The top ranked Alabama Crimson Tide already has their sights toward the SEC Championship Game and the possibility of advancing to the College Football Playoff if they take care of business.

Another team that is looking toward a possible spot in postseason play is the Chattanooga Mocs. Chattanooga enters Saturday’s game ranked 11th in the FCS Coaches Poll and 12th in the STATS Top 25.

Saturday will conclude the regular season for the Mocs. Before Saturday’s non-conference finale for Alabama, discover three things you need to know about Chattanooga.

 

Elite FCS Defense

Chattanooga is on the brink of another FCS Playoff spot thanks to great defense. The Mocs lead the FCS in pass defense (139.3 yards/game), rank fifth in total defense (276.3 yards/game) and eighth in scoring defense (16.9 points/game).

The Mocs have also been opportunistic on defense since head coach Russ Huesman’s arrival in 2009. Chattanooga has 19 defensive touchdowns since 2009 with 14 scoring coming off interceptions and five coming via fumble returns.

 

Record Setting Senior Class

Twelve Chattanooga seniors will play their final regular season game Saturday. They are a big reason why Chattanooga’s profile as an FCS football program is rising. This 2016 senior class has a 35-14 record along with three SoCon championships and two FCS Playoff appearances. The trip to Tuscaloosa is the second for this year’s senior class. They made the journey to Bryant-Denny Stadium as freshman during the 2013 season.

 

46 Consecutive Weeks in FCS Top 25 Rankings

While Alabama has been a fixture in the various Top 25 polls since Nick Saban’s arrival in 2007, Chattanooga has been a regular participant in the FCS Top 25 polls since 2013. The Mocs have been ranked in the FCS Top 25 polls for 46 consecutive weeks. It is the sixth longest active streak of any team in the FCS. Prior to this week, Chattanooga had been ranked in the Top 10 for 19 straight weeks. Under Russ Huesman, Chattanooga is 31-16 as a ranked team.

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