The level of shock around the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football program was palpable late Saturday afternoon at Finley Stadium.
The Mocs’ hopes for their first Southern Conference championship since 2015 had just been shattered in the closing moments of their league finale and last guaranteed home game of the season, with Furman scoring a touchdown with 1:44 to play for a 17-14 victory.
The Paladins (8-1, 6-0), ranked No. 2 in both Football Championship Subdivision polls, clinched a share of the SoCon title and the league’s automatic bid to the FCS playoffs, which begin Nov. 25.
The home team’s locker room, unsurprisingly, was emotional. A UTC assistant coach walked out at one point, appearing to be in tears.
It was a game the Mocs had within their grasp, eerily reminiscent of their 32-29 loss to Western Carolina in the season finale last year — with the defense on the field needing a key stop.