JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Oct. 3, 2026) – The ETSU football team picked up its second rivalry-game trophy in as many weeks on Saturday as the Buccaneers downed Chattanooga in the annual Rail Rivalry game, 14-3. Saturday's victory, which was ETSU's first against the Mocs since 2018, improved ETSU's overall record to 4-2 this season and 2-0 in conference play.
The Bucs earned their sixth consecutive conference win (dating back to last season) thanks to strong efforts on both sides of the ball. ETSU gained double the first downs Chattanooga did (20 to 10) and nearly doubled the Mocs in total offense (345 to 183). The 183 yards allowed by ETSU's defense is its fewest in a game this season and the unit's best outing since its win over VMI in 2025, when it allowed just 82 yards. Additionally, the three points allowed by the Bucs' defense are not only the fewest the Bucs have allowed in a SoCon game since football returned, but also the fewest since September 16, 2000, when ETSU knocked off VMI, 38-3.
186 yards of ETSU's 345 yards on Saturday were through the air. Quarterback
Mason Mims went 15-for-25 for 186 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Mims found seven ETSU receivers in the matchup.
Tyler Griffin (four catches, 56 yards) and
Brandon Winton (three catches, 57 yards) led the group on the day. In addition to their passing game, the Bucs ran the ball a season-high 47 times.
Jason Albritton led the charge with 21 carries, 95 yards and a touchdown.
TJ Peyton logged 15 more carries for 57 yards and added a receiving touchdown.
Jaiden Daniels ripped off ETSU's longest run in the contest (28 yards) and finished with 34 yards.
Defensively, the Bucs put together their best performance of the season, allowing just three points and 183 total yards. The three points the Mocs scored are their lowest point total in a conference game since September 14, 2024, against Mercer.
Jarvis Johnson led ETSU defenders with 13 tackles (two for loss) in the win, which is the most for any Buc this season.
Qua Birdsong and
Jimmy Bowdry teamed up to force and recover a fumble in the win, while
Tyreek'e Robinson and
KJ Gillespie combined for ETSU's lone sack.
Saturday's matchup began with a three-and-out for the ETSU offense. Chattanooga's offense, however, put together a 10-play, 41-yard drive that was capped by a 47-yard field goal to give the Mocs a 3-0 lead with 9:16 to go in the first quarter.
The Bucs immediately answered the Mocs' scoring drive with one of their own. Mims found Winton with a 39-yard strike to spark the drive. Six of the next nine plays for ETSU came in the running game, and the drive culminated with a one-yard touchdown run by Albritton to give the Bucs a 7-3 advantage with 3:11 to go in the opening frame.
As the game moved into the second quarter, neither offense had much luck moving the ball, with just four combined first downs. ETSU had the longest drive of the quarter (46 yards). However, that possession ended in a failed fourth-down attempt inside Chattanooga's five-yard line, keeping the score at 7-3 ETSU at the half.
The second half started with more defensive football. It looked like the Mocs would have a chance to cut into the ETSU lead in the third when a penalty on a punt return set Chattanooga up with a drive starting at ETSU's 30-yard line. However, a clutch fumble forced by Birdsong, which Bowdry recovered, curbed that scoring threat and kept the score where it had been entering the fourth quarter.
Continuing a drive that began in the third at their own 10-yard line, the Bucs punched the ball across the goal line for the second time on the day on a 20-yard touchdown connection from Mims to Peyton on a swing pass.
As good as the Buccaneer defense had been all day, it turned it up a few more notches in the two Chattanooga offensive drives in the fourth. The Mocs ran just six plays in the fourth quarter and finished with -16 yards.
Guarding a 14-3 lead and taking over with 8:58 to go, the Bucs offense ground out the final minutes to secure their win over Mocs for the first time since 2018. The Bucs moved the chains on two fourth downs, one third down, and moved the chains for the final time thanks to a Chattanooga penalty to finish off the victory. ETSU held the ball 12:09 of the final 15 minutes of the contest.
ETSU will hit the road for just the second time this season next Saturday when it visits The Citadel. Kickoff between the Bucs and Bulldogs is set for 2 p.m. from Charleston, South Carolina.
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