SoCon Football 2026: Week One Recap, Power Rankings and Team Awards
SoCon Football Week 1 Recap
Blowouts, An FBS Upset, Lightning and a non-conference game between league foes highlight week two
As for my picks personally, I ended the weekend going 6-3, missing on my projected upset of Samford over Southern Illinois, as well as picking WCU to beat Campbell and Charlotte to beat The Citadel. I was happy at least to be wrong on the last one. As for my tip of the cap, I nearly hit the Furman score pick dead on, with my prediction having been 57-10, but the actual score finishing 56-9.
They say the most improvements for a football team are made in the jump from week one to week two, or in this case from week zero to week one, and while most of the time that is just a cliche' most of us gloss over, from time-to-time we remember there is quite a bit of truth to the regurgitated coaches quote that is often used as filler. That quote certainly would be true of Maurice Drayton's The Citadel Bulldogs team, which claimed an FBS scalp for the first time since 2019 this past Saturday with its 43-41 win over Charlotte.
The Queen City hosted the matchup, but the boys from the Holy City had most of their prayers answered on this particular Saturday, as The Citadel charted a 10th win over an FBS foe in program history (most in the current SoCon membership) with the triple overtime win against the Golddiggers. This win also evened its all-time mark against Charlotte quarterback Cole Gonzales, at 2-2.
The Citadel looked like a completely different team than the one that made so many costly mistakes in its season and league opening losses last Saturday at Wofford, falling 42-14. While Charlotte may be an FCS team masquerading as a Group of Five FBS program, the win is still proof that the Bulldogs have not only come a long way from a year ago, but also its a sign that collectively the league has as well. The win also marked the first win over an FBS foe since 2019 for the Bulldogs, who upset ACC member Georgia Tech, 27-24, in overtime at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta.
The Bulldogs looked good at times on offense in their season-opening loss at Wofford, as the Bulldogs even outgained the Terriers, 351-341, in that one. The Bulldogs would get outgained by their FBS opposition in this one, however, as the 49ers ended the night with a 538-400 advantage in total offense, which included running 11 more plays on offense (74-63).
The Bulldogs, meanwhile, finished with 268 yards rushing on 50 carries, scoring six times by ground. Gavin Garcia led the way for the vaunted Bulldogs ground attack, finishing with 137 yards on 21 carries, with three TDs.
Nick Billoups and The Citadel starter Quentin Hayes combined to complete 9-of-13 passes for 132 yards, while Billoups, a transfer from Lane College and has spent time at BYU, UCLA and Utah during his well-traveled collegiate career, rushed for 38 yards and a pair of TDs on 11 attempts. Sebastien Boyle also added 70 yards on seven carries, which included a 56-yard run for a score in the third quarter.
Billoups would end up stealing the show in the end for the Bulldogs, as he engineered three-straight scoring drives, including two in overtime, to help the Bulldogs complete the upset of their FBS competition.
Billoups led the ultimate game-winning drive in overtime, as the Bulldogs used five plays to cover the needed 25 yards to tie the game, 41-41, in the third overtime. First he called his own number on a two-yard scoring run to tie the game. Then on the two-point conversion, found a wide open Whit Hobgood in the corner of the end zone for a successful conversion attempt, as the Bulldogs then went into full celebration mode.
The win would see the Bulldogs move to 2-0 all-time vs the Charlotte 49ers, also defeating Charlotte when it was an FCS member back in 2014, which similar to the most recent ending Saturday night, ended in overtime, as The Citadel claimed a 63-56 contest in that previous meeting.
If you would have told me that Furman and Clemson would lose by similar margins in their Labor Day weekend battles against FBS foes, I would have told you that it's time to sober up. While Clemson's 51-10 loss at No. 11 LSU was alarming, Furman's 56-9 loss at No. 18 Tennessee was supposed to happen for a team that was playing against a Vols team with a multi-million dollar roster. I'm not sure, but I am assuming Clemson's loss to a team that didn't play ultimately didn't play any pros by 41 points is something altogether different.
The Paladins played well defensively for about the first 1.5 quarters before the lack of offensive production from the Paladin offense, the Knoxville 90-degree heat, and the Vols offensive talent eventually wore down the unit as the game progressed.
Furman again looked solid rushing the football, finishing the game led by Isaiah Davis, who recorded 116 yards and a touchdown on just eight carries in the game. After rolling up 268 yards rushing on the ground in the season-opening win over Anderson, the Paladins were able to post 178 against the Vols on Saturday, as the Paladins have shown the ability to run the ball pretty consistently for the first time since 2023 in the first two games.
Tennessee freshman phenom signal-caller Faizon Brandon finished the day connecting on 13-of-17 throws for 226 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for 68 yards and a pair of scores on just 10 attempts. Backup George MacIntyre relieved Brandon early in the third quarter, completing 5-of-7 passes for 56 yards and a touchdown. All told, the two quarterbacks led a balanced Vols offense, which posted a 638-221 edge in total offense, which included a substantial 309-43 edge in passing yards.
Tennessee was led on the ground by De’Sean Bishop, who finished the season-opener with 97 yards and a touchdown on 14 attempts. Mike Matthews was Brandon’s top target in the passing game for the Vols, as he finished with 132 yards on just four catches, including a pair of third quarter touchdowns that covered 56 and 57 yards, respectively. Xavier Gilliam led the Vols on defense, posting six tackles, five tackles-for-loss and three sacks.
Furman was led offensively by running back Isaiah Davis, who capped off his best day as a Paladin, rushing for 116 yards and his first-career Paladin touchdown on just eight attempts in the game. Like Tennessee’s Brandon, Furman’s Jake Garcia exited the game in the third quarter after connecting on 8-of-17 passes for 36 yards, but was sacked six times in the contest. Connor Ackerley went the remainder of the game under center, as he went 3-for-5 passing for seven yards. The Paladins took good care of the football against their SEC opposition, as Furman did not turn the ball over in the contest.
The Paladins played well defensively for about the first 1.5 quarters before the lack of offensive production from the Paladin offense, the Knoxville 90-degree heat, and the Vols offensive talent eventually wore down the unit.
The Paladin defense was led by another outstanding performance from defensive end Eli Lipscomb, who posted six tackles, two tackles-for-loss and a sack. Buck Buchanan Award candidate Joshua Stoneking again drew heavy attention from the opposition, but managed to finish with two tackles, half-a-tackle-for-loss and forced one of two Tennessee fumbles on the afternoon. In his second-straight start, true freshman safety Braylon Peebles led the Paladins defense with nine tackles.
While Furman's result and performance given the circumstances was decent, VMI's game at Virginia Tech in the first meeting between the two since 1984 apparently went off the rails quickly and the Hokies had 66 points through three quarters and could've likely scored more in the fourth, but a 73-3 verdict to start the James Franklin era.
The Keydets were outgained 619-83 in the game, as the Hokies posted a fourth win over a SoCon foe since 2018, which also includes a pair of wins over Wofford in 2022 and '25 and a win over Furman in 2019. VMI has been outscored 111-13 in the first two games of the Ashley Ingram era. Yikes!
Mercer was in its revenge feels when it hosted Presbyterian on Saturday. At least from a fan's perspective, as most of the players on both teams didn't play in a game that saw the Bears red-faced from a nationally embarrassing 15-10 home setback last season, but this time around it was the Bears dishing out the embarrassment, with a 62-3 win over the Blue Hose. That's how it's supposed to look when a team from the Pioneer Football league faces SoCon opposition. The Bears held a healthy 600-321 advantage in total offense, including a substantial 329-105 edge in rushing yards.
Jaylen King shined, throwing four touchdown passes and ran for two more, as he finished with 284 yards of total offense (236-passing, 48-rushing) and six touchdown responsibilities (4-passing, 2-rushing) en route to leading the Bears to the 59-point win.
No. 13/12 Tennessee Tech and Chattanooga faced each other in a defensive battle in the Scenic City. However, the two conference rivals faced off in the rare non-conference game, and it the Golden Eagles defensive unit that flew just a little bit higher than the train-loving Mockingbirds in what ended up being a 24-9 road win for the newest league member.
In the Golden Eagles second-straight series win over Chattanooga and first road win of 2026, Tennessee Tech was able to win the turnover battle 2-1 and held the Mocs to just 227 yards of total offense in a game in which both yards and points were seemingly hard to come by. Both takeaways were turned into touchdowns by the Golden Eagles, as both Jameson Wharton and Omari Philyaw picked off Battle Alberson passes.
The Mocs took the first quarter lead with just under five minutes remaining in the opening frame, as Jude Kelley knocked through a 22-yard effort to make it a 3-0 game and conclude an 8-play, 46-yard drive.
Midway through the second quarter, the Golden Eagles would assume their first lead of the game using eight plays to cover 45 yards before Marcus Harris II finished off the drive with a 1-yard scoring plunge with just 1:16 remaining in the half. Kelley added his second field goal of the game on a 33-yard effort as time expired in the opening half, and Tennessee Tech went to the half clinging to a 7-6 lead.
In the third quarter, Tennessee Tech would take command of the game, as Carter Brown's 50-yard field goal was followed up by a Jax Leatherwood's 16-yard scoring toss to Maury Sullivan to make it a 17-6 Golden Eagles lead with 1:01 remaining in the third quarter.
Kelley's third field goal of the day provided yet another answer, getting UTC within eight, as his 39-yard effort split the uprights with 8:32 remaining put the Mocs to back within a score. But Tennessee Tech put the game away with 2:44 remaining when Leatherwood found Gabe Nunez for an 11-yard scoring strike to make it a 24-9 game and ultimately provided the final margin.
There was one game that had to be played on Sunday due to inclement weather, as both Campbell and No. 24 Western Carolina had their game postponed until Sunday morning due to lightning causing a power outage for some of the stadium lights. When the game was finally played on Sunday morning, the Camels came out and jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead and had to hold on for a 28-19 win, as a key missed PAT in the fourth quarter made a it a huge mountain to climb. Brian McCollum also missed a field goal with just under four minutes remaining.
The Camels were able to avenge what was a 42-35 loss at Barker-Lane Stadium last season, and have now won both of their games against SoCon foes this season, opening the season with a 49-37 win at East Tennessee State. The Camels have now won two of the last three meetings against WCU, and have also four of the five meetings all time. The Camels were 0-2 vs. SoCon teams last season.
Western's loss to Campbell was probably the biggest disappointment to come out of Saturday's games, and while it was a game that could have gone either way on coming into the day, it was also a game the SoCon needed as a part of its non-conference resume' of wins. The loss put a bit of a damper on the weekend overall.
The Catamounts were inconsistent offensively throughout the course of the afternoon, getting outgained 528-327, and were a held to just one rushing yard in the contest, as the Camels held a 198-1 advantage in total ground yards.
East Tennessee State was able to capture its first win of the season, claiming what was a 48-14 win over NCAA Division II Tusculum at William B. Greene Jr. The Bucs broke open the game late in the opening quarter, as TJ Peyton scampered 41 yards for a score to give ETSU the 13-7 lead following an incomplete pass on a botched play from Vashawn Nalls, leaving the difference at six. The Bucs would go on to score 34 unanswered points before the Pioneers would eventually find the end zone once more in the game following a Lavante Adams 57-yard run that made it 41-14 with 3:20 remaining.
However, the Bucs would add the final score of the game when D'Marius Rucker found the end zone on a 10-yard scoring run with just 22 seconds left, as the Bucs were victorious against former defensive coordinator Billy Taylor, who fell to 3-19 in his third season as the head coach of the Pioneers.
The day got started with another victory for the Wofford Terriers, who have now won eight of their last nine games dating back to last season. The Terriers had to hold off a feisty Gardner-Webb team, which despite having its head coach being late last week and being outgained by 230 yards, stayed in the game throughout, as Wofford had to get an interception from Wofford's Alijah Williams after Gardner-Webb moved the ball inside the Terrier 10 in the final minute sealed the win for Wofford, as they moved to 2-0 for the second time in three seasons.
Just before Williams' interception to seal the win for Wofford with 29 seconds remaining, it appeared Cole Pennington--son of former Marshall quarterback and 1995 SoCon Freshman of the Year quarterback Chad Pennington--had completed the go-ahead scoring toss to Kory Jones on a 9-yard completion in the back of the end zone, however, offsetting penalties of pass interference by Wofford and holding by GWU nullified the score and on the very next play, Williams intercepted the Pennington throw and returned it 51 yards to the GWU to seal game and a 2-0 start for Wofford.
On the previous possession and trailing 17-10, the Terrier defense also held the Bulldogs after a 79-yard pass completion from Cole Pennington-to-Kory Jones set Gardner-Webb's offense up in great position to tie the game, as the big play put the Bulldogs at the Wofford 20 at the midway point of the final period. However, after Pennington completed another pass to Beau Blankenship to set up the Bulldogs inside the Wofford 10 and down to the nine-yard line, the Bulldogs could get no further.
On 2nd-and-9 from the nine, Pennington's pass was incomplete. Then, on 3rd-and-9, the Bulldogs were flagged for running a pick route and eventually settled for a 33-yard field goal by Tyler Simpson, trimming Wofford's advantage to four. However, that would be as close as the Bulldogs would get, as Wofford held on for the win in what was a defensive struggle.
The weekend would start early in the SoCon once again, as Samford hosted Southern Illinois on Thursday night for its home opener against the Salukis. However, despite battling the entire night without the services of leading wideout Marquise Henderson for most of the night, the Samford would eventually fall, 22-18, to the Salukis falling to 0-2 on the young season. The Bulldogs fell behind 9-0 but would eventually rally to tie the game, 15-15, with 2:18 remaining in the third quarter, as Gabarri Johnson found Cayden Aukerman on a short five-yard scoring strike to make it a 15-15 game.
A little less than two minutes into the final quarter, however, Johnson's pass was intercepted at the Samford 27 by Salukis star linebacker Ben Fiegel and returned four yards to the 23, which ultimately set up the game-winning score for the visitors with 13:03 left.
The Salukis needed just four plays to recapture the lead, with the final one coming on a Lem Walsh 3-yard scoring scamper to make it a 22-15 game with 10:50 remaining. Samford's Ty Ippolitio added a 42-yard field goal with 6:42 remaining, but the Bulldogs couldn't get any closer, as Southern Illinois improved to 1-1 on the campaign, while Samford fell to 0-2.
Power Rankings Following Week 1
1. Tennessee Tech 2-0
2. Wofford 2-0, 1-0 SoCon
3. Mercer 2-0
4. Western Carolina 1-1
5. The Citadel 1-1, 0-1 SoCon
6. Chattanooga 1-1
7. Furman 1-1
8. East Tennessee State 1-1
9. Samford 0-2
10. VMI 0-2
Team Awards and Superlatives for Week 1
The Queen City hosted the matchup, but the boys from the Holy City had most of their prayers answered on this particular Saturday, as The Citadel charted a 10th win over an FBS foe in program history (most in the current SoCon membership) with the triple overtime win against the Golddiggers. This win also evened its all-time mark against Charlotte quarterback Cole Gonzales, at 2-2.
The Citadel looked like a completely different team than the one that made so many costly mistakes in its season and league opening losses last Saturday at Wofford, falling 42-14. While Charlotte may be an FCS team masquerading as a Group of Five FBS program, the win is still proof that the Bulldogs have not only come a long way from a year ago, but also its a sign that collectively the league has as well. The win also marked the first win over an FBS foe since 2019 for the Bulldogs, who upset ACC member Georgia Tech, 27-24, in overtime at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta.
The Bulldogs looked good at times on offense in their season-opening loss at Wofford, as the Bulldogs even outgained the Terriers, 351-341, in that one. The Bulldogs would get outgained by their FBS opposition in this one, however, as the 49ers ended the night with a 538-400 advantage in total offense, which included running 11 more plays on offense (74-63).
The Bulldogs, meanwhile, finished with 268 yards rushing on 50 carries, scoring six times by ground. Gavin Garcia led the way for the vaunted Bulldogs ground attack, finishing with 137 yards on 21 carries, with three TDs.
Nick Billoups and The Citadel starter Quentin Hayes combined to complete 9-of-13 passes for 132 yards, while Billoups, a transfer from Lane College and has spent time at BYU, UCLA and Utah during his well-traveled collegiate career, rushed for 38 yards and a pair of TDs on 11 attempts. Sebastien Boyle also added 70 yards on seven carries, which included a 56-yard run for a score in the third quarter.
Billoups would end up stealing the show in the end for the Bulldogs, as he engineered three-straight scoring drives, including two in overtime, to help the Bulldogs complete the upset of their FBS competition.
Billoups led the ultimate game-winning drive in overtime, as the Bulldogs used five plays to cover the needed 25 yards to tie the game, 41-41, in the third overtime. First he called his own number on a two-yard scoring run to tie the game. Then on the two-point conversion, found a wide open Whit Hobgood in the corner of the end zone for a successful conversion attempt, as the Bulldogs then went into full celebration mode.
The win would see the Bulldogs move to 2-0 all-time vs the Charlotte 49ers, also defeating Charlotte when it was an FCS member back in 2014, which similar to the most recent ending Saturday night, ended in overtime, as The Citadel claimed a 63-56 contest in that previous meeting.
If you would have told me that Furman and Clemson would lose by similar margins in their Labor Day weekend battles against FBS foes, I would have told you that it's time to sober up. While Clemson's 51-10 loss at No. 11 LSU was alarming, Furman's 56-9 loss at No. 18 Tennessee was supposed to happen for a team that was playing against a Vols team with a multi-million dollar roster. I'm not sure, but I am assuming Clemson's loss to a team that didn't play ultimately didn't play any pros by 41 points is something altogether different.
The Paladins played well defensively for about the first 1.5 quarters before the lack of offensive production from the Paladin offense, the Knoxville 90-degree heat, and the Vols offensive talent eventually wore down the unit as the game progressed.
Furman again looked solid rushing the football, finishing the game led by Isaiah Davis, who recorded 116 yards and a touchdown on just eight carries in the game. After rolling up 268 yards rushing on the ground in the season-opening win over Anderson, the Paladins were able to post 178 against the Vols on Saturday, as the Paladins have shown the ability to run the ball pretty consistently for the first time since 2023 in the first two games.
Tennessee freshman phenom signal-caller Faizon Brandon finished the day connecting on 13-of-17 throws for 226 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for 68 yards and a pair of scores on just 10 attempts. Backup George MacIntyre relieved Brandon early in the third quarter, completing 5-of-7 passes for 56 yards and a touchdown. All told, the two quarterbacks led a balanced Vols offense, which posted a 638-221 edge in total offense, which included a substantial 309-43 edge in passing yards.
Tennessee was led on the ground by De’Sean Bishop, who finished the season-opener with 97 yards and a touchdown on 14 attempts. Mike Matthews was Brandon’s top target in the passing game for the Vols, as he finished with 132 yards on just four catches, including a pair of third quarter touchdowns that covered 56 and 57 yards, respectively. Xavier Gilliam led the Vols on defense, posting six tackles, five tackles-for-loss and three sacks.
Furman was led offensively by running back Isaiah Davis, who capped off his best day as a Paladin, rushing for 116 yards and his first-career Paladin touchdown on just eight attempts in the game. Like Tennessee’s Brandon, Furman’s Jake Garcia exited the game in the third quarter after connecting on 8-of-17 passes for 36 yards, but was sacked six times in the contest. Connor Ackerley went the remainder of the game under center, as he went 3-for-5 passing for seven yards. The Paladins took good care of the football against their SEC opposition, as Furman did not turn the ball over in the contest.
The Paladins played well defensively for about the first 1.5 quarters before the lack of offensive production from the Paladin offense, the Knoxville 90-degree heat, and the Vols offensive talent eventually wore down the unit.
The Paladin defense was led by another outstanding performance from defensive end Eli Lipscomb, who posted six tackles, two tackles-for-loss and a sack. Buck Buchanan Award candidate Joshua Stoneking again drew heavy attention from the opposition, but managed to finish with two tackles, half-a-tackle-for-loss and forced one of two Tennessee fumbles on the afternoon. In his second-straight start, true freshman safety Braylon Peebles led the Paladins defense with nine tackles.
While Furman's result and performance given the circumstances was decent, VMI's game at Virginia Tech in the first meeting between the two since 1984 apparently went off the rails quickly and the Hokies had 66 points through three quarters and could've likely scored more in the fourth, but a 73-3 verdict to start the James Franklin era.
The Keydets were outgained 619-83 in the game, as the Hokies posted a fourth win over a SoCon foe since 2018, which also includes a pair of wins over Wofford in 2022 and '25 and a win over Furman in 2019. VMI has been outscored 111-13 in the first two games of the Ashley Ingram era. Yikes!
Mercer was in its revenge feels when it hosted Presbyterian on Saturday. At least from a fan's perspective, as most of the players on both teams didn't play in a game that saw the Bears red-faced from a nationally embarrassing 15-10 home setback last season, but this time around it was the Bears dishing out the embarrassment, with a 62-3 win over the Blue Hose. That's how it's supposed to look when a team from the Pioneer Football league faces SoCon opposition. The Bears held a healthy 600-321 advantage in total offense, including a substantial 329-105 edge in rushing yards.
Jaylen King shined, throwing four touchdown passes and ran for two more, as he finished with 284 yards of total offense (236-passing, 48-rushing) and six touchdown responsibilities (4-passing, 2-rushing) en route to leading the Bears to the 59-point win.
No. 13/12 Tennessee Tech and Chattanooga faced each other in a defensive battle in the Scenic City. However, the two conference rivals faced off in the rare non-conference game, and it the Golden Eagles defensive unit that flew just a little bit higher than the train-loving Mockingbirds in what ended up being a 24-9 road win for the newest league member.
In the Golden Eagles second-straight series win over Chattanooga and first road win of 2026, Tennessee Tech was able to win the turnover battle 2-1 and held the Mocs to just 227 yards of total offense in a game in which both yards and points were seemingly hard to come by. Both takeaways were turned into touchdowns by the Golden Eagles, as both Jameson Wharton and Omari Philyaw picked off Battle Alberson passes.
The Mocs took the first quarter lead with just under five minutes remaining in the opening frame, as Jude Kelley knocked through a 22-yard effort to make it a 3-0 game and conclude an 8-play, 46-yard drive.
Midway through the second quarter, the Golden Eagles would assume their first lead of the game using eight plays to cover 45 yards before Marcus Harris II finished off the drive with a 1-yard scoring plunge with just 1:16 remaining in the half. Kelley added his second field goal of the game on a 33-yard effort as time expired in the opening half, and Tennessee Tech went to the half clinging to a 7-6 lead.
In the third quarter, Tennessee Tech would take command of the game, as Carter Brown's 50-yard field goal was followed up by a Jax Leatherwood's 16-yard scoring toss to Maury Sullivan to make it a 17-6 Golden Eagles lead with 1:01 remaining in the third quarter.
Kelley's third field goal of the day provided yet another answer, getting UTC within eight, as his 39-yard effort split the uprights with 8:32 remaining put the Mocs to back within a score. But Tennessee Tech put the game away with 2:44 remaining when Leatherwood found Gabe Nunez for an 11-yard scoring strike to make it a 24-9 game and ultimately provided the final margin.
There was one game that had to be played on Sunday due to inclement weather, as both Campbell and No. 24 Western Carolina had their game postponed until Sunday morning due to lightning causing a power outage for some of the stadium lights. When the game was finally played on Sunday morning, the Camels came out and jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead and had to hold on for a 28-19 win, as a key missed PAT in the fourth quarter made a it a huge mountain to climb. Brian McCollum also missed a field goal with just under four minutes remaining.
The Camels were able to avenge what was a 42-35 loss at Barker-Lane Stadium last season, and have now won both of their games against SoCon foes this season, opening the season with a 49-37 win at East Tennessee State. The Camels have now won two of the last three meetings against WCU, and have also four of the five meetings all time. The Camels were 0-2 vs. SoCon teams last season.
Western's loss to Campbell was probably the biggest disappointment to come out of Saturday's games, and while it was a game that could have gone either way on coming into the day, it was also a game the SoCon needed as a part of its non-conference resume' of wins. The loss put a bit of a damper on the weekend overall.
The Catamounts were inconsistent offensively throughout the course of the afternoon, getting outgained 528-327, and were a held to just one rushing yard in the contest, as the Camels held a 198-1 advantage in total ground yards.
East Tennessee State was able to capture its first win of the season, claiming what was a 48-14 win over NCAA Division II Tusculum at William B. Greene Jr. The Bucs broke open the game late in the opening quarter, as TJ Peyton scampered 41 yards for a score to give ETSU the 13-7 lead following an incomplete pass on a botched play from Vashawn Nalls, leaving the difference at six. The Bucs would go on to score 34 unanswered points before the Pioneers would eventually find the end zone once more in the game following a Lavante Adams 57-yard run that made it 41-14 with 3:20 remaining.
However, the Bucs would add the final score of the game when D'Marius Rucker found the end zone on a 10-yard scoring run with just 22 seconds left, as the Bucs were victorious against former defensive coordinator Billy Taylor, who fell to 3-19 in his third season as the head coach of the Pioneers.
The day got started with another victory for the Wofford Terriers, who have now won eight of their last nine games dating back to last season. The Terriers had to hold off a feisty Gardner-Webb team, which despite having its head coach being late last week and being outgained by 230 yards, stayed in the game throughout, as Wofford had to get an interception from Wofford's Alijah Williams after Gardner-Webb moved the ball inside the Terrier 10 in the final minute sealed the win for Wofford, as they moved to 2-0 for the second time in three seasons.
Just before Williams' interception to seal the win for Wofford with 29 seconds remaining, it appeared Cole Pennington--son of former Marshall quarterback and 1995 SoCon Freshman of the Year quarterback Chad Pennington--had completed the go-ahead scoring toss to Kory Jones on a 9-yard completion in the back of the end zone, however, offsetting penalties of pass interference by Wofford and holding by GWU nullified the score and on the very next play, Williams intercepted the Pennington throw and returned it 51 yards to the GWU to seal game and a 2-0 start for Wofford.
On the previous possession and trailing 17-10, the Terrier defense also held the Bulldogs after a 79-yard pass completion from Cole Pennington-to-Kory Jones set Gardner-Webb's offense up in great position to tie the game, as the big play put the Bulldogs at the Wofford 20 at the midway point of the final period. However, after Pennington completed another pass to Beau Blankenship to set up the Bulldogs inside the Wofford 10 and down to the nine-yard line, the Bulldogs could get no further.
On 2nd-and-9 from the nine, Pennington's pass was incomplete. Then, on 3rd-and-9, the Bulldogs were flagged for running a pick route and eventually settled for a 33-yard field goal by Tyler Simpson, trimming Wofford's advantage to four. However, that would be as close as the Bulldogs would get, as Wofford held on for the win in what was a defensive struggle.
The weekend would start early in the SoCon once again, as Samford hosted Southern Illinois on Thursday night for its home opener against the Salukis. However, despite battling the entire night without the services of leading wideout Marquise Henderson for most of the night, the Samford would eventually fall, 22-18, to the Salukis falling to 0-2 on the young season. The Bulldogs fell behind 9-0 but would eventually rally to tie the game, 15-15, with 2:18 remaining in the third quarter, as Gabarri Johnson found Cayden Aukerman on a short five-yard scoring strike to make it a 15-15 game.
A little less than two minutes into the final quarter, however, Johnson's pass was intercepted at the Samford 27 by Salukis star linebacker Ben Fiegel and returned four yards to the 23, which ultimately set up the game-winning score for the visitors with 13:03 left.
The Salukis needed just four plays to recapture the lead, with the final one coming on a Lem Walsh 3-yard scoring scamper to make it a 22-15 game with 10:50 remaining. Samford's Ty Ippolitio added a 42-yard field goal with 6:42 remaining, but the Bulldogs couldn't get any closer, as Southern Illinois improved to 1-1 on the campaign, while Samford fell to 0-2.
Power Rankings Following Week 1
1. Tennessee Tech 2-0
2. Wofford 2-0, 1-0 SoCon
3. Mercer 2-0
4. Western Carolina 1-1
5. The Citadel 1-1, 0-1 SoCon
6. Chattanooga 1-1
7. Furman 1-1
8. East Tennessee State 1-1
9. Samford 0-2
10. VMI 0-2
Team Awards and Superlatives for Week 1
Team of the Week: The Citadel
Most Disappointing Loss: No. 24 Western Carolina's 28-19 setback to Campbell on Sunday
Most Boring Team to Watch in Week 1: Chattanooga
Best Rebound Win: The Citadel's overtime win over FBS Group of Five Charlotte
Five Things We Learned From Week One
1.Western Carolina's offense is still very much a work in progress, but the defensive line and the defense as a while continues to show improvement under new defensive coordinator Nick Raveiz.
2. Tennessee Tech and Chattanooga have two of the top defenses in the SoCon, as the two teams gained a combined for just 464 yards of total offense and 33 combined points in the non-conference clash between the two at Finley Stadium Saturday night.
3. Samford and VMI are likely have trouble running the football the entire season, with the Bulldogs ranking 116th of 116 FCS teams ranked in rushing offense through the first two games, averaging just 31.0 YPG on the ground. The Keydets have just 225 rushing yards through two weeks to rank 78th nationally in rushing offense, but the more concerning thing is that the Keydets are averaging just 2.37 yards-per-rush through two games.
4. Mercer might have the top two running backs in the SoCon, as freshman Devon Caldwell went on his own personal rushing crusade against the Blue Hose in week one, rushing for 152 yards and one touchdown on just 11 attempts, averaging a whopping 13.8 YPC. Pittsburg State running back Zahmari Palode-Gary rushing for 87 yards and a touchdown on just eight attempts in the Bears' week one win over East Texas A&M.
5. The Citadel showed it has two capable quarterbacks to lead its vaunted ground attack, with Nick Billoups leading the Bulldogs on three-consecutive scoring drives, including two in overtime, as the Bulldogs got their 10th win over an FBS team in school history, with a 43-41 win at Charlotte this past Saturday.
FCS Nation's Players of the Week
Offense: RB--Gavin Garcia (The Citadel)
Freshman: RB--Devon Caldwell (Mercer)
Defense: DB--Omari Philyaw (Tennessee Tech)
Special Teams: P-Cillian Bonner (Wofford)
Schedule For Sept. Sept. 12, 2026
Most Disappointing Loss: No. 24 Western Carolina's 28-19 setback to Campbell on Sunday
Most Boring Team to Watch in Week 1: Chattanooga
Best Rebound Win: The Citadel's overtime win over FBS Group of Five Charlotte
Five Things We Learned From Week One
1.Western Carolina's offense is still very much a work in progress, but the defensive line and the defense as a while continues to show improvement under new defensive coordinator Nick Raveiz.
2. Tennessee Tech and Chattanooga have two of the top defenses in the SoCon, as the two teams gained a combined for just 464 yards of total offense and 33 combined points in the non-conference clash between the two at Finley Stadium Saturday night.
3. Samford and VMI are likely have trouble running the football the entire season, with the Bulldogs ranking 116th of 116 FCS teams ranked in rushing offense through the first two games, averaging just 31.0 YPG on the ground. The Keydets have just 225 rushing yards through two weeks to rank 78th nationally in rushing offense, but the more concerning thing is that the Keydets are averaging just 2.37 yards-per-rush through two games.
4. Mercer might have the top two running backs in the SoCon, as freshman Devon Caldwell went on his own personal rushing crusade against the Blue Hose in week one, rushing for 152 yards and one touchdown on just 11 attempts, averaging a whopping 13.8 YPC. Pittsburg State running back Zahmari Palode-Gary rushing for 87 yards and a touchdown on just eight attempts in the Bears' week one win over East Texas A&M.
5. The Citadel showed it has two capable quarterbacks to lead its vaunted ground attack, with Nick Billoups leading the Bulldogs on three-consecutive scoring drives, including two in overtime, as the Bulldogs got their 10th win over an FBS team in school history, with a 43-41 win at Charlotte this past Saturday.
FCS Nation's Players of the Week
Offense: RB--Gavin Garcia (The Citadel)
Freshman: RB--Devon Caldwell (Mercer)
Defense: DB--Omari Philyaw (Tennessee Tech)
Special Teams: P-Cillian Bonner (Wofford)
Schedule For Sept. Sept. 12, 2026
East Tennessee State (1-1) at North Carolina (1-0), noon EST
Wofford (2-0, 1-0 SoCon) at Kent State (0-1), noon EST
Bucknell (0-2) at VMI (0-2), 1:30 p.m. EST
Chattanooga (1-1) at Eastern Kentucky (0-2), 6 p.m. EST
*Furman (1-1) at No. 18 Mercer (2-0), 6 p.m. EST
Charleston Southern (1-1) at The Citadel (1-1), 6 p.m. EST
Western Carolina (1-1) at Cincinnati (1-0), 7 p.m. EST
*Samford (0-2) at No. 12 Tennessee Tech (2-0), 7 p.m. EST
Wofford (2-0, 1-0 SoCon) at Kent State (0-1), noon EST
Bucknell (0-2) at VMI (0-2), 1:30 p.m. EST
Chattanooga (1-1) at Eastern Kentucky (0-2), 6 p.m. EST
*Furman (1-1) at No. 18 Mercer (2-0), 6 p.m. EST
Charleston Southern (1-1) at The Citadel (1-1), 6 p.m. EST
Western Carolina (1-1) at Cincinnati (1-0), 7 p.m. EST
*Samford (0-2) at No. 12 Tennessee Tech (2-0), 7 p.m. EST
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