AUG. 29
EASTERN ILLINOIS
7 p.m., Finley Stadium, Chattanooga
TV/Radio: ESPN3/97.7 FM
Series history: This is the teams' initial meeting and begins what UTC coach Rusty Wright hopes is a growing trend of hosting Thursday night games. Like the Mocs, the Panthers have a first-year coach in Adam Cushing. They were picked to finish eighth of nine teams in the Ohio Valley Conference but return seven defensive starters, including a pair of linebackers in James Caputo and Dytarious Johnson who combined for 164 tackles. Quarterback Johnathan Brantley, who had 2,400 yards of total offense, returns.
SEPT. 7
JACKSONVILLE STATE
7 p.m., Burgess-Snow Field, Jacksonville, Alabama
TV/Radio: OVC Network/97.7 FM
Series history: The Gamecocks have won nine of the last 10 meetings, including the last five, after the Mocs had dominated the series (UTC still leads 26-15 overall). The most painful loss was in the FCS playoffs in 2015, a 41-35 JSU win in which there were several late lead changes and the teams combined for 1,084 total yards. The last meeting was in 2017, a 27-13 JSU victory. The Gamecocks enter the season ranked No. 6 and are led by preseason OVC offensive player of the year quarterback Zerrick Cooper and All-America receiver Josh Person.
SEPT. 14
TENNESSEE
Noon, Neyland Stadium, Knoxville
TV/Radio: SEC Network/97.7 FM; 106.5 FM
Series history: The Mocs' big-money game this year is just up the road, where they have won only twice in 38 meetings (there are also two ties). The series dates back to 1904 with a 23-0 UT win, but Chattanooga won the next year, 5-0. The teams last played in 2014, with Volunteers quarterback Justin Worley accounting for five touchdowns and the defense holding the Mocs to 42 first-half yards. Jeremy Pruitt's second Vols team returns its leading passer in Jarrett Guarantano, top rusher in Ty Chandler and No. 1 receiver in Marquez Callaway, just three of UT's 18 returning starters.
SEPT. 21
JAMES MADISON
4 p.m., Finley Stadium, Chattanooga
TV/Radio: ESPN3/97.7 FM
Series history: This first meeting between the two programs is a highlight of UTC's home schedule. The Dukes enter the season ranked No. 1 or No. 2, depending on the poll, and return a whopping 19 starters from a 9-4 team. They also get back the services of 2017 All-America defensive back Rashad Robinson, who was injured all of last season. First-year coach Curt Cignetti has seven other preseason All-CAA players, including safety D'Angelo Amos, who averaged 22 yards and had three touchdowns on punt returns last season.
SEPT. 28
WESTERN CAROLINA
4 p.m., Finley Stadium, Chattanooga
TV/Radio: ESPN3/97.7 FM
Series history: The Mocs lead all time 28-17, including a 26-6 win last year that was one of the team's best defensive efforts. The Catamounts were held 30 points under their season scoring average as the UTC defense recorded four sacks and nine tackles for loss and held electric WCU quarterback Tyrie Adams in check while Nick Tiano passed for a pair of touchdowns and Tyrell Price had his best game with 135 yards. Adams was voted the preseason SoCon offensive player of the year after amassing 3,400 total yards and 26 touchdowns.
OCT. 5
MERCER
4 p.m., Five-Star Stadium, Macon, Georgia
TV/Radio: ESPN3/97.7 FM
Series history: The Mocs lead 18-9-1 all time, but among their four Southern Conference tight losses last year, the one to Mercer was maybe the hardest to digest. The 13-9 setback knocked UTC out of any playoff hope and wasted a defensive effort that limited the Bears to 149 total yards, their only points coming after two long kickoff returns. Coach Bobby Lamb's team has seven preseason All-SoCon players and should have McCallie alumnus Robert Riddle back at quarterback after he suffered an injury in September following back-to-back games in which he totaled 663 yards through the air.
OCT. 17
ETSU
7 p.m., Finley Stadium, Chattanooga
TV/Radio: ESPN3/97.7 FM
Series history: The Buccaneers, who revived the football program in 2014, have quickly grown into a SoCon contender. UTC, which leads all-time 22-19-1, trailed in last year's game 17-0 before a second-half rally fell three points short as ETSU went on to tie for the regular-season championship. Defense is the Bucs' strength, led by preseason SoCon player of the year Nasir Player - a lineman who had 11 tackles for loss, six sacks and three forced fumbles in 2018 - and fellow preseason All-SoCon first-team members Jason Maduafokwa and Tyree Robinson.
OCT. 26
WOFFORD
1:30 p.m., Gibbs Stadium, Spartanburg, South Carolina
TV/Radio: ESPN3/97.7 FM
Series history: The Terriers have won the last three meetings following a three-game UTC win streak. Last season's 21-10 Wofford win featured 442 rushing yards and 74 total plays (to only 49 for UTC). The Mocs managed just 186 total yards, including a season-low 21 rushing. Wofford is the preseason pick to win the SoCon and returns three preseason All-SoCon offensive linemen, led by STATS All-American Justus Basinger, and a smothering defense featuring linemen Thad Mangum and Mikel Horton and senior linebacker Jireh Wilson, a Calhoun High School alum.
NOV. 2
FURMAN
2 p.m., Finley Stadium, Chattanooga
TV/Radio: ESPN3/97.7 FM
Series history: The Paladins hold a 29-19 series edge and have won 16 of the 24 games in Chattanooga. Before losing the last two games, UTC had won five consecutive contests against Furman, four by 18 or more points. The Mocs lost last year 16-10 after trailing by 13 in the fourth quarter, spoiling another strong defensive performance, holding the Paladins to under 100 yards passing. Defense is again Furman's strength, led by STATS preseason first-team All-America linebacker Adrian Hope, who had 15 sacks and five forced fumbles as a freshman a year ago. Quarterback is a question mark, and former Northwest Whitfield star Luke Shiflett, a transfer from Middle Tennessee State, could be in the mix.
NOV. 9
SAMFORD
3 p.m., Seibert Stadium, Birmingham, Alabama
TV/Radio: ESPN3/97.7 FM
Series history: The Mocs have won the last five in the series and nine of 10, including last year's 27-20 win that gave them a 4-0 season start. Linebacker Marshall Cooper led a strong defensive effort with a forced fumble and an interception, while Tiano had 278 yards and a pair of touchdowns, both to Nunnelly, who had his fourth consecutive 100-yard game to start the season. Gone from that Samford team is quarterback Devlin Hodges and his 4,283 yards and 32 touchdowns passing.
NOV. 16
THE CITADEL
2 p.m., Finley Stadium, Chattanooga
TV/Radio: ESPN3/97.7 FM
Series history: The Mocs lead 31-19-2 all time, including last season's wild 29-28 overtime win secured when then-coach Tom Arth elected to go for two after a UTC score to get within a point in the first extra session. Nunnelly took a pitch from Tiano and hit tight end Jordan Giberti for the game-winning conversion. The Bulldogs, picked seventh in preseason polls, rushed for 3,120 yards a year ago and return quarterback Jordan Black, who had 531 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, to go with preseason All-SoCon linemen Haden Haas and Drew McEntyre, a Calhoun grad.
NOV. 23
VMI
1:30 p.m., Alumni Field, Lexington, Virginia
TV/Radio: ESPN3/97.7 FM
Series history: The Mocs have won the last five in the series, scoring 30-plus points in each. Last year's 34-27 win was closer than expected. UTC trailed 21-7 in the second quarter before rallying behind Tiano's 285 yards and a pair of scores, 130 yards from Nunnelly and three sacks from Isaiah Mack. Keydets quarterback Reece Udinski, a preseason second-team All-SoCon pick, had 332 yards. VMI allowed 48.2 points per game and 5,608 yards a year ago while giving up 50 sacks.