GREENVILLE, S.C. — University of Tennessee at Chattanooga beat writer Gene Henley breaks down the Mocs’ season-ending 26-7 loss to Furman in the second round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
SATURDAY’S STAR
It’s hard to find the positives in this game, but sophomore safety Jordan Walker did have a solid showing with 11 tackles, including 1.5 behind the line of scrimmage.
SATURDAY’S STAT
The Mocs started the game with an 11-play, 81-yard drive that resulted in a Reggie Davis touchdown. The final 38 plays gained 119 yards.
TURNING POINT
The Mocs were in a good spot at halftime, trailing just 10-7 and getting the ball to start the third quarter. But coming out of the locker room, the offense had a three-and-out series, and then Luke Schomburg threw an interception that Furman scored on a play later to make it 17-7.
THE BIG PLAY
Jamoi Mayes entered the game with 999 yards this season, but his first catch went for 32, making him the first Moc since Bryce Nunnelly to top the 1,000-yard receiving mark and aiding the drive that ended in the Davis score.
WHAT IT MEANS
The Mocs showed they had a level of depth to remain resilient against a team that was the Southern Conference favorite entering the season and wound up winning the championship outright. Injuries mounted throughout the course of the season and again Saturday. There are no moral victories in this sport, but no matter how anyone tries to spin it, the second-round playoff loss showed a continued level of improvement under fifth-year head coach Rusty Wright — and provided the roster doesn’t lose much to the transfer portal, the Mocs will be one of the teams to beat in the league next season.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com.