Editor’s note: You asked, and we heard you! Matt Reed’s previews for the 2024 Tennessee football season are back! Tune in before every U.T. football game this season for Matt Reed’s must-see preview – exclusively on Rocky Top Insider.
The Opponent: The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga was founded in 1886, as the private University of Chattanooga. The school remained private until it was incorporated into the larger state-wide university system in 1969. UTC has an undergraduate population of just over 10,000 students, making it the 6th largest school in the state of Tennessee. UTC has been playing football since 1904. They currently compete in the Southern Conference, as part of the FCS subdivision. Notable alumni of UTC include former Mocs basketball player, Dennis Haskins. You would better know Haskins as Principal Richard Belding from Bayside High School in Saved by the Bell.
Are they any Good?: At the FCS level, Chattanooga is a very solid program. The Mocs are coming off an appearance in the FCS playoffs, losing in the second round to Furman last season. UTC is preseason ranked in the Top 10 for the FCS subdivision. Last season, the Mocs lost 66-10 to Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Their last appearance in Neyland Stadium was a 45-0 loss to Jeremy Pruitt’s 2019 team. The Mocs did put a scare into a solid Kentucky team early in 2021, losing just 28-23 in Lexington. Otherwise, this is an FCS-level team that Tennessee is supposed to dispatch with relative ease.
What will this tell us about Tennessee?: It is always wise not to read too much into these FCS warm-up games. If Tennessee demolishes the Mocs by 50+ points, I don’t see that as much of an indicator for season-long success. If the Vols look a little rusty, no need to smash the panic button. Tennessee needs to win this game comfortably, but the exact point spread should not matter much. You want to see the Volunteer offense move with tempo, and play with efficiency. You want to see Tennessee’s defenders look clearly superior to FCS counterparts. Otherwise, it is a warm-up game. If it is going to tell us anything, it will be about the depth of this program. In years past, Tennessee’s second string may have struggled to a draw against an opponent like UTC. Fans and coaches alike want to see the Volunteers flex their depth in the second half of this game.
What does Vegas say?: Not every sportsbook will post lines on FBS vs. FCS matchups, but you can bet this game at most of the major ones. The consensus line is -38.5. I have always poked fun at those who bet on games with 35+ point lines. In all seriousness, know when to get help. However, this is the opening weekend of college football. Josh Heupel is 4-1 against spreads of 30+ points the past two seasons. Heupel will continue to air it out, even with backups in the game. Plus, style points will matter even more in the expanded playoff era. I like the Vols to cover here.
More from RTI: Tennessee Announces Contract Extension For AD Danny White
Matchup to watch on Offense?: I want to see the tempo and execution of this offense. It is Nico Iamaleava’s first start inside Neyland Stadium. He has been groomed for this moment since arriving on campus over 18 months ago. You want to see Nico stretch the field, and show touch and accuracy on the ball. Just as important though, you want to see him command an efficient offense. Clearly Josh Heupel wants to see that from Nico Iamaleava as well. The game conditioning of Tennessee’s offensive line is a smaller subplot I am very interested to observe. The Vols have the benefit of a very veteran offensive line in 2024. Tennessee’s five starters have 18 years of college football experience between them. With the exception of left guard, every starting position was secured well before fall camp. That allowed the Vols the benefit of being overly cautious with practice and scrimmage reps for several of these veterans. It will be interesting to see if they are in game shape on Saturday. The tempo of Tennessee’s offense demands a lot of its offensive linemen. It will be left tackle Lance Heard’s first time playing at this speed. In reality, the starting offensive line should not be playing much more than 50 snaps on Saturday. However, they need to get in game shape quickly and be in a position to play 75-80 snaps next week in Charlotte.
Matchup to watch on Defense?: I want to see improved linebacker play. Losing Keenan Pili in the first game of last season was a massive blow for this defense. Tennessee still has high hopes for the BYU transfer. It is not just his experience that this coaching staff values, but his versatility. On the other side, the quiet fall camp buzz around Arion Carter seems to have really crescendoed into serious expectations for the sophomore linebacker. Carter looks the part of a future all-conference player. Can he play more instinctively this season? Both Arion Carter and Jeremiah Telander were thrown in the deep end last season as true freshmen. They each had their moments, but it was clear that the game was moving fast for them. How much has it slowed down going into their second season? Carter will be the first on the field Saturday, but Telander will play as well. Expect to see junior Kalib Perry on the field too. At best, Tennessee has had serviceable linebacker play over the last several seasons. At worst, the position has been a liability. There is a real opportunity to make it a position of strength on this roster again. Tennessee needs playmakers at linebacker. Again, don’t read too much into a game against UTC. However, it would be nice to see linebackers moving fast and flying to the football on Saturday.
Fun Fact: Uncertainty abounds with UT-Chattanooga’s nickname. For decades the school’s official nickname was the Moccasins. That name seems to be derived from the Moccasin Bend peninsula, jutting out into the Tennessee River immediately west of downtown. In the early days, the school used a water moccasin snake as its mascot. At some point that changed to an actual moccasin shoe though. When it was decided that a shoe alone was not fearsome enough, UTC replaced it with the fictitious Chief Moccanooga. This caricature of a Cherokee Indian chief turned out to be fairly problematic. In 1996, UTC abandoned the Moccasins, and any reference to Native American culture, all together. They are now simply the Mocs, with a train-driving mockingbird named Scrappy serving as their mascot. Long live Scrappy!
So What Happens?: This seems like a Name-Your-Score game for Tennessee, but it may not be that simple. Tennessee was a larger favorite in its home opener last season, and struggled to pull away from Austin Peay. This is the same caliber team as Austin Peay. It was a Tennessee offense that did not execute cleanly against the Governors, and that turned out to be a harbinger of things to come the next weekend in the Swamp. It was not the Vols’ season opener though, a game in which they looked much sharper against Virginia. I think Tennessee comes out fairly sharp on Saturday. It will start with the running game, where the Vols will throw three or four different backs out there in the first half. The consistency of the ground game will make life easier for Nico Iamaleava throwing the ball. I think UTC’s secondary will also make life easier for Nico. The Mocs appear to be very inexperienced at cornerback, which I would expect Tennessee to exploit for a few long touchdowns. On the flip side, Chattanooga has a veteran quarterback in Chase Artopoeus and two very experienced receivers in Javin Whatley and Sam Phillips. I expect Tennessee to rotate at least eight bodies through the secondary in the first half. Don’t be surprised if the Mocs find moderate success through the air against the Vols. Can they get anything going on the ground versus Tennessee though? I am skeptical there, especially against a deep Tennessee defensive front that lead the SEC allowing just 3.19 yards per carry last season. It should create plenty of obvious pass rush opportunities for James Pearce Jr, Joshua Josephs, Tyre West and company. Whether those result in sacks, or interception opportunities for the secondary, I expect to see a few big plays in the first half for Tennessee’s defense. A lot of eyes will be on freshman Boo Carter, wearing #23. Don’t be surprised if he makes a big play in his Tennessee debut. Bottom line, the Vols should be able to overwhelm the Mocs with depth and talent. If this game were sandwiched in the middle of SEC play then I wouldn’t be surprised to see a sloppy game from Tennessee. The Vols will be fairly crisp, and plenty motivated, in the home opener though. Tennessee will be wearing their latest iteration of Smokey Grey uniforms. The crowd is a sell out, and they will be looking for fireworks. Expect plenty of them.
Prediction: Vols 55, Mocs 14
