Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina returns to Southern Conference play this Saturday, Oct. 2, traveling to face one of the league favorites in the 19th-ranked Chattanooga Mocs at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Saturday's game will be broadcast
on ESPN3 (
cable subscription required) with Chris Goforth, Scott McMahen, and Dave Keylon on the call.
The game will also be broadcast on the Catamount Sports Network with an air time of the Pepsi Tailgate Show at 12:30 p.m. Fans across western North Carolina can hear the game locally on seven CSN affiliates: in Sylva, 105.7 FM and 540 AM WRGC "The River"; 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, with
live streaming audio online at CatamountSports.com.
Fans can also follow the game with live stats accessible online at CatamountSports.com with timely in-game updates on Twitter using @Catamounts and @CatamountsFB.
Western Carolina continues to seek its first victory under first-year head coach
Kerwin Bell after falling at Gardner-Webb 52-34 last Saturday in Boiling Springs. For a second-consecutive week, the Catamounts built a 10-point second-half lead – twice, in fact, against the Runnin' Bulldogs – only to see the opposition rally for the victory. WCU seized a 10-point third-quarter lead against Samford back on Sept. 18 only to see the Bulldogs put up 21-consecutive points to hold on for the 42-37 victory. Last week, the Catamounts led 27-17 early in the third after an 82-yard
Rogan Wells scoring romp and again by 10, 34-24, after Wells found
Raphael Williams for one of his 11 catches before Gardner-Webb closed the game with 28-consecutive points.
Chattanooga (1-2) is coming off its bye week as it plays its 2021 SoCon opener by hosting the Catamounts. The Mocs rebounded from an opening weekend home loss to 20th-ranked Austin Peay (30-20) to blank North Alabama on the road, 20-0, on Sept. 11. UTC then nearly upset the SEC's Kentucky Wildcats, falling in Lexington 28-23.
Statistically, one of the SoCon's top offenses faces one of the league's best defensive units on Saturday afternoon at Finley Stadium. Against FCS competition, WCU (0-4, 0-1 SoCon) is averaging over 550 yards of total offense in three games including 341 yards passing and 210 yards rushing. The Mocs rank third in the SoCon against the run, holding their opponents to under 100 yards on the ground at 97.0 yds/gm and are limiting teams to 217 passing yards per game, fifth in the conference. Including the shutout win over North Alabama, UTC is only surrendering an average of 19.3 points per game, third in the conference.
WCU's high-octane offense has been solid in each of the three games against NCAA FCS competition, surpassing the 500-yard mark each time out including a season-best 650 combined yards last week at Gardner-Webb. The Catamounts have run 83-or-more plays in the trio of FCS games including matching a school record with 99 snaps on offense last Saturday. WCU ranks 13th nationally with an average of 459.8 yards per game this season, third in the SoCon.
QB
Rogan Wells threw for 427 yards, tying for the fourth-most in a single game in program history while surpassing the century mark on the ground for a second-consecutive week with 113 rushing yards. All told, his 540 yards of total offense rank as the second-most in school history, just five-yard shy of the benchmark set by Tyrie Adams at Mercer in 2018. The 540 yards of total offense also are the second-most in the SoCon this season and the fifth-most by a player in the NCAA FCS.
For the Mocs offensively, second-year tailback Ailym Ford, like Wells, enters with back-to-back, 100-yard rushing efforts including 111 yards at North Alabama and 128 at Kentucky. After sitting out the 2020-21 season, the 2019 SoCon Freshman of the Year returns after a stellar first season in 2019 that saw him rush for 195 yards against the Catamounts in the offensive shootout in the most recent series meeting. Ford ranks second in the SoCon with 104.0 rushing yards per game.
UTC is expected to wear their all-white uniform combination to "White Out Finley Stadium" with WCU wearing its purple jerseys. Kickoff of Chattanooga's Family Weekend game is slated for 1:30 p.m.
Western Carolina vs. Chattanooga – Series History:
The Catamounts and Mocs meet on the football gridiron for the 47th time on Saturday with WCU trailing, 17-29 … the series dates back to 1973 and the two teams have met every season minus two – 1974 and 2020-21 … In Chattanooga, the Mocs have won 16 of the 23 meetings (WCU trails, 7-16) … WCU has dropped 10 of the last 11 series meetings – and 14 of the last 17 overall dating back to 2006;
Looking for Streak Snappers:
Western Carolina enters Saturday's game looking to end a four-game slide to start the fall 2021 season – and to halt a six-game winless drought that dates back to the home win over The Citadel on March 13, 2021 … the Catamounts are also looking to end a 10-game road losing skid that extends to 2019 … WCU's last road victory came in Lexington, Va., at VMI on Nov. 2, 2019 … the Catamounts also look to end a 44-game road winless drought against NCAA FCS nationally-ranked opponents … After not meeting in the 2020-21 season due to COVID, WCU looks to halt a two-game slide in the series with the Mocs.
Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021 • 1:30 p.m.
Location: Chattanooga, Tenn. (Finley Stadium / Davenport Field, 20,668)
Records: Western Carolina (0-4, 0-1 SoCon) at Chattanooga (1-2, 0-0 SoCon)
WCU Football - 2021 Media Center
BROADCAST INFORMATION:
TV / Video Stream: ESPN3 (
cable subscription required)
PBP: Chris Goforth; Color: Scott McMahen; Sideline: Dave Keylon
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
PBP: Gary Ayers; Color:
Daniel Hooker; Sideline: Greg McLamb; Producer: Jeff Bryson
CSN Affiliates:
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
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).
