James earns All-American honor for UTC a second time
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior tight end Chris James continues to pull in pre-season recognition. He is one of the 101 players featured on the 2020 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Team, announced last Wednesday.
James made the second team as a tight end. Representatives from 56 schools and all 13 FCS conferences made the team. The schools include those playing this fall or in the spring.
This is his second pre-season All-American recognition. He was on the HeroSports. com third team released in May. Stats Perform conducts one of two FCS Polls officially recognized by the NCAA throughout the season.
James led the Mocs with seven touchdown catches in 2019, earning a spot on the media’s All-Southern Conference first team. The Ellijay, Ga., native was granted a sixth year of eligibility in the off-season and is expected to be one of the leaders for the Mocs in 2020.
James came to UTC as a quarterback from Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College in 2018 after prepping at Gilmer High School and moved over to tight end during fall camp in 2019. His seven touchdown catches set a single-season school record for TDs by a tight end. He made 10 starts and played in all 12 games, finishing with 23 catches for 257 yards.
James caught at least two passes in each of the last five games, including five of his seven scores. His seven TDs are tied for most in the NCAA among returning tight ends.
Mocs receive votes in Top 25 poll
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team is receiving votes in the STATS FCS Top 25 poll, which was recently released. The STATS poll is one of two FCS rankings officially recognized by the NCAA.
The Mocs grabbed 16 votes in the listings that are decided by a national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries. A first-place vote is worth 25 points, a second-place vote 24 points, all the way down to one point for a 25thplace vote.
North Dakota State was selected as a unanimous No. 1 after going 16-0 in 2019 and claiming its third straight and record eighth FCS national title. James Madison was second, followed by Northern Iowa, Weber State and South Dakota State. Other SoCon teams include No. 15 Furman, No. 16 Wofford and The Citadel, who is also receiving votes.
Chattanooga is coming off a 6-6 season under first-year head coach Rusty Wright. UTC finished third in the Southern Conference with a 5-3 league tally, and was in the race down to the final game of the season.
The 51 returning lettermen from the 2019 campaign are among the most on record at UTC. There are 23 seniors on the current roster, which is the most for the Mocs since 1998. There are 23 returners on the offensive side of the ball, 25 on defense and three specialists. A total of 19 starters are back, including nine on offense, eight on defense, along with the long snapper and kicker.
With just 15 FCS program currently scheduled to compete in the fall of 2020, this will be the only poll released by STATS.
Kick-off time set for UTC-WKU
The Mocs will play their lone game of the fall at Western Kentucky on Oct. 24. The contest against the Hilltoppers kicks off at 4 p.m. Eastern, 3 p.m. Central in Bowling Green, Ky. at HouchensSmith Stadium. The game will air on either ESPN3 or ESPN+.
UTC is 8-5 all-time against Western Kentucky. The last meeting was a 28-21 Hilltopper win in Finley Stadium in 2007, prior to WKU’s jump to the Football Bowl Subdivision. Western Kentucky also won the last meeting in Bowling Green, 28-21 on Sept. 16, 2006.