The 2015 Southern Conference football season was the 94th season of college football for the Southern Conference (SoCon) and formed a part of the 2015 NCAA Division I FCS football season.
Head coaches
Russ Huesman, Chattanooga – 7th year Mike Houston, The Citadel – 2nd year Bruce Fowler, Furman – 5th year Bobby Lamb, Mercer – 3rd year
Chris Hatcher, Samford – 1st year Scott Wachenheim, VMI – 1st year Mark Speir, Western Carolina – 4th year Mike Ayers, Wofford – 28th year
Preseason poll results First place votes in parentheses MediaCoachesPlaceSchoolPointsPlaceSchoolPoints1Chattanooga (29)2391Chattanooga (7)492Western Carolina (1)1902Samford (1)403Samford1763Western Carolina684Wofford1484Wofford305Furman1205Furman226Mercer936Mercer207The Citadel827The Citadel188VMI328VMI7
Preseason All-Conference Teams Offensive Player of the Year: Jacob Huesman, Sr., QB (Chattanooga) Defensive Player of the Year: Michael Pierce, Sr., DL (Samford) Position Player Class Team First Team Offense QB Jacob Huesman Sr. Chattanooga RB Alex Lakes So. Mercer RB Denzel Williams Jr. Samford WR Karel Hamilton Jr. Samford WR Spearman Robinson Jr. Western Carolina TE Duncan Fletcher Jr. Furman OL Sam Frye Sr. The Citadel OL Joe Turner Sr. Furman OL Gunnar Bromelow Sr. Samford OL Corey Levin Jr. Chattanooga OL Anton Wahrby Jr. Wofford First Team Defense DL Mitchell Jeter Sr. The Citadel DL Michael Pierce Sr. Samford DL Josh Freeman Sr. Chattanooga DL Keionta Davis Jr. Chattanooga LB Cory Magwood Sr. Furman LB Justin Cooper Sr. Samford LB Nakevion Leslie Jr. Chattanooga DB James Bradberry Sr. Samford DB Dee Virgin Jr. Chattanooga DB Lucas Webb So. Chattanooga DB Trey Morgan Jr. Western Carolina First Team Special Teams PK Henrique Ribeiro Jr. Chattanooga P Brian Sanders Sr. Wofford RS Chandler Curtis So. MercerReference:
Rankings + Legend Increase in ranking Decrease in ranking Not ranked previous week
Pre Wk1 Wk2 Wk3 Wk4 Wk5 Wk6 Wk7 Wk8 Wk9 Wk10 Wk11 Wk12 FinalChattanooga Stats 7 10 10 8 8 6 6 5 4 3 8 8 7C 8 12 12 9 8 6 6 5 4 3 9 9 8The Citadel Stats – – RV – – – RV RV RV 25 21 25 18 C – – – – – – – RV RV 22 20 24 18 Furman Stats RV RV – RV RV RV RV RV RV – – – – C RV RV – RV RV RV RV RV – RV – – – Mercer Stats RV – – – – – – – – – – – – C – – – – – – – – – – – – – Samford Stats RV RV RV RV RV RV RV – – – – – – C RV RV RV RV RV RV RV – – – – – – VMI Stats – – – – – – – – – – – – – C – – – – – – – – – – – – – Western Carolina Stats RV RV – – – RV RV RV RV RV RV RV RVC RV RV – – – – – – – – RV RV RVWofford Stats – – RV – – RV – – – – – – – C – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Regular season Index to colors and formattingSoCon member wonSoCon member lostSoCon teams in bold All times Eastern time.
Rankings reflect that of the Sports Network poll for that week.
Week One Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance ReferenceSeptember 3 7:00 PM Central Arkansas Samford Seibert Stadium • Homewood, AL ESPN3 W 45–16 6,259 September 3 7:00 PM VMI Ball State Scheumann Stadium • Muncie, IN ESPN3 L 36–48 10,473 September 5 12:30 PM Wofford Clemson Memorial Clemson • Clemson, SC RSN L 10–49 81,345 September 5 5:00 PM Mercer Austin Peay Governors Stadium • Clarskville, TN GovTV W 28–7 5,814 September 5 6:00 PM Jacksonville State Chattanooga Finley Stadium • Chattanooga, TN SDN L 20–23 15,842 September 5 6:00 PM Davidson The Citadel Johnson Hagood Stadium • Charleston, SC ESPN3 W 69–0 8,665 September 5 7:00 PM Coastal Carolina Furman Paladin Stadium • Greenville, SC ESPN3 L 35–38 6,563 September 5 7:00 PM Western Carolina E. J. Whitmire Stadium • Cullowhee, NC SDN W 42–14 12,348
Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Michael Eubank Samford Tevin Floyd The Citadel Henrique Ribeiro ChattanoogaReference: Weekly Release
Week Two Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance Reference September 12 1:00 PM Chattanooga Finley Stadium • Chattanooga, TN SDN W 44–34 9,491 September 12 1:30 PM Morehead State VMI Alumni Memorial Field • Lexington, VA ESPN3 W 43–40 5,016 September 12 2:00 PM Florida A&M Samford Seibert Stadium • Homewood, AL ESPN3 W 58–21 4,714 September 12 3:30 PM Furman Virginia Tech Lane Stadium • Blacksburg, VA ESPN3 L 3–42 60,118 September 12 6:00 PM Western Carolina The Citadel Johnson Hagood Stadium • Charleston, SC ESPN3 CIT 28–10 8,048 September 12 6:00 PM Stetson Mercer Moye Complex • Macon, GA ESPN3 W 57–14 11,267 September 12 7:00 PM Tennessee Tech Wofford Gibbs Stadium • Spartanburg, SC SDN W 34–14 6,834
Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team John Russ Mercer Justin Cooper Samford Dillon Christopher VMIReference: Weekly Release
Week Three Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance Reference September 19 2:30 PM Chattanooga Samford Seibert Stadium • Homewood, AL ASN UTC 31–21 9,088 September 19 5:00 PM Wofford Idaho Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID ESPN3 L 38–41 11,633 September 19 6:00 PM The Citadel Georgia Southern Paulson Stadium • Statesboro, GA ESPN3 L 13–48 24,872 September 19 6:00 PM Furman UCF Bright House Networks Stadium • Orlando, FL ESPN3 W 16–15 36,484 September 19 6:00 PM VMI Richmond Robins Stadium • Richmond, VA L 10–42 8,700 September 19 7:00 PM Mercer Tennessee Tech Tucker Stadium • Cookeville, TN WCTE L 22–29 9,028 September 19 7:00 PM Western Carolina Tennessee Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, TN ESPNU L 10–55 102,136
Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Jacob Huesman Chattanooga Trey Robinson Furman John Croft Hollingsworth FurmanReference: Weekly Release
Week Four Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance Reference September 26 3:00 PM VMI Furman Paladin Stadium • Greenville, SC ESPN3 FUR 24–21 7,915 September 26 6:00 PM Charleston Southern The Citadel Johnson Hagood Stadium • Charleston, SC ESPN3 L 20–33 11,918 September 26 6:00 PM Samford Louisville Papa John's Cardinal Stadium • Louisville, KY ESPN3 L 3–45 50,121 September 26 7:00 PM Chattanooga Presbyterian Bailey Memorial Stadium • Clinton, SC BSN W 21–0 3,582 September 26 7:00 PM Gardner–Webb Wofford Gibbs Stadium • Spartanburg, SC SDN W 16–0 6,932
Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Jacob Huesman Chattanooga Kelonta Davis Chattanooga Brian Ross FurmanReference: Weekly Release
Week Five Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance Reference October 3 1:30 PM Bucknell VMI Alumni Memorial Field • Lexington, VA ESPN3 L 22–28OT 3,713 October 3 3:30 PM Presbyterian Western Carolina E. J. Whitmire Stadium • Cullowhee, NC WMYA W 33–21 9,191 October 3 6:00 PM Wofford Mercer Moye Complex • Macon, GA ESPN3 WOF 33–34OT 10,489 October 3 7:00 PM South Carolina State Furman Paladin Stadium • Greenville, SC ESPN3 W 17–3 1,022
Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Detrez Newsome Western Carolina Drake Michaelson Wofford Logan Howard Western CarolinaReference: Weekly Release
Week Six Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance Reference October 10 1:00 PM Furman Chattanooga Finley Stadium • Chattanooga, TN ESPN3 UTC 31–3 7,630 October 10 1:30 PM Samford VMI Alumni Memorial Field • Lexington, VA ESPN3 SAM 49–13 4,875 October 10 2:00 PM Wofford The Citadel Johnson Hagood Stadium • Charleston, SC ESPN3 CIT 39–12 10,428 October 10 3:30 PM Mercer Western Carolina E. J. Whitmire Stadium • Cullowhee, NC SDN WCU 21–24 8,479
Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Michael Eubank Samford Tevin Floyd The Citadel Henrique Ribeiro ChattanoogaReference: Weekly Release
Week Seven Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance Reference October 17 1:30 PM Chattanooga VMI Alumni Memorial Field • Lexington, VA ESPN3 UTC 33–27 6,104 October 17 2:00 PM Western Carolina Wofford Gibbs Stadium • Spartanburg, SC ESPN3 WCU 24–17 7,344 October 17 3:00 PM The Citadel Samford Seibert Stadium • Homewood, AL ESPN3 CIT 44–25 4,927 October 17 4:00 PM East Tennessee State Mercer Moye Complex • Macon, GA ESPN3 W 52–0 10,200
Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Karel Hamilton Samford Dee Delaney The Citadel Henrique Ribeiro ChattanoogaReference: Weekly Release
Week Eight Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance Reference October 24 1:30 PM Chattanooga Wofford Gibbs Stadium • Spartanburg, SC SDN UTC 20–17 8,713 October 24 1:30 PM The Citadel Furman Paladin Stadium • Greenville, SC ESPN3 CIT 38–17 12,124 October 24 3:00 PM VMI Mercer Moye Complex • Macon, GA ESPN3 VMI 28–21 10,200 October 24 3:30 PM Samford Western Carolina E. J. Whitmire Stadium • Cullowhee, NC SDN WCU 56–36 12,014
Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Aaron Sanders VMI Daniel Riddle Western Carolina Henrique Ribeiro ChattanoogaReference: Weekly Release
Week Nine Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance Reference October 31 1:30 PM Wofford VMI Alumni Memorial Field • Lexington, VA ESPN3 WOF 41–20 4,437 October 31 2:00 PM Western Carolina Chattanooga Finley Stadium • Chattanooga, TN ESPN3 UTC 41–13 11,495 October 31 2:00 PM Mercer The Citadel Johnson Hagood Stadium • Charleston, SC ESPN3 CIT 21–19 10,006 October 31 3:00 PM Furman Samford Seibert Stadium • Homewood, AL SDN FUR 20–17 4,013
Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Jacob Huesman Chattanooga Cory Magwood Furman Jon Croft Hollingsworth FurmanReference: Weekly Release
Week Ten Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance Reference November 7 2:00 PM VMI The Citadel Johnson Hagood Stadium • Charleston, SC ESPN3 CIT 35–14 14,925 November 7 2:00 PM Samford Seibert Stadium • Homewood, AL ESPN3 W 43–0 4,264 November 7 3:30 PM Furman Western Carolina E. J. Whitmire Stadium • Cullowhee, NC SDN WCU 48–10 8,561 November 7 4:00 PM Chattanooga Mercer Moye Complex • Macon, GA ESPN3 MER 17–14 9,527
Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Troy Mitchell Western Carolina Quinlan Washington The Citadel Anthony Pistelli SamfordReference: Weekly Release
Week Eleven Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance Reference November 14 1:30 PM Mercer Furman Paladin Stadium • Greenville, SC ESPN3 MER 27–20 6,351 November 14 1:30 PM Samford Wofford Gibbs Stadium • Spartanburg, SC ESPN3 SAM 37–27 5,077 November 14 2:00 PM The Citadel Chattanooga Finley Stadium • Chattanooga, TN SDN UTC 31–23 11,594 November 14 7:00 PM Western Carolina Texas A&M Kyle Field • College Station, TX ESPNU L 17–41 101,583
Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Jacob Huesman Chattanooga Zach Jackson Mercer Anthony Pistelli SamfordReference: Weekly Release
Week Twelve Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance Reference November 21 12:00 PM The Citadel South Carolina Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, SC SECN Alt. W 23–22 77,241 November 21 1:30 PM Western Carolina VMI Alumni Memorial Field • Lexington, VA ESPN3 WCU 24–20 4,523 November 21 3:00 PM Chattanooga Florida State Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL ACCRSN L 13–52 66,412 November 21 3:00 PM Samford Mercer Moye Complex • Macon, GA ESPN3 SAM 47–21 10,200 November 21 3:30 PM Furman Wofford Gibbs Stadium • Spartanburg, SC ASN WOF 38–28 7,143
Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Tyler Renew The Citadel Daniel Riddle Western Carolina Anthony Pistelli SamfordReference: Weekly Release
Week Thirteen