket.
UTC went 7-4 overall and 5-3 in the Southern Conference, a league that had four teams ranked in both FCS polls listed by the NCAA in the final week of the regular season but wound up with just two of those teams in the playoffs: Samford (10-1, 8-0), which had locked up the SoCon's automatic postseason bid ahead of its 50-44 double-overtime home win against Mercer on Saturday, and Furman (9-2, 7-1), which cruised to a 63-28 win against Wofford.
What the Mocs had in their favor was the fact that they had been ranked all season and owned a win against a ranked foe, beating Mercer 41-21 on Oct. 22 at Finley Stadium. That, however, turned out to be the high point of the season.
UTC lost 24-20 at Furman the following week, and after bouncing back with a 31-21 win at The Citadel, the Mocs couldn't celebrate senior day with a victory as Samford came to Finley on Nov. 12 and won 35-24 to clinch a share of the SoCon title that it eventually owned outright.
The Mocs lost back-to-back games for the second straight season, and that ultimately played a part in extending the program's playoff drought. UTC made consecutive appearances from 2014 to 2016, and while the program has just one losing season since then, going 3-8 in 2017, the playoffs have remained out of reach.
Samford was sixth among the eight playoff seeds that receive byes before hosting second-round game. The Bulldogs will play on Dec. 3 against the winner of this week's Idaho at Southeastern Louisiana matchup.
Furman hosts Elon next Saturday.
Jackrabbits are No. 1
South Dakota State and Sacramento State earned the top two seeds in the FCS playoffs
South Dakota State (10-1) will be making its 11th consecutive appearance in the postseason. The Jackrabbits — they lost in May 2021 to Sam Houston in the national championship game for 2020 season, which was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic — earned an automatic bid as winners of the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
Sacramento State (11-0) won the Big Sky Conference's automatic bid. Neither the Jackrabbits nor the Hornets have ever won the FCS title.
The top eight seeds also include No. 3 North Dakota State, No. 4 Montana State, No. 5 William & Mary, No. 7 Incarnate Word and No. 8 Holy Cross.
North Dakota State, the 2021 national champion and winners of nine of the past 11 titles, made the field for the 13th consecutive season. The Bison have won 41 playoff games, the most of all time. They defeated Montana State 38-10 for last season's title.
Montana State won a share of the Big Sky Conference title and will be making its 12th playoff appearance and fourth in five seasons. The Bobcats won the title in 1984.
William & Mary will be making its 11th playoff appearance and first since 2015. The Tribe won the Colonial Athletic Association title Saturday, beating at-large entry Richmond 37-26.
SoCon winner Samford is making its sixth appearance but first since 2017.
Incarnate Word earned an at-large bid as a co-champion, with Southeastern Louisiana, in the Southland Conference. Southeastern Louisiana will host Idaho on Saturday.
Holy Cross earned the automatic bid from the Patriot League for a fourth consecutive postseason appearance.
This year's field includes seven programs that have won national championships and one team, Gardner-Webb, that will be making its first appearance in the playoffs.
The first four rounds will be played in consecutive weeks before a holiday break. The title game is Jan. 8 in Frisco, Texas.
2022 FCS PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE
All Times EST
Top eight seeds receive byes and will host first-round winners
FIRST ROUND
Saturday, Nov. 26
Elon (8-3) at Furman (9-2), noon
Davidson (8-3) at Richmond (8-3), 2 p.m.
Fordham (9-2) at New Hampshire (8-3), 2 p.m.
Saint Francis (9-2) at Delaware (7-4), 2 p.m.
North Dakota (7-4) at Weber State (9-2), 4 p.m.
Gardner-Webb (6-5) at Eastern Kentucky (7-4), 5 p.m.
Idaho (7-4) at SE Louisiana (8-3), 7 p.m.
SE Missouri State (9-2) at Montana (7-4), 10 p.m.
SECOND ROUND
Saturday, Dec. 3
Fordham/New Hampshire at No. 8 Holy Cross (11-0), noon
Elon/Furman at No. 7 Incarnate Word (10-1), 2 p.m.
Gardner-Webb/Eastern Kentucky at No. 5 William & Mary (10-1), 2 p.m.
North Dakota/Weber State at No. 4 Montana State (10-1), 3 p.m.
Idaho/SE Louisiana at No. 6 Samford (10-1), 3 p.m.
Saint Francis/Delaware at No. 1 South Dakota State (10-1), 3 p.m.
SE Missouri State/Montana at No. 3 North Dakota State (9-2), 3 p.m.
Davidson/Richmond at No. 2 Sacramento State (11-0), 5 p.m.