Mocs, Weber State, Tennessee Titans pay tribute to victims of Woodmore crash
The ninth-ranked University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team advanced to the second round of the NCAA FCS Playoffs with Saturday’s 45-14 victory over visiting No. 23 Weber State, highlighted by five turnovers that led to a pair of turnovers.
While Mocs head coach Russ Huesman said it was “a really good win for us and our program,” there was more that went on behind the scenes to celebrate on both sides of the field. Each team united to raise funds to go towards the families of the victims of Woodmore Elementary following the horrific bus crash the previous Monday in Chattanooga.
Those efforts began after UTC Vice Chancellor & Director of Athletics David Blackburn said Weber State’s Director of Athletics, Jerry Bovee expressed their desire to help earlier in the week.
“Athleteics is a vehicle to bring people together for something bigger than the game and this is an opportunity for all of us to come togher and to think about others,” Bovee said.
Teams collectrf funds, signed a banner, wore Woodmore helmet stickers and held a moment of silence prior to the kickoff.
With the win, the Mocs travel to play at Sam Houston State on Saturday at 3 p.m. (E.S.T.) in Hunstville, Texas. Playoff tickets are available a gomocs.com.
The Tennessee Titans also pulled through with a huge donation of $25,000 and wore a simular stickers.