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Safety Mateo Sudipo with a tackle in WCU's Southern Conference win over VMI.
Ashley Evans, WCU Communications and Marketing

Football

Postgame Notes - vs. VMI (Family Weekend / EBCI Day)

Postgame Notes
Western Carolina38, VMI 17
Bob Waters Field at EJ Whitmire Stadium
Cullowhee, N.C. | Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022
Att: 11,103
 
With the Win…
  • Gives the Catamounts back-to-back series victories over the Keydets on the football gridiron – and wins in 19 of the last 20 matchups against VMI;
  • The victory avenges the first loss to VMI in Cullowhee in series history suffered back in the spring of 2021 COVID season as the Keydets scored a 30-7 win at Whitmire Stadium;
  • The Catamounts are now 1-1 in Southern Conference play propelling the Catamounts above the .500 mark five games into the season for the first time since 2018;
  • Dating back to last season, WCU is 7-3 over its last 10 games overall – and 7-2 in its last nine games against NCAA FCS competition;
  • Represents career victory No. 100 for WCU Head Coach Kerwin Bell and his sixth win at Western Carolina.
 
Post-Game Notes:
  • The Catamounts amassed 521 yards of total offense against VMI marking the third time this season WCU has gone over 500 yards in offense … WCU ran a total of 88 plays, the second-most of the season after recording 90 plays in the road loss at Samford … the Catamounts threw for over 300 yards for the third-straight game – and for the fourth time this season;
 
  • Even with WCU's up-tempo, high-powered offense that is predicated on "Play Fast, Score Faster," the Catamounts have dominated time of possession this season, leading that statistical category in four of the five games;
 
  • WCU won the turnover battle for the first time this season, creating three takeaways – two interceptions and a fumble recovery on a strip-sack by EJ Porter … WCU committed just two turnovers on a pair of interceptions;
 
  • In a split role between running back and wide receiver, transfer Jalynn Williams recorded a team-best 105 all-purpose yards including a career-best 94 receiving yards on a career-high 10 receptions, adding 11 rushing yards in the winning effort;
 
  • WR Raphael Williams went over 100 yards receiving for the second time this season with 103 yards on six receptions vs. VMI … It is the seventh time in his Catamount career that he eclipsed the 100-yard mark … He hauled in a career-long 69-yard TD reception representing the longest play from scrimmage in Saturday's win;
 
  • QB Carlos Davis passed for 336 yards against VMI marking the fourth time this season he has eclipsed over 200 yards in a game and third time he has gone over 300 yards … He tossed four touchdown passes in the game to four different receivers … the four TDs against VMI are the most TD passes for Davis against a SoCon opponent;
 
  • WR Terrence Horne caught his team-best fourth TD pass of the season, posting receiving scores in four of the five seasonal games … In addition to Horne (4), Williams (2), David White Jr. (3), and Censere Lee (2) each posted receiving TDs;
 
  • Redshirt freshman Parrish Metzger saw action in his second Catamount game of the season vs. VMI, finishing 2-for-5 against the Keydets connection on a career-long 12-yard pass;
 
  • Freshman RB Desmond Reid just missed his second career 100-yard game, finishing with 96 yards on a career-high tying 15 carries;
 
  • The Catamounts matched a season-high with seven sacks on Saturday with seven defenders posting at least half a sack … Defensive ends Micah Nelson and K.J. Milner both combined for a team-best 1.5 sacks in the victory;
 
  • WCU's defense held VMI to a season-low 76 rushing yards, the second opponent held UNDER 100 yards on the ground … WCU also held Presbyterian to exactly 100 yards while Samford had 101 rushing yards, right at the century mark;
 
  • Safeties Jacob Harris and Andreas Keaton both recorded interceptions in the home victory … EJ Porter knocked the football loose on a sack with Ronald Wilson recovering the football – it was the sixth forced fumble by WCU this season and just the second recovery for the takeaway;
 
  • Andreas Keaton matched his career-high with eight tackles against VMI, all coming in the first half … It was his third career game with eight tackles and second-consecutive … He recorded his second interception of the season coming in back-to-back games;
 
  • Richard McCollum extended his school-record streak of made PATs on Saturday, knocking thru five attempts to push his streak to 81-straight made PATs … He did see his impressive streak of 19-consecutive made field goals come to an end with a miss from 28 yards just before halftime on a partially-blocked attempt;
 
  • McCollum did complete his first collegiate pass on a fake field goal just before intermission, tossing a six-yard pass to LB Caleb Scott – a converted tight end … For Scott, it was his second career reception, now with two catches for 13 career yards.
 
Miscellaneous Notes:
  • WCU's captains for Saturday's game were RB #0 TJ Jones … DB #1 Cameron McCutcheon … DE #6 KJ Milner, and OL #67 Dalton Tomlison … OL #74 Tyler Smith carried the United States flag out during the team's pregame field entrance;
  • WCU won the opening coin toss and deferred to the second half … VMI received the opening kickoff;
  • Western Carolina honored student-athlete alum Brad Hoover and the No. 41 he wore during his Catamount career in a special on-field ceremony between the first and second quarters … A banner with the No. 41 now hangs on display within Whitmire Stadium;
  • Saturday was Western Carolina's annual Family Weekend game … WCU also celebrated its relationship with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians on EBCI Day … Richard G. Sneed, Principal Chief of the EBCI, handled the on-field pregame coin toss on Saturday.
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Players Mentioned

Carlos Davis

#5 Carlos Davis

QB
6' 3"
Junior
Jacob Harris

#3 Jacob Harris

S
6' 1"
Junior
Terrence Horne

#6 Terrence Horne

WR
5' 8"
Junior
TJ Jones

#0 TJ Jones

RB
5' 11"
Senior
Andreas Keaton

#21 Andreas Keaton

S
6' 2"
Sophomore
Richard McCollum

#89 Richard McCollum

K
5' 9"
Redshirt Junior
Cameron McCutcheon

#1 Cameron McCutcheon

CB
6' 3"
Fifth Year
K.J. Milner

#6 K.J. Milner

DL
6' 4"
Senior
Micah Nelson

#9 Micah Nelson

DE
6' 3"
Sophomore
Caleb Scott

#41 Caleb Scott

LB
6' 2"
Sophomore
Tyler Smith

#74 Tyler Smith

OL
6' 8"
Redshirt Junior
Raphael Williams

#2 Raphael Williams

WR
5' 10"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Carlos Davis

#5 Carlos Davis

6' 3"
Junior
QB
Jacob Harris

#3 Jacob Harris

6' 1"
Junior
S
Terrence Horne

#6 Terrence Horne

5' 8"
Junior
WR
TJ Jones

#0 TJ Jones

5' 11"
Senior
RB
Andreas Keaton

#21 Andreas Keaton

6' 2"
Sophomore
S
Richard McCollum

#89 Richard McCollum

5' 9"
Redshirt Junior
K
Cameron McCutcheon

#1 Cameron McCutcheon

6' 3"
Fifth Year
CB
K.J. Milner

#6 K.J. Milner

6' 4"
Senior
DL
Micah Nelson

#9 Micah Nelson

6' 3"
Sophomore
DE
Caleb Scott

#41 Caleb Scott

6' 2"
Sophomore
LB
Tyler Smith

#74 Tyler Smith

6' 8"
Redshirt Junior
OL
Raphael Williams

#2 Raphael Williams

5' 10"
Sophomore
WR