UTC fans Charlotte and Lucien Ellington, and Bill Bratton, from left, cheer for the Mocs at Jefferson's on Georgia Avenue during the playoff against New Hampshire.University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Mocs football fans filled Jefferson's on Georgia Avenue on Friday night, decked in blue and gold, cheering for their team that appeared in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision quarterfinals for the first time ever.
Many fans wore jerseys, others had UTC hats, and everyone was saying to each other over baskets of fries and cans of beer, "What if we win?"
It was a fair question for a fan base that was enjoying the team's first postseason appearance in 30 years, and it was magnified by a dominating first half for the Mocs, who took a 21-15 lead into the halftime break.
The mood was electric as fans watched the Mocs challenge No. 1 seed New Hampshire on ESPN2.
Joe Levine, assistant director of the UTC Mocs Club, said he expected a big turnout for the game.
"The fans have been great this season," he said. "Last week's home game was the loudest crowd I have heard in awhile."
Tricia Dyer, a Chattanoogan who cheers for the Mocs in several sports, was expecting a win.
She sat at the table with Tim Mcavoy, who is from New Hampshire.
He whispered, "I am kind of a New Hampshire fan," as the whole table of UTC fans shook their heads.
Dyer said, "We'll turn him into a Mocs fan by the end of the night."
Everyone in the restaurant collectively gasped when New Hampshire scored in the first quarter -- but the crowd's spirit never died and only gained momentum as UTC quarterback Jacob Huesman ran for a touchdown near the end of the quarter. The fans' excitement grew as the Mocs scored twice in the second quarter to control before the half.
Dylan Gann, a UTC senior, watched the game with friends and said, "We didn't expect UTC to do this well this season."
Bryan Rowland, UTC's vice-chancellor of development and alumni affairs, said, "The team has great coaches and players. We've already won regardless."
Contact staff writer Kendi Anderson at kendi.anderson@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6592.