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Jaquarius Guinn (91) and Hayward McQueen (7) combine on a stop in Saturday's SoCon-opener at Samford.
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Postgame Notes - at No 21/22 Samford

Postgame Notes
No. 21/22 Samford 35, Western Carolina 12
Bobby Bowden Field at Seibert Stadium
Birmingham, Ala. | Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022
Att: 7,519
 
With the Loss...
  • Western Carolina suffered its fifth-consecutive defeat in the head-to-head series with Samford, dropping to 3-17 overall against the Bulldogs all-time … It was also the 10th-straight road loss  to Samford in Birmingham, Ala.;
  • WCU suffered its seventh-straight loss to a ranked NCAA FCS team while enduring its 46th-consecutive defeat at the hands of a ranked FCS team on the road;
  • Western Carolina dropped its fourth-straight Southern Conference opener dating back to 2018;
  • The Catamounts saw their four-game FCS road game winning streak that dated back to last season snapped … WCU had scored consecutive FCS road wins at Charleston Southern (9/3/22), at VMI (11/20/21), at Wofford (10/30/21), and at The Citadel (10/23/21).
 
Post-Game Notes
  • Western Carolina's offense was held out of the endzone for the first time this season – and the first time since being shutout at Oklahoma in the second game of the 2021 season … the Catamounts were held scoreless in the first quarter on Saturday marking just the third scoreless quarter of football this season – WCU was held off the scoreboard in both the second and third quarters at Georgia Tech;
  • The Catamount offense ran 26 more plays than Samford – 90 to just 64 for the Bulldogs … WCU also outgained the Bulldogs 456-to-393 … It's the fourth-straight game this season that WCU has managed to outgain its competition – and the ninth-consecutive game dating back to last season;
  • For the third time this season, WCU committed more turnovers (3) than it had takeaways (1) in the loss at Samford, tossing two interceptions and losing a fumble … WCU is a -7 in turnover margin this year, committing 11 turnovers with just four takeaways;
  • WCU finished 4-of-6 in the redzone, but all four were field goals … the Catamounts also tossed an interception in the redzone and were turned away on downs as Samford made a fourth-down stop in the first quarter;
  • Placekicker Richard McCollum connected on a career-high four field goals in the road loss at Samford, accounting for all 12 of WCU's points … the 12 points were a career-best for McCollum, eclipsing the 11 points scored last week vs. Presbyterian on 11 made PATs … It was the most field goals made in a single-game since Joshua Gibson connected on four attempts in a win over VMI back in 2017;
  • McCollum has connected on 19-straight field goals dating back to March 27, 2021 and includes 12-for-12 in the 2021 season and all six made attempts this season … Through the first four weeks of the season, McCollum LEADS the Southern Conference in scoring with 38 total points, averaging 9.5 points per game;
  • Toledo transfer, junior RB Jalynn Williams accounted for a WCU career-best 130 all-purpose yards, rushing for a team-best 61 yards on seven carries while catching four passes for 69 yards;
  • Known for its big-play ability, WCU managed just one explosive play – 30 yards or more – in the loss at Samford – a 30-yard pass from Carlos Davis to Jalynn Williams;
  • Carlos Davis completed 29 passes to 12 different receivers on Saturday before Brody Palhegyi took over on the final drive, finishing 2-for-3 … Freshman Corey Reddick Jr. caught a team-best and career-high five passes with Williams, Terrence Horne Jr., and TJ Jones tallying four catches apiece … Horne was held out of the endzone for the first time this season – he had recorded a receiving touchdown in each of WCU's first three games;
  • Senior DE K.J. Milner was credited with a career-high 2.0 sacks, accounting for half of WCU's four sack total … Jaquarius Guinn had a career-best 1.0 sacks with EJ Porter and Micah Nelson combining for a sack … the Catamount defense has tallied four-or-more sacks in three of its four games this season – each coming in NCAA FCS competition, currently with 17 combined sacks through the first four games this fall;
  • Milner helped cause WCU's lone takeaway of the game as his pressure on Samford QB Michael Hiers and contact with his throwing arm deflected a third-quarter pass attempt that Andreas Keaton snared for his first interception of the season – and the fourth of his Catamount career;
  • S Andreas Keaton matched his career-high with eight tackles while DT Chris Morgan was credited with a career-best seven total stops for the WCU defense.
 
Miscellaneous Notes:
  • WCU's captains for Saturday's game were DB #1 Cameron McCutcheon … DE #6 KJ Milner … CB #10 Taurus Dotson Jr. … and P #38 Brandon Dickerson … TE #86 Clayton Bardall carried the United States flag out during the team's pregame field entrance;
  • Samford won the opening coin toss and deferred to the second half … WCU received the opening kickoff;
  • Western Carolina wore its all-white uniforms with purple helmets again adorned with the script "The Cats" logo first used by Bob Waters … It was the second-consecutive week of that uniform combination for WCU … the loss halted a three-game win streak when WCU wore white over white as its uniform combination.
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Players Mentioned

Clayton Bardall

#86 Clayton Bardall

TE
6' 3"
Junior
Carlos Davis

#5 Carlos Davis

QB
6' 3"
Junior
Brandon Dickerson

#38 Brandon Dickerson

P
5' 11"
Senior
Jaquarius Guinn

#91 Jaquarius Guinn

DL
6' 2"
Sophomore
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
Chris Morgan

#93 Chris Morgan

DL
6' 0"
Sophomore
Micah Nelson

#9 Micah Nelson

DE
6' 3"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Clayton Bardall

#86 Clayton Bardall

6' 3"
Junior
TE
Carlos Davis

#5 Carlos Davis

6' 3"
Junior
QB
Brandon Dickerson

#38 Brandon Dickerson

5' 11"
Senior
P
Jaquarius Guinn

#91 Jaquarius Guinn

6' 2"
Sophomore
DL
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
Chris Morgan

#93 Chris Morgan

6' 0"
Sophomore
DL
Micah Nelson

#9 Micah Nelson

6' 3"
Sophomore
DE