The most bizarre game in the most bizarre season
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (BVM) —Since 1904, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has played football in the fall. Until now.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Southern Conference announced on Oct. 21 that football would be a spring sport. The Mocs will play eight games spanning from February through mid-April.
In a time where nothing seems normal, the Mocs will look to adjust.
“I was really excited for spring this year, looking forward to be able to do some fundamental stuff and make us better as a fundamental football team,” head coach Rusty Wright told WRCBtv. “You gotta deal with what you gotta deal with. It’s how it is.”
Chattanooga is coming off of their first season under Rusty Wright, who played tight end for the school in the 1990s. The Mocs finished 2019 with a 6-6 record, good for third in the conference standings.
With what seemed to be an eternal offseason, the university’s administration was lucky enough to schedule one game this fall with Western Kentucky.
The Mocs traveled to Bowling Green, Ky. on Oct. 24 to take on the Hilltoppers in a game that turned out to be a thriller.
Western Kentucky took a 13-10 lead with only 1:21 left to play and would be giving the ball back to Chattanooga. The Mocs had less than a minute and a half to determine if they were going to finish 2020 undefeated or winless.
In front of just under 4,000 masked fans, senior Bryce Nunnely did the unthinkable. Took the kickoff 102 yards to the house.
The Mocs were listed as 14-point underdogs according to ESPN and had just recorded one of the biggest upsets in school history… until they didn’t.
As the commotion started to settle down, a flag was visible on the other side of the field. Senior, Tyrin Summers, was back alongside Nunnely on the kickoff and had called for a fair catch, making the ball dead when it was caught in the endzone.
The Hilltoppers would proceed to force a four and out to win the football game. After a soul-crushing loss, Rusty Wright and the Mocs were just glad to be back on the field.
“It was awesome (to be back for a day),” Wright said. “There are no moral victories, but it was just so good to be in that pre-game meal. It was so good to be in that locker room before the game. Even though it hurt as bad as it hurt after this game was over, it was so good being in that locker room with them. We’ll keep building on it and we’ll be okay.”
The months have gone by since this game and now the Mocs conference opener is just around the corner. On Feb. 20, Chattanooga will play the Virginia Military Institute in what will be only the Mocs’ second game since Nov. 23, 2019.
In a season of uncertainty, the Mocs will have to battle mental, physical, and emotional challenges to get to the finish line. At season’s end, the Mocs will hope to claim four conference championships and the only spring title in the history of the Southern Conference.
