Furman Football

SoCon

Football

Join us at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday via https://t.co/nIOUfo8HDr for Furman Football Weekly! @FUCoachHendrix will be joined by QB Trey Hedden (@treyhedden3) and S Taylen Blaylock (@TayBlay20). https://t.co/q5eycHWEOk

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Join us at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday via https://t.co/nIOUfo9fsZ for Furman Football Weekly! @FUCoachHendrix
will be joined by QB Trey Hedden (@treyhedden3) and S Taylen Blaylock (@TayBlay20). https://t.co/68pINZU6Wi

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ETSU Football

had themselves a night ⚡️

#GoBucs | #BUCkleUp https://t.co/CeS2Bx7JZu

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Mercer Football

Fox🤝Griffith 

🔗: https://t.co/2KmrHxEwvq

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Samford Football

𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬 𝐎𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 ‼️ 

Tucker Weber
@ryanfskinner1 
@JacksonBeatty3 

#HatchAttack | #AllForSAMford https://t.co/RDsEaGVYuD

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The Citadel Football

Our weekly radio insider is back at again this evening, featuring HC @KoachDrayton, @CitadelBaseball HC Russell Triplett plus many more!

Beyond the Barracks ⤵️
⏰: 6-7 pm ET
📌: Over the Horizon Brewing
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Chattanooga Football

Big game week packed with promos &amp; appearances🎇

@GoMocs.com story ➡️ https://t.co/JzAz54eIzR

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Western Carolina Football

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@behumbletyger5 

#NoExcuses » #LOTE https://t.co/q6jJSThGc6

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Energy is high going into the week 👏

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Communication is key 🔑 

#WeOverMe https://t.co/xdodg0wMXT

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<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On Monday, the Southern Conference Football Players of the Week presented by Southern Recognition were awarded for all games played on Sept. 20. Western Carolina quarterback Taron Dickens was named the Offensive Player of the Week, Mercer linebacker Julian Fox was named the Defensive Player of the Week and Bears kicker Reice Griffith was named the Special Teams Player of the Week. The awards are selected by the league office.   OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Taron Dickens, R-So., QB, Western Carolina, Miami, Fla. Dickens had one of the best passing games in SoCon history during Western Carolina’s 50-35 victory over Samford. The redshirt sophomore went 35-for-46 through the air, finishing with 582 yards and a career-high six touchdown passes. His 582 passing yards, which were the second-most in conference history, and six passing scores set Whitmore Stadium records. The native of Miami, Florida, also ran for 42 yards, giving him a program-record 624 yards of total offense. Dickens’ six touchdown passes also matched a Catamount record for one game. Other nominees: Ephraim Floyd (ETSU), Braden Atkinson (Mercer), Quincy Crittendon (Samford), Ryan Merklinger (Chattanooga), and Owen Sweeney (VMI)    DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Julian Fox, R-So., LB, Mercer, Cordele, Ga. Fox had eight tackles, including five solo stops, and an interception in the team’s 38-0 shutout win at The Citadel. The redshirt sophomore of Cordele, Georgia, logged his first career interception in the fourth quarter at the 10:01 mark. Behind its strong defensive effort, Mercer is now ranked <a href="https://www.afca.com/polls/">
 No. 23 in the AFCA Coaches poll
 </a>. Fox is second on Mercer in tackles this season with 18.  Other nominees: Mike Jenkins, Jr. (ETSU), Jaden Mosley (Samford), Zion Rutledge (Chattanooga), and Hasaan Sykes (Western Carolina)     SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Reice Griffith, Jr., PK, Mercer, Pace, Fla. Griffith scored eight points in Mercer’s victory. The product of Pace, Florida, booted a career-long 51-yard field goal in the first quarter, which matched a school record. The junior was also 5-for-5 on extra-point kicks and averaged 62.7 yards on five kickoffs, four of which resulted in touchbacks. Griffith is a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals over 40 yards this season.  Other nominees: William Wells (ETSU), Jake Garner (Samford), Heath Jehu (Chattanooga), Ben Shrewsbury (VMI), and Marcus Trout (Western Carolina)   2025 SoCon Football Players of the Week Offensive Sept. 1             Devontae Houston, Gr., RB, ETSU Sept. 8             Javonte Graves-Billips, Gr., WR, The Citadel Sept. 15            Trey Hedden, So., QB, Furman Sept. 22            Taron Dickens, R-So., QB, Western Carolina  Defensive Sept. 1             Taylen Blaylock, Gr., DB, FurmanSept. 8             CJ Coombes, So., DB, Wofford Sept. 15            Joshua Stoneking, R-So., DE, FurmanSept. 22            Julian Fox, R-So., LB, Mercer  Special teams Sept. 1             Ian Williams, Gr., PK, FurmanSept. 8             Bradlee Jones, Jr., DB, The CitadelSept. 15            AJ Little, R-So., WR, ChattanoogaSept. 22            Reice Griffith, Jr., PK, Mercer</div>

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The Southern Conference

Southern Conference

Western Carolina

Mercer

SoCon names football players of the week

<div class="payload-richtext">SoCon names football players of the weekFurman and Chattanooga players honored  SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On Monday, the Southern Conference Football Players of the Week presented by Southern Recognition were awarded for all games played on Sept. 13. Furman quarterback Trey Hedden was named the Offensive Player of the Week, Paladins defensive lineman Joshua Stoneking was named the Defensive Player of the Week and Chattanooga wide receiver AJ Little was named the Special Teams Player of the Week. The awards are selected by the league office.   OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Trey Hedden, So., QB, Furman, Tampa, Fla. Hedden completed 26-of-35 passes, throwing for a career-high 314 yards and two touchdowns in Furman’s 28-24 road win against Campbell on Saturday. The sophomore led the Paladins to back-to-back scoring drives in the fourth quarter, overcoming a 24-18 deficit. The Tampa, Florida, native’s first touchdown pass was a 24-yard strike in the second quarter, and the second was the go-ahead score to Evan James, who was named the <a href="https://theanalyst.com/articles/fcs-football-awards-stats-perform-players-teams-week-3-2025-season">
 FCS National Freshman Player of the Week on Monday
 </a>, from 30 yards out with 4:50 remaining in the game. Hedden’s completion percentage (.731) this season leads the SoCon and is third in the FCS. Other nominees: Jacolby Criswell (ETSU), Braden Atkinson (Mercer), Torrey Ward (Samford), Camden Orth (Chattanooga), Collin Shannon (VMI) and James Tyre (Western Carolina)    DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Joshua Stoneking, R-So., DE, Furman, Raleigh, N.C. Stoneking had six tackles, including 2.5 sacks, and a forced fumble in the squad’s win over Campbell. The redshirt sophomore, who completed the contest with 4.5 tackles for loss, logged his forced fumble on a sack in the fourth quarter on the third play of Campbell’s drive following the Paladins’ late touchdown. The native of Raleigh, North Carolina, clinched the win for Furman with a sack on fourth down with 16 seconds left in the game. Stoneking is second in the FCS in sacks per game (1.50).  Other nominees: William Wells (ETSU), Andrew Zock (Mercer), Jaden Mosley (Samford), KJ Sejour (Chattanooga), Stephen Dean III (VMI), Jordan Thompson (Western Carolina) and Eli Campbell (Wofford)     SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: AJ Little, R-So., WR, Chattanooga, Macon, Miss. Little returned a punt for a touchdown in the first quarter of Chattanooga’s 63-0 rout of Stetson in the team’s home opener on Saturday. The product of Macon, Mississippi, finished the game with three returns for 65 yards. The redshirt sophomore’s return score, which covered 59 yards and put the Mocs ahead 14-0, was the school’s first since the 2014 season.   Other nominees: Ewan Johnson (ETSU), John McConnell (Mercer) and Dominic Dutton (Western Carolina)   2025 SoCon Football Players of the Week Offensive Sept. 1 Devontae Houston, Gr., RB, ETSU Sept. 8 Javonte Graves-Billips, Gr., WR, The Citadel Sept. 15 Trey Hedden, So., QB, Furman   Defensive Sept. 1 Taylen Blaylock, Gr., DB, FurmanSept. 8 CJ Coombes, So., DB, Wofford Sept. 15 Joshua Stoneking, R-So., DE, Furman  Special teams Sept. 1 Ian Williams, Gr., PK, FurmanSept. 8 Bradlee Jones, Jr., DB, The CitadelSept. 15 AJ Little, R-So., WR, Chattanooga -www.SoConSports.com- </div>

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Furman Paladins

Furman University

The Citadel

Citadel

Chattanooga Mocs

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

SoCon names football players of the week 9/15/25

<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On Monday, the Southern Conference Football Players of the Week presented by Southern Recognition were awarded for all games played so far this season. The Citadel wide receiver Javonte Graves-Billips was named the Offensive Player of the Week, Wofford defensive back CJ Coombes was named the Defensive Player of the Week and Bulldogs defensive back Bradlee Jones was named the Special Teams Player of the Week. The awards are selected by the league office.   OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK Javonte Graves-Billips, Gr., WR, The Citadel, Mobile, Ala. Graves-Billips scored two touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ 40-13 win at Samford on Saturday. The native of Mobile, Alabama, registered a career-best 139 receiving yards on six catches in the contest. The graduate student’s first touchdown was a 43-yard score in the second quarter, and the second came from 13 yards out in the fourth quarter. Graves-Billips is currently fourth in the SoCon in receiving yards. Other nominees: Markell Quick (Chattanooga) and Collin Shannon (VMI)     DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: CJ Coombes, So., DB, Wofford, Bellefonte, Del. Coombes had five tackles, including an assisted tackle for loss, and a 72-yard interception returned for a touchdown in the Terriers’ 14-10 setback against Richmond. The sophomore’s pick-six, which was the 10th-longest in school history, was the first interception returned for a touchdown for Wofford since 2018. The Bellefonte, Delaware, native is currently tied for fourth in the SoCon in tackles this season with 17.  Other nominees: Tyrik McDaniel (The Citadel), Billy Lewis (Furman), Jaden Mosley (Samford) and Isaiah Grevious (VMI)     SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Bradlee Jones, Jr., DB, The Citadel, Greenwood, S.C. Jones returned a fake field goal 59 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of The Citadel’s win on Saturday. Samford attempted a fake with the score sitting at 20-6 but threw an unsuccessful lateral, which was dropped and scooped up by the junior for a score. The product of Greenwood, South Carolina, also had seven tackles, including one for a loss, and a pass breakup in the contest. Jones currently leads the league in solo tackles this season with 12.  Other nominees: Nate Brackett (ETSU), Jake Garner (Samford), Jaden Nelson (Chattanooga) and Kouri Crump (VMI)   2025 SoCon Football Players of the Week Offensive Sept. 1             Devontae Houston, Gr., RB, ETSU Sept. 8             Javonte Graves-Billips, Gr., WR, The Citadel   Defensive Sept. 1             Taylen Blaylock, Gr., DB, FurmanSept. 8             CJ Coombes, So., DB, Wofford   Special teams Sept. 1             Ian Williams, Gr., PK, FurmanSept. 8             Bradlee Jones, Jr., DB, The Citadel</div>

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SoCon names football players of the week 9/8/25

<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On Monday, the Southern Conference Football Players of the Week presented by Southern Recognition were awarded for all games played so far this season. ETSU running back Devontae Houston was named the Offensive Player of the Week, Furman defensive back Taylen Blaylock was named the Defensive Player of the Week and Paladins kicker Ian Williams was named the Special Teams Player of the Week. The awards are selected by the league office.   OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Devontae Houston, Gr., RB, ETSU, Roanoke, Ala. Houston scored a pair of touchdowns in the Buccaneers’ 45-17 victory over Murray State on Saturday. The product of Roanoke, Alabama, rushed for 128 yards on 14 carries, marking the fourth time in his ETSU career that he surpassed 100 yards rushing. The graduate student’s first score came in the first quarter from the 1-yard line, and his second was in the third quarter from the 7-yard line. Houston’s big game helped ETSU rush for 392 yards, which is the team's highest single-game total since 2021. Other nominees: Owen Sweeney (VMI) and Patrick Boyd Jr. (Western Carolina)     DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Taylen Blaylock, Gr., DB, Furman, Houston, Texas Blaylock recorded six tackles, including two tackles for loss, a pass breakup and an interception during is first start with the Paladins, which was a 23-21 win for Furman over William & Mary on Saturday. The graduate student returned his interception 43 yards for a touchdown on the opening drive of the game, giving the team the early lead. The native of Houston, Texas, ended the game with a flurry, logging a tackle for a loss and a pass breakup on back-to-back plays with 1:56 left in the game, forcing a turnover on downs and sealing the win.  Other nominees: Cale Williams (The Citadel), Ty Anderson (ETSU), Malik Thornton (Samford), Kam Baah-Slay (Chattanooga), Kouri Crump (VMI), Hayward McQueen Jr. (Western Carolina) and Brandon Maina (Wofford)     SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Ian Williams, Gr., PK, Furman, Charlotte, N.C. Williams scored 11 points in Furman’s win. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native made three field goals from 50, 42, and 32 yards out, accounting for all of the team’s points in the second half after the Paladins fell behind 21-14. The graduate student also recorded six kickoffs, five of those ending in touchbacks, and six punts, which included a 61-yard boot in the first quarter. Williams was named the <a href="https://theanalyst.com/articles/fcs-football-awards-stats-perform-week-1">
 Stats Perform FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week
 </a> on Monday for his performance against William & Mary.  Other nominees: James Platte (The Citadel), Brayden Smith (Mercer), Noah Jones (Samford), Heath Jehu (Chattanooga), Christian Lowery (Western Carolina) and Colby Alexander (Wofford)   2025 SoCon Football Players of the Week Offensive Sept. 1             Devontae Houston, Gr., RB, ETSU   Defensive Sept. 1             Taylen Blaylock, Gr., DB, Furman   Special teams Sept. 1             Ian Williams, Gr., PK, Furman</div>

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SoCon names football players of the week 9/1/25

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SoCon Football Preview 2025

<div class="payload-richtext"><a href="https://mercerbears.com/news/2025/7/30/football-zock-named-to-buck-buchanan-award-watch-list.aspx">
 Mercer's Zock Named To Buck Buchanan Award Watch List
 </a>The native of Citra, Fla., Zock was a finalist for the 2024 Jerry Rice Award (top freshman player in FCS) last season after starting all 14 games at defensive end while amassing 38 tackles (21 solo), including 14-1/2 tackles for loss (-77 yards). He also logged seven sacks (-58 yards), two forced fumbles and a pair of pass break-ups, while also registering a school record 15 quarterback hurries as well.<a href="https://samfordsports.com/news/2025/7/30/football-samfords-perkins-named-to-watch-list-for-buck-buchanan-award.aspx">
 Samford’s Perkins Named To Watch List For Buck Buchanan Award
 </a>Earlier this month Perkins was also named preseason All-American by Stats Perform.   Perkins is entering his first season at Samford after transferring from Fordham where he was a three-year starter. Last season, he was named second team All-American by Blue Blood FCS Central. He also earned first team All-ECAC and All-Patriot League honors.   During the 2024 season, Perkins intercepted five passes, including a pair of games with two interceptions each. His five interceptions were tied for the most in the Patriot League. He tallied 56 total tackles, including 5.0 tackles for loss.<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/news/2025/7/30/football-c-j-coombes-placed-on-buck-buchanan-award-watch-list.aspx">
 C.J. Coombes Placed on Buck Buchanan Award Watch List
 </a>Coombes, a sophomore from Bellefonte, Delaware, started all 12 games last season at safety. He finished second on the team in tackles with 88 and added five tackles for loss and an interception to earn SoCon All-Freshman team honors. He was a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award and finished 11th in the voting. He was named to the FCS Freshman All-America teams by Stats Perform, FCS Central and Phil Steele. During the 2025 preseason he has earned second team All-America and first team All-SoCon honors.<a href="https://theanalyst.com/articles/buck-buchanan-award-preseason-watch-list-fcs-football-2025">
 Stats Perform 2025 Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List Full Story
 </a></div>

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Three SoCon Players Named to Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List 7/30/25

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Two SoCon Players Named to Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List 7/29/25

<div class="payload-richtext">GREENVILLE, S.C. – Western Carolina redshirt sophomore quarterback Taron Dickens has been named the Southern Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Mercer sophomore defensive lineman Andrew Zock has been tabbed the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in voting by the league's nine head coaches. The coaches picked the Bears to win the SoCon.The coaches also selected the preseason all-conference first and second teams and were not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes or teams in the voting process. Due to ties in the voting, the first and second teams both include additional offensive linemen. The second team also features an additional wide receiver.Dickens was voted onto the conference's all-freshman team following last season. He was also a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award, which is awarded annually to the nation's top freshman.The redshirt sophomore saw action in seven games, including four starts, as the Catamounts went 7-5 overall and 6-2 in league games last season. Dickens, who was 3-1 as a starter, threw for 1,428 yards and 12 touchdowns, while running for 56 yards and a pair of scores. He was named the SoCon Offensive Player of the Week twice during the season and national freshman of the week on Nov. 4, 2024, following 431 passing yards and five touchdowns in Western Carolina's 38-34 comeback win over Chattanooga.Zock had a stellar freshman campaign in 2024. The Citra, Fla., native was named SoCon Freshman of the Year, a second-team all-conference selection, and a SoCon all-freshman team pick.Along with Dickens, Zock was a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award. Zock logged 14.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks last season, both of which were in the top five in the SoCon in 2024. His best games of the season came at Wofford on Sept. 28, when he finished with five tackles, including three tackles for loss and a sack, and a quarterback hurry, and against Furman on Nov. 23, when he had three tackles, one for a loss, a pass breakup, a forced fumble, which was returned for a touchdown, and a school-record seven quarterback hurries.Mercer went 11-3 overall and 7-1 in conference play last season. Helmed by SoCon Wallace Wade Coach of the Year Mike Jacobs, the Bears completed their season ranked No. 7 in the AFCA Coaches Poll and No. 8 in the Stats Perform poll. Mercer collected 60 points and six first-place votes in this year's preseason poll. The Bears tied with Western Carolina for a league-best 11 selections on the preseason all-conference team. Mercer is No. 12 in the HERO Sports FCS Preseason Top 25.Chattanooga collected 50 points and a pair of first-place votes in the preseason poll. The Mocs received votes in the final Stats Perform Top 25 poll last season after posting a 7-5 overall record and 5-3 mark in SoCon play.Western Carolina finished third in the preseason poll, taking 49 points and the final first-place vote. The Catamounts return 35 lettermen from their 2024 squad, and enter this season ranked 18th by Hero Sports. Six of Western Carolina's 11 preseason All-SoCon picks earned first team honors.ETSU is fourth in the preseason poll, finishing six points behind Western Carolina. The Bucs have nine players on the preseason all-conference squad.Samford and Furman follow in fifth and sixth, respectively. The Bulldogs placed four players on the preseason team, while the Paladins had five selections.Wofford is seventh in the preseason poll with 19 points. The Terriers logged six preseason all-conference selections. The Citadel is in eighth with 17 points and five all-conference picks. VMI rounded out the poll with 10 points and one preseason all-conference selection.The SoCon's 2025 season gets underway with defending champion Mercer in action on Thursday, Aug. 23. Samford will open its season on Thursday, Aug. 28. The rest of the league will get its season underway on Saturday, Aug. 30.2025 Preseason Southern Conference Coaches PollTeam (1st-place votes)Total1. Mercer (6)                        602. Chattanooga (2)              503. Western Carolina (1)      494. ETSU                               435. Samford                           406. Furman                            367. Wofford                            198. The Citadel                      179. VMI                                  10 2025 Preseason All-Southern Conference Football TeamsOffensive Player of the Year: Taron Dickens, R-So., QB, Western CarolinaDefensive Player of the Year: Andrew Zock, So., DL, Mercer First team offenseQB          Taron Dickens, Western CarolinaRB          Devontae Houston, ETSURB          Branson Adams, Western CarolinaOL          Mike Bartilucci, The CitadelOL          Ashton Flinn, ETSUOL          Eli Brasher, FurmanOL          Xavier Jennings, MercerOL          B J Ragland, ChattanoogaOL          Zach Watson, Western CarolinaTE          Jackson Pryor, FurmanWR         Hakeem Meggett, ETSUWR         Adjatay Dabbs, Mercer First team defenseDL          Nick Hunter, ETSUDL          Andrew Zock, MercerDL          Conroy Cunningham, SamfordDL          Caleb Fisher, Western CarolinaLB           Je'Mazin Roberts, The CitadelLB           Ryan Earl, FurmanLB           Hayward McQueen Jr., Western CarolinaDB          Cale Williams, The CitadelDB          Kouri Crump, VMIDB          Ken Moore Jr., Western CarolinaDB          CJ Coombes, Wofford First team specialistsPK          Ian Williams, FurmanP             James Platte, The CitadelLS           Alex Applefield, SamfordRS          Brayden Smith, Mercer Second team offenseQB          Quincy Crittendon, SamfordRB          Autavius Ison, MercerRB          CJ Miller, MercerOL          Johnathan Cline, ETSUOL          Micah Sumpter, ETSUOL          Luke Petit, FurmanOL          Tyler Murray, MercerOL          Aaron Sanez, Western CarolinaOL          Quincy Hughes, WoffordTE          John McIntyre, ChattanoogaWR         Adonis McDaniel, MercerWR         Malik Knight, Western CarolinaWR         Isaiah Scott, Wofford Second team defenseDL          Brenden LeBlanc, ETSUDL          Micah Nelson, Western CarolinaDL          Brandon Maina, WoffordDL          Marion Smokes, WoffordLB           Ty Anderson, ETSULB           Jaden Mosley, SamfordLB           Blue Monroe, Western CarolinaDB          Donovan Watkins, MercerDB          Jeremiah Batiste, ChattanoogaDB          Samaurie Dukes, Western CarolinaDB          Maximus Pulley, Wofford Second team specialistsPK          Ewan Johnson, ETSUP             John McConnell, MercerLS           Jaiden Hamilton, MercerRS          Braylon Knauth, The CitadelNOTE: Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players or team.</div>

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SoCon football preseason all-conference team, poll announced 7/22/25

<div class="payload-richtext">SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc., Ingles Markets and the Southern Conference announced Monday the Ingles SoCon Game of the Week football broadcast package on select Nexstar affiliates for the 2025 season. Eight SoCon squads will make at least one appearance over the course of the six-game broadcast schedule."We're excited to partner once again with Nexstar Media Group and Ingles Markets to bring SoCon football to television screens across our region," said Southern Conference Commissioner Michael Cross. "These six games showcase the competitive excellence and regional rivalries that make our conference special. Fans will witness the passion and tradition that defines SoCon football. With Ingles Markets' continued support of our student-athletes and institutions, we're able to provide enhanced visibility for our member schools and the communities they represent. In the Southern Conference, It's All Here – and now more fans than ever can experience it."   The schedule kicks off on Thursday, Aug. 28, with Samford hosting West Georgia at 7:30 p.m. in its season opener.   The first Saturday game in the package will be on Aug. 30, when defending national champion North Dakota State travels to The Citadel for a noon kickoff.Furman will appear twice on the schedule, the first coming on Oct. 18, when the Paladins takes on rival Wofford at noon. The second game to feature Furman will be on Nov. 8, as the Chattanooga Mocs welcome the Paladins for a noon start.Western Carolina plays in a pair of games on the schedule. The Catamounts’ first appearance will be on Nov. 15, when ETSU travels to Cullowhee. One week later, Western Carolina will head north to take on VMI in the regular season finale for both clubs.  Each game in the Nexstar package will air concurrently on ESPN+.“Ingles and The Southern Conference have partnered for over 15 years, delivering the best in education, tradition and community outreach. Ingles’s locations and Southern Conference schools along with alumni destinations offer a wonderful opportunity for Ingles both from a marketing and public relations standpoint,” Melissa Leavell, the Advertising Director of Ingles Markets, said. “Offering this television schedule provides the schools and the conference with the deserved exposure that make SoCon Saturday’s great. Ingles is proud to bring these exciting games and tremendous athletes into homes across the Southern Conference marketing area.” Nexstar affiliates with the opportunity to air games include: ECBD (Charleston), WMYT (Charlotte), WWCW (Lynchburg/Roanoke) and WYCW (Greenville/Spartanburg/Asheville). Although not Nexstar stations, WMUB (Macon) and EFLI (Chattanooga) can also air select contests. Nexstar football broadcast schedule (all times Eastern) 8/28 – West Georgia at Samford, 7:30pm 8/30 – North Dakota State at The Citadel, Noon10/18 – Furman at Wofford, Noon 11/8 - Furman at Chattanooga, Noon11/15 – ETSU at Western Carolina, Noon 11/22 – Western Carolina at VMI, Noon</div>

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SoCon announces Nexstar football broadcast schedule 7/21/25

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 FB Notes - Aug. 22
 </a><a href="/api/media/file/c880160b-b03d-4c3f-b7e1-5763fb7178ea-082725_fb_notes.pdf">
 FB Notes - Aug. 27
 </a><a href="/api/media/file/e6c74fde-879b-4d50-be1c-c8be32dde367-090325_fb_notes.pdf">
 FB Notes - Sept. 3
 </a><a href="/api/media/file/abb087fc-7236-4278-af3d-78639362680e-091025_fb_notes.pdf">
 FB Notes - Sept. 10
 </a></div>

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FB Notes 2025

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Mark Wharton Interview (AD at UTC and Vice Chair of the NCAA Division 1 FB Championship Committee)

<div class="payload-richtext"><h1>Saturday's Football Roundup</h1><h3>Norfolk State victorious in matchup against VMI</h3>Norfolk State got off to a slow start on Saturday afternoon, but ultimately turned it up to win against VMI by a final score of 32-10.Jacquez Jones had 12 catches for 143 yards and two touchdowns to lead Norfolk State. Jones got help as well, particularly from Jalen Daniels and Tavian Morris. The Spartans found success in key moments as they collected 393 total offensive yards on the day.VMI was led by quarterback Brady Hammonds. He completed 12-of-23 passes for 85 yards. Hunter Rice and Nathan Lhotsky also contributed to the offense for the Keydets in the losing effort.<hr /><h3>Ah Yat leads Montana to victory, taking down Western Carolina</h3>Western Carolina got off to a fast start, but were unable to hold off Montana as the Grizzlies were victorious 46-35.De'Andre Tamarez, Branson Adams, and Cole Gonzales were all heavy contributors for Western Carolina on offense in the loss. Jordy Lowery led the Catamount defense with nine tackles and an interception.Keali'i Ah Yat's dual-threat ability was on full display to lead Montana. He put up 145 yards through the air and 57 on the ground to keep Western Carolina's defense guessing. In the ground game, tailback Eli Gillman was the Grizzlies' main contributor, rushing for 175 yards. The team's offense was firing on all cylinders, accumulating 552 total yards.<hr /><h3>Still no answer for Mercer as the Bears run their record to 4-0</h3>Mercer overpowered The Citadel on Saturday evening to claim a 38-21 victory.DJ. Smith threw for two touchdowns and rushed for another two, wreaking havoc on The Citadel's defense. In the ground game, tailback Dwayne McGee was the Bears' main contributor, rushing for 94 yards. The team's potent offense accumulated an impressive 433 total yards.Johnathan Bennett threw for 336 yards for The Citadel. Bennett leaned on receiver Javonte Graves-Billips, who recorded 105 yards on four receptions.<hr /><h3>William & Mary defeats Furman</h3>William & Mary held their own at home on Saturday evening, outmatching Furman to secure a 34-24 victory.Colton Hinton and Trey Hedden led the Furman offense in the loss. Evan DiMaggio's 12 tackles paced the Paladins' defense.Darius Wilson led the way for William & Mary, showcasing his dual-threat ability. He threw for two touchdowns and rushed for another one. In the rushing attack, running back Bronson Yoder garnered most of the Tribe's success, accumulating 166 yards and one touchdown.<hr /><h3>ETSU prevails in showdown with Elon</h3>ETSU got off to a hot start on the ground on Saturday evening with two first quarter rushing touchdowns. The rest of the game was more of the same as they overwhelmed Elon 34-14.Jaylen King led ETSU with an impressive performance. He dissected the Phoenix's defense over and over, accumulating 233 yards through the air and 93 on the ground. In the ground game, tailback Bryson Irby was the Buccaneers' main contributor, rushing for 96 yards. As a team, the Buccaneers' willingness to take risks on fourth down paid off. They converted each of their two attempts.Chandler Brayboy, Matthew Downing, and Jamarien Dalton were all contributors for Elon in the loss. The Phoenix's run defense was a key issue against the Buccaneers. They gave up 6.6 yards per carry to ETSU rushers.<hr /></div>

Box Score

espn+

Lexington, VA

Norfolk State Spartans vs. VMI Keydets Football game at 2024-09-21 05:30 PM (UTC) #53463

Missoula, MT

Western Carolina Catamounts vs. Montana Grizzlies Football game at 2024-09-21 07:00 PM (UTC) #53405

Macon, GA

The Citadel Bulldogs vs. Mercer Bears Football game at 2024-09-21 10:00 PM (UTC) #53513

flosports

Williamsburg, VA

Furman Paladins vs. William & Mary Tribe Football game at 2024-09-21 10:00 PM (UTC) #53512

Elon, NC

ETSU Buccaneers vs. Elon Phoenix Football game at 2024-09-21 10:00 PM (UTC) #53527

ETSU_Irby_FB.JPG

Saturday Football Roundup (9/21)

<div class="payload-richtext"><a href="https://citadelsports.com/news/2024/9/14/football-bulldogs-post-dominant-shutout-victory-over-ngu-oust-trailblazers-54-0.aspx">
 The Citadel 54, North Greenville 0
 </a><a href="https://furmanpaladins.com/news/2024/9/14/football-furman-rolls-past-stetson-to-claim-first-win-48-7.aspx">
 Furman 48, Stetson 7
 </a><a href="https://vmikeydets.com/news/2024/9/14/football-keydets-stung-by-yellow-jackets-in-atlanta.aspx">
 Georgia Tech 59, VMI 7
 </a><a href="https://etsubucs.com/news/2024/9/14/football-upset-minded-bucs-fall-in-heartbreaker-to-no-2-north-dakota-state-38-35.aspx">
 No. 2/2 North Dakota State 38, ETSU 35
 </a><a href="https://woffordterriers.com/news/2024/9/14/football-drops-home-opener-to-13-william-mary.aspx">
 No. 13/13 William and Mary 28, Wofford 21
 </a><a href="https://catamountsports.com/news/2024/9/14/football-catamounts-gut-out-road-win-over-no-22-elon-24-17.aspx">
 Western Carolina 24, No. 22 Elon 17
 </a><a href="https://mercerbears.com/news/2024/9/14/football-bears-at-chattanooga-09-14-2024.aspx">
 No. 24/23 Mercer 10
 </a>, <a href="https://gomocs.com/news/2024/9/14/no-14-football-outdueled-in-10-3-loss-to-no-23-mercer-on-saturday.aspx">
 No. 16/14 Chattanooga 3
 </a><a href="https://samfordsports.com/news/2024/9/15/football-samford-upends-alabama-state-in-home-opener.aspx">
 Samford 12, Alabama State 7
 </a></div>

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