WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & SportsMocs still rising, earn two more SoCon honors

Mocs continue to climb in polls
CHATTANOOGA (WRCB) -- The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team continues to rise up the rankings after its second straight win over an Ohio Valley Conference foe.

Chattanooga (2-1) jumped three spots to No. 14 in the latest FCS Coaches' Poll, and was bumped up one slot to No. 13 in The Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS Top 25 after a 23-14 win at Eastern Kentucky (1-2). Both polls were released Monday.

The rankings extend the program's best start in the polls to four consecutive weeks. Never before had the Mocs been ranked longer than two consecutive weeks to start the season.

The numbers also continue to climb toward UTC's last top ten appearance, which came as the No. 9 team in the nation in 1992.

Chattanooga will travel to play No. 3 Appalachian State in its Southern Conference opener this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Dothard, Green earn weekly SoCon honors
CHATTANOOGA (WRCB) -- A second straight dominant performance by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga defense pushed Wes Dothard into the conference spotlight for a second straight week.

The UTC linebacker earned his second straight Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors Monday after recording a career-high ten tackles in a 23-14 win at Eastern Kentucky.

Mocs' running back Marquis Green was also named the league's Freshman of the Week.

Dothard, a sophomore from Carrollton, Ga., had three tackles for a loss and one sack while leading a defense that held EKU to just 2-of-16 on third downs. The Mocs trailed 14-10 at the break, but held their opponent scoreless in the second half for a second straight week to rally for the win.

Green came off the bench to replace an injured Chris Awuah and rushed for a game-high 68 yards. The Palmetto, Fla. native also caught two passes for eleven yards, and scored his first career touchdown in the third quarter to give UTC a 17-14 lead it would never relinquish.

Samford wideout Aaron Mellette was named the league's Offensive Player of the Week, and Appalachian State punter Sam Martin earned special team honors.