Published Aug 29, 2024
Three numbers to know as the Vols take on Chattanooga
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Ryan Sylvia  •  VolReport
Assistant Managing Editor
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@RyanTSylvia

Tennessee football will meet Chattanooga on the gridiron for the first time since 2019 on Saturday.

Ahead of the matchup, I take a by-the-numbers look at the game with three numbers to remember come game day.

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76

The most receiving yards a Tennessee player has ever had in a single game against Chattanooga was just 76. Jason Croom reached the mark in a 45-10 win in 2014.

While there should be a good amount of rotation amongst receivers which may result in the ball being spread across the multiple targets, this record is on the hot seat on Saturday.

With Josh Heupel's offense, there's always a chance it could be broken in just one play, afterall. The longest reception from a Vol against the Mocs is 70 on a connection between Lee Wert and Benton White who took it to the house in 1907 in a 57-0 win when Chattanooga was still called U.S. Grant University.

6

Under Josh Heupel, Tennessee is 6-0 in in-state battles. Since 2021, Heupel has steered the Vols to three wins over Vanderbilt and one over Austin Peay, UT Martin and Tennessee Tech. Each game has been decided by 17 points or more with the closest coming against Austin Peay in 2023.

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Everything Josh Heupel said on SEC Coaches Teleconference

Not counting the 2020 season which featured an all SEC slate, Tennessee has played a non-conference opponent from the state in six straight seasons.

8

Chattanooga comes in at No. 8 in the preseason FCS coaches poll. The Mocs got 403 points in the poll with first-place South Dakota State earning 649 and all but one first-place votes.

Chattanooga went 8-5 a year ago and earned a spot in the 24-team playoffs. After beating Austin Peay (who only lost to the Vols by 17 that same season) in the first round, the Mocs met 7-seed Furman in the second round.

This would be where their season ended, though, as the Paladins handled business 26-7.

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