The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team closed its 2025 schedule with a 35-13 loss to Wofford on Saturday at Gibbs Stadium in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
UTC finished 5-7 overall and 4-4 in Southern Conference play, marking the first losing season in Rusty Wright’s seven years as the head coach at his alma mater. Wofford (6-6, 5-3), which won its final four regular-season games, nudged ahead of UTC in the final standings for the SoCon, with the Mocs winding up fifth in the nine-team conference.
UTC beat writer Gene Henley breaks down the Mocs’ loss.
SATURDAY’S STAR
UTC sophomore Josh Williams, who grew up an hour away from Spartanburg in Anderson, had 118 yards on 11 receptions.
SATURDAY’S STAT
The Mocs struggled to get to the quarterback all season and never sacked Wofford’s JT Fayard. In UTC’s seven losses, the Mocs had a combined two sacks; in the five wins, they totaled 12.
TURNING POINT
The Mocs had driven downfield and had a chance to tie the game in the first quarter until an errant snap went over the head of running back Journey Wyche and was recovered by the Terriers. Instead of UTC making it 7-all or at least cutting the deficit to four points by kicking a field goal, the Terriers scored two drives later for a 14-0 edge.
THE BIG PLAY
Wyche is brimming with potential, but the coaching staff has continually pointed to his inconsistency in explanation of why he doesn’t get more touches. That potential was showcased on his 21-yard touchdown run, when he bounced off a couple of would-be tacklers and glided into the end zone in the second quarter to help the Mocs head into halftime down just 21-13.
WHAT IT MEANS
The loss to Wofford was not a bad loss, but the game against Wofford was a bad game. There are plenty of reasons to justify how UTC’s season unfolded, but none of that mattered against the Terriers when execution — not talent, not availability — was the problem. Barring a second consecutive mass exodus via the NCAA transfer portal, which is highly unlikely for myriad reasons, the Mocs should be in a good position going into 2026. That doesn’t mean that changes won’t have to be made in order for the program to make a run at ending its SoCon title drought — the Mocs haven’t won the league championship since sharing it in 2015 to cap a three-year reign — and reaching the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs for the second time in Wright’s tenure.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com.