Appalachian State @ Chattanooga

Saturday, Sept. 4 Chattanooga, Tenn.

The Matchup

UTC is coming off of its first winning season since 2005 with six total wins.

Returning nine offensive and seven defensive starters, Chattanooga’s football program is stemming from an upswing this season.

Appalachian equally returns nine offensive and seven defensive starters from its reigning 5-time Southern Conference championship team. Depth shouldn’t be an issue for either team, come Saturday.

How ASU can win

It all boils down to who will have more pressure placed upon them come game-day, the football or ASU quarterback DeAndre Presley.

Presley will take on his third career-start against the Mocs, and despite the loss of two-time Walter Payton Award winner Armanti Edwards, if Presley allows his experience and versatility to speak for themselves, the Mountaineers will be in good shape.

In his only appearance at Chattanooga’s Finley Stadium, Presley completed 3-3 for 51 yards and a touchdown and ran 12 times for 101 yards and another score in just one half of the game’s action as a true freshman in 2008.

Mountaineer fans once wondered who would replace Richie Williams.

Now, Appalachian is ranked third in the preseason FCS media poll.

To win this ballgame, the Apps simply need to have faith in their new quarterback and do what they have done best in the past four seasons: score points.

How UTC can win

With a returning starter roster that’s one and the same with Appalachian’s, the Mocs need simply to capitalize on their experience and allow last season’s upswing to drive them forward.

Last season’s six total wins matched that of the victories combined for UTC since 2005.

Returning quarterback B.J. Coleman has helped make an outstanding impact on Chattanooga’s football program.

He was one of the highest rated prep players to come to UTC, and he became the first Moc to throw for 2,000 yards in a single season since 2004.

The junior will launch just his second season at UTC in Saturday’s game, but it is vital for Coleman to utilize his talents against the Apps to better advance his team.

He might just be the savior the Mocs have been looking for.

The bottom line

This game will ultimately come down to an old-fashioned showdown between contending quarterbacks.

Appalachian has the reputation of being an offensive powerhouse.

UTC returns a valuable quarterback, while ASU replaces one with another that has great promise.

Ultimately, Chattanooga will hold on longer than expected with home-field advantage, but Appalachian will pull away in the third quarter to take the win.

ASU 28
Chattanooga 21

Story: RANDI KITTS, Sports Editor