Kickoff set for 2 p.m. at Finley Stadium   

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (Nov. 17, 2017) -- The ETSU football team wraps up its 2017 season this Saturday when the Buccaneers face in-state conference rival Chattanooga. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Finley Stadium.

The Bucs enter the game with an overall record of 4-6, 2-5 in the SoCon, while Chattanooga is 2-8, 2-5. 

ETSU NOTES

NOTABLES FROM SAMFORD GAME   

The Bucs are coming off a 42-7 setback to No. 14 Samford last weekend in Birmingham … After forcing Samford to punt on its first possession, the Bulldogs strung together five consecutive touchdown drives to end the half with a 35-7 lead … Following the punt, Samford totaled 23 plays for 227 yards to go ahead 28-7 before a 28-yard interception return made it 35-7 … The Buccaneer defense held Samford to five straight three-and-outs to start the second half, while limiting them to seven points in the final 30 minutes … ETSU held Samford to negative-7 yards (12 plays) in the third quarter … Nasir Player recorded his sixth sack of the season, which is tied for the fifth-most in single-season ETSU history … With his completion to Anthony Spagnoletti in the third quarter, Austin Herink became the sixth quarterback in program history to throw for over 5,000 yards in a career … ETSU held Samford below its season average of 417 yards per game on offense as the Bulldogs totaled 349 yards (261 passing/88 rushing) … Drake Powell finished with five catches for 72 yards … Domenique Williams had three kickoff returns for 80 yards, including a long of 31 yards … Jeremy Lewis finished with four tackles and a career high three pass break ups … Out of the 349 yards allowed by the Buccaneer defense, 160 came on four plays – 75 yard touchdown pass, 34-yard reception, 23-yard reception and 28-yard run … Overall, 190 yards were allowed in the second quarter where Samford out-gained the Bucs, 190 to 36 and outscored the Bucs, 21-7 … ETSU allowed 35 first-half points – the most since giving up 37 against St. Francis in 2015 … Austin Herink turned the ball over four times (two interceptions/two fumbles), which led to 14 points. 

BUCS NEARING SINGLE-SEASON HIGHS

ETSU is nearing top-10 marks in season highs … The Bucs – who have made 13 field goals this season – need three to break the all-time record of 15 set in 1984 … ETSU needs 24 more pass attempts to tie for 10th-most of 310, set in 1989, and 11 completions to move into 10th … The Bucs are 122 passing yards away of moving into 10th, while their completion percentage of 59.4 currently ranks fifth-best in single-season history.  

POWELL GETS TO 1,000

Red-shirt junior wide receiver Drake Powell moved past 1,000 career receiving yards following his five receptions for 72 yards last Saturday at Samford … For his career, Powell – who is playing in his final collegiate game on Saturday – has totaled 84 receptions for 1,011 yards in 29 games. 

PLAYER HAVING STANDOUT SEASON 

Red-shirt sophomore defensive end Nasir Player is having a standout year for the Blue and Gold … Through 10 games, Player has registered 62 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and six sacks … The six sacks are tied for fifth in single-season history by a Buccaneer. 

BUCS IN SEASON FINALES 

ETSU has won seven of its last nine season finales, including its last three with wins over No. 18 Samford (15-14; 2016), Kentucky Wesleyan (42-27; 2105) and The Citadel (16-13; 2003). 

BUCS FLOCK TO WILLIAM B. GREENE, JR. STADIUM

ETSU wrapped up its inaugural season inside William B. Greene, Jr. Stadium with a 24-6 win over VMI on Nov. 4 … In total, over 48,000 fans walked through the gates this season to see the Blue and Gold play (8,008 average) … The Bucs recorded three sellouts – 9,530 vs. Limestone, 8,540 vs. Robert Morris and 8,022 vs. Mercer … ETSU ranks ninth among FCS teams in percentage of capacity at 104.09, which is the highest among SoCon teams. 

TOUGH SCHEDULE

ETSU’s 11 opponents this year currently have a win percentage of .542 (45-38) … Prior to the VMI game on Nov. 4, ETSU had played the eighth toughest FCS schedule, while the Bucs have played the 18th toughest schedule to date ... Of their six setbacks, all of the opponents are either ranked or were ranked in the top-25 this season - James Madison is ranked No. 1, The Citadel was 13th, Furman is currently ranked 20th, Western Carolina was ranked 21st, Wofford was ranked No. 8 and Samford was ranked No. 14. 

STREAKING

Despite only playing its third year of FCS football, four Buccaneers carry start streaks into the 2017 season … Austin Herink (QB), Matt Pyke (C), Chris Bouyer (DL), and Dylan Weigel (LB) have started all 32 games for the Bucs since the program was restarted in 2015.  

SHARING THE WEALTH

Austin Herink did a tremendous job sharing the wealth with his Buccaneer receivers in the season opener against Limestone … Herink – who threw for 239 yards in the 31-10 win over Limestone – completed passes to eight different wide receivers … Senior Vincent Lowe led the group as he tied a career high with five receptions … Redshirt junior Drake Powell finished with three receptions, while Quan Harrison and Braxton Richburg both hauled in two catches in their first ever collegiate game … Herink also completed passes to eight different receivers the next week at James Madison … Overall, 17 different players have caught at least one pass this season … Of the 17 players, nine are wide receivers, three tight ends, three running backs, one full back, and Austin Herink caught a tipped pass for negative-2 yards against The Citadel. 

ETSU IN OVERTIME GAMES

ETSU has played six overtime games in program history with the most recent being a 26-23 win over Mercer on Sept. 23, 2017 … Last season, the Bucs defeated Kennesaw State, 20-17 in double-overtime to start the 2016 campaign … The Blue and Gold are 4-2 in overtime games in program history … Last year, the SoCon played six overtime games, which matched its record that was also set in 2006. 

ABOUT CHATTANOOGA

• Chattanooga is coming off its open week and sits 2-8 overall, and 2-5 in the Southern Conference … The Mocs’ two wins came against VMI (63-7) and at No. Samford (23-21) … Chattanooga’s last two losses have been by a combined nine points – 20-14 to Citadel and 24-21 overtime loss to No. 8 Wofford … Chattanooga also suffered losses to then-No. 5 Jacksonville State, FBS No. 12 LSU, UT-Martin, Western Carolina, Furman and at Mercer
• Chattanooga is 0-4 at home this season
• The Mocs rank third in the SoCon in total defense (347.4) and second in pass defense (170.3); however, Chattanooga has only totaled 10 sacks, while being sacked 30 times
• Chattanooga is averaging 18.5 points per game, compared to allowing 28.1 … The Mocs are averaging 77.1 rushing yards and 270.6 passing yards per game, while allowing 177.1 rushing yards and 170.3 passing yards
• The Mocs are being outscored 72-20 in the third quarter
• Despite entering the season with all-conference quarterback Alejandro Bennifield, the Mocs have been forced to use four quarterbacks this season … Bennefield was suspended the first four games and got injured in his first game back vs. Western Carolina … Nick Tiano – a Mississippi State transfer – started the first four games and also got injured in the Western Carolina game, forcing true freshman Cole Copeland to take over the starting duties … Copeland has thrown for over 1,000 yards with six touchdowns and 11 interceptions over his first five collegiate games
• Chattanooga has turned the ball over 25 times this season (17 interceptions/8 fumbles), while the defense has forced 13 takeaways (8 interceptions/five fumbles) … Of the 13 takeaways, seven came in the win over Samford where they forced three interceptions and had four fumble recoveries
• Bingo Morton and Alphonso Stewart have combined for eight of Chattanooga’s 13 touchdown receptions as they both have four on the season
• Defensively, the Mocs are led by senior linebacker Tae Davis as he leads the team in tackles (72), while junior defensive lineman Isaiah Mack has recorded a team-best seven tackles for loss
• The Mocs have totaled two defensive touchdowns this season both coming from Lucas Webb … Webb had a 28-yard fumble return for a score and a 23-yard interception return in the win over VMI … However, opponents have totaled four defensive scores on the Mocs (two interceptions and two fumble returns)
• Chattanooga is led by first year head coach Tom Arth – who spent the previous four seasons at John Carroll … Arth went a combined 40-8 at John Carroll, which included three trips to the Division III Playoffs, including a run to the semifinals in 2016 … Arth was named the 2016 Division III National Coach of the Year 

SERIES HISTORY

Chattanooga leads the all-time series, 21-18-1 … Saturday marks the 22nd game played in Chattanooga with the Mocs holding a slight 13-8 advantage in the previous 21 meetings … The Mocs defeated ETSU, 37-7, last year in Johnson City, while the Bucs’ last win over Chattanooga was a 68-7 victory back on Nov. 15, 2003 inside Memorial Center … ETSU’s longest win streak in the series is five straight wins from 1992-96, while Chattanooga’s longest run is a four-game stretch from 1980-83 … The Bucs’ largest win all-time against Chattanooga was the 68-7 victory back in 2003, while the Blue and Gold have won seven of the last 11 in the series. 

MORE ON THE CHATTANOOGA SERIES

ETSU’s 68 points scored in the 2003 meeting against Chattanooga marked the most points put up by a Buccaneer team in program history … In that game, Allen Davis returned an interception 90 yards for a touchdown, which is the third longest interception return in school history … Donnie Abraham had a 73-yard interception return for a touchdown in the 38-9 win over the Mocs in 1995 … In 1980, Ronnie Horton returned a kickoff 99 yards in the 26-14 setback at Chattanooga, which marks the second-longest kickoff return in program history … Chris Beatty’s 79-yard touchdown pass to David Rockhold helped propel the Bucs to a 27-24 win over the Mocs in 1992 – that pass is tied for the fifth longest scoring pass play in school history … Mark Williams threw for 336 yards against the Mocs in 1991, while Alan Chadwick threw for 308 yards and five touchdowns in the 35-0 win in 1972 … Chadwick’s five touchdown passes are tied for the single-game Buccaneer record, while his 308 passing yards rank 10th … The Bucs also blanked Chattanooga, 35-0, in 1979 as Mark Hutsell threw four touchdowns in that shutout win … Wide receiver Cecil Moore recorded 12 receptions (tied for third in single-game history) in ETSU’s 24-22 win over the Mocs in 2000, while Brandon Walker (1999, W, 28-14) and George Searcy (1989, W, 24-23) rushed for three touchdowns in wins over Chattanooga … The three rushing touchdowns are tied for second-most in program history … Last year, defensive back Daren Ardis tied the ETSU single-game record with an 87-yard fumble return.  

BUCS AND MOCS IN SEASON FINALES 

Saturday marks the eighth time ETSU and Chattanooga will meet in a regular season finale with the Mocs winning four of the seven matchups … The Bucs won the season finale in 1999, 1996 and 1972, while Chattanooga won in 1973, 1976, 1983 and 2002.  

THIS DATE IN ETSU HISTORY

Saturday marks the seventh time in program history the Buccaneers are playing on this date … ETSU is 4-2 all-time in games played on Nov. 18 with the Bucs winning their last two contests – a 55-7 win over Charleston Southern in 2000 and a 36-10 victory over Western Carolina in 1995 … ETSU’s other two wins were against Austin Peay – 20-16 in 1972 and 37-0 in 1967 … The two setbacks came in 1989 (38-23 vs. Samford) and 1978 (14-7 vs. Austin Peay). 

COVERAGE

Saturday’s game will be streamed live on ESPN3 via the WatchESPN app … Chris Goforth will handle the play-by-play duties, while B.J. Coleman will be the color analyst.

CLICK HERE FOR ESPN3 BROADCAST

The Buccaneer Sports Network (BSN) will provide ETSU fans with complete pregame, in-game and postgame coverage on the radio. Games air live on the Bucs’ flagship station WXSM-AM 640 and affiliate station 104.9 FM NASH ICON.     

The BSN begins its pregame programing one hour and 30 minutes prior to kickoff with the 30-minute long ETSU Football Tailgate Show, followed by the Carl Torbush Pregame Show Powered by Ford which will lead up to 30 minutes prior to kickoff. The Appalachian Orthopaedic Countdown to Kickoff will then lead into the final moments before kickoff.       

The broadcast team of “Voice of the Bucs” Jay Sandos, color analyst and former ETSU quarterback Matt Wilhjelm, sideline reporter Robert Harper and studio hosts Mike Gallagher and Andy Jackson will provide ETSU fans all the information they need to complement their game-day activities.      

Following each game, fans can tune into the General Shale Post Game Show for a full wrap up, with game statistics, players and coach interviews, and other post-game information.       

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE AUDIO 

In addition to following the Bucs on your mobile device and/or tablet with live audio and video, fans can get up-to-the-minute stats by following the action via Sidearm Sports. Fans can access live stats on their computers or mobile devices via ETSUBucs.com.

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STATS 

SOCIAL MEDIA

For complete information on ETSU Football, follow the program via social media on Twitter (@ETSUFootball), Instagram (@ETSUFootball), Snapchat (@ETSUFootball) and on Facebook (ETSU Buccaneer Football). 

For more information on Buccaneer football, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the football page.