Rusty Wright was pretty adamant Saturday afternoon that his University of Tennessee at Chattanooga team deserves inclusion in the 2023 Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
And maybe he will be right. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be some sleepless nights the next two weeks wondering if the Mocs have done enough.
Both the fifth-year head coach and UTC players expressed why they believe the Mocs’ 7-3 record after 10 consecutive weeks of games is enough to merit inclusion in the 24-team bracket, which will be revealed at 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 19 on ESPNU. Of course, the Mocs aren’t quite done with the regular season, with the team off this week before visiting Alabama on Nov. 18, but let’s not get crazy here: UTC is headed toward a likely 7-4 finish.
“We’ve put a good team on tape,” senior cornerback Kam Brown said. “I just hope the FCS playoff committee understands and sees what we’ve been putting on film and give us a chance in the playoffs.”
The Mocs are one of four FCS teams this season that has played 10 consecutive weeks without an open date. Two of those (Maine and Sacred Heart) are 2-8; the other is Butler, which is 7-3 but has two wins against opponents from outside of NCAA Division I (one against a D-III program, the other against an NAIA team).