Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina plays its second-consecutive Southern Conference road game in the Palmetto State on Saturday as the Catamounts travel to Gibbs Stadium to face perennial league power, Wofford. It's the second-straight week that WCU must contend with a triple-option offensive attack one-week removed from facing The Citadel in Charleston last weekend.
Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 pm in the Ingles SoCon Game of the Week. Fans can catch the game in select Nexstar Media TV markets (check local listings) throughout the league's footprint, as well as online on ESPN+ (subscription required). Pete Yanity will handle the play-by-play call with Jared Singleton providing color commentary.
The game will also be broadcast on the Catamount Sports Network (CSN) across eight radio stations in western North Carolina: in Cullowhee on 90.5 FM WWCU-FM; 105.7 FM and 540 AM WRGC “The River in Sylva; 104.9 FM and 1050 AM WFSC in Franklin; WISE Sports Radio 1310 AM and 102.9 FM in Asheville; and 970 AM WYSE in Canton. Live streaming audio through Stretch Internet is also available online at CatamountSports.com.
After getting off to a sluggish start to the season including a puzzling road loss at South Carolina State in nonconference play to open the season and a one-score defeat at home to Samford, 21-14, the Terriers (3-2, 2-1 SoCon) have rattled off three-consecutive victories including double-digit wins over Gardner-Webb (+39), at VMI (+15), and at ETSU (+18). Having dropped out of the national rankings after the 0-2 start, Wofford has crept back into the discussion, receiving votes in both polls to rank 30th in the FCS Coaches poll and 32nd in the STATS FCS Media polling.
Equipped with the league's top rushing attack – which ranks second nationally at 357.2 yards per game – the SoCon's preseason favorite, Wofford, has returned to form, ranking fourth in scoring offense (32.4 ppg) and third in total offense (440.8 yds/gm). Senior quarterback Joe Newman leads the league in rushing at 118.0 yds/gm including an 8.7 yard per carry average, while classmate running back Blake Morgan ranks 10th, averaging 64 yards per game.
Defensively, the Terriers have been very stingy. Wofford ranks second in the SoCon in scoring defense, limiting the opposition to just 22.4 points per game (28th in FCS) while leading the league in total defense, surrendering just 329.6 yards per game (23rd nationally) including only 100.4 rushing yards per game (17th nationally).
For Western Carolina, a key will again center around its offense's ability to apply the appropriate pressure to the Terriers by regaining its potent form. Last season, Adams accounted for 396 yards of offense – 167 rushing with a TD and 229 through the air – as WCU ran out to a 20-7 lead over the then 14th-ranked Terriers before Wofford outscored the Catamounts 31-to-3 over the final 35 minutes of regulation.
Though Adams' name currently does not appear on any of the SoCon's rankings due to minimum requirements/percentages of games played, the St. Petersburg, Fla., native would rank third in the league in total offense at 250 yards per game including fourth in passing offense (180.0 yds/gm, 5 TDs) and 8th in rushing (70.0 yds/gm, 4 TDs).
Also, a key for WCU this Saturday will be the play of the defense. The Catamounts have surrendered 12 big plays of 40-or-more yards this season, nine on defense and three in the special teams. Seven of those big gainers have gone for touchdowns, six against the defense and one in special teams.
WCU will try and slow the Terriers' ground game – but must also remain wary of Newman's passing ability as the Wofford QB completed eight passes for 140 yards and a touchdown in Cullowhee last season.
Game 7: Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019 • 1:30 pm
Location: Spartanburg, S.C. (Gibbs Stadium – 13,000)
Records: Western Carolina (1-5, 0-3 SoCon) at Wofford (3-2, 2-1 SoCon)
BROADCAST INFORMATION:
Television: Nexstar Media affiliates
WYCW, CW62 (Greenville/Spartanburg, S.C. /Asheville, N.C.)
WCBD, News 2 (Charleston, S.C.)
WMUB, Ch. 38 (Macon, Ga.)
WWCW, CW5 (Roanoke, Va.)
Online Video Stream: ESPN3 (satellite/cable subscription required)
PBP: Pete Yanity; Color: Jared Singleton
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
PBP: Gary Ayers; Color: Daniel Hooker; Sidelines: Greg McLamb; Producer: Jeff Bryson
CSN Affiliates:
- Cullowhee – WWCU, 90.5 FM
- Sylva – 105.7 FM / 540 AM WRGC
- Franklin – 104.9 FM / 1050 AM WFSC
- Asheville – WISE Sports Radio 102.9 FM / 1310 AM
- Canton – WYSE Sports Radio 970 AM
- Online: CatamountSports.com
Western Carolina head coach Mark Speir talked about the tough-luck road loss at The Citadel last Saturday before previewing this Saturday's SoCon road match-up at Wofford in the latest installment of "Catamount Football Weekly,” originally recorded live-on-location on Monday (Oct. 14) night at BC Outdoors Cullowhee Taproom located on campus at Noble Hall in Cullowhee. Join Speir and the CSN crew each Monday night at 7 pm at BC Outdoors in Cullowhee – Monday, Oct. 21 is Catamount Club Pint Night with a percentage of sales being donated to WCU's Catamount Club.
Keep track of everything related to Catamount football and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/CatamountSports) and Twitter (@Catamounts, @CatamountsFB).
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