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Desmond Reid at UT Chattanooga
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Postgame Notes - at No. 20/24 Chattanooga

Postgame Notes
#17/11 Western Carolina 52, #20/24 Chattanooga 50
Finley Stadium  / Davenport Field
Chattanooga, Tenn. | Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023
Att: 8,978
 
With the Win:
  • Western Carolina picked up a fifth consecutive seasonal victory and its eighth straight win over NCAA FCS competition dating back to last season ... It's also WCU's sixth-straight win in Southern Conference play;
  • WCU snapped a 47-game road losing skid to national-ranked NCAA FCS teams, earning its first victory on the ROAD against a nationally-ranked team since 1984;
  • The Catamounts improve to 3-0 in league play marking the best start for WCU since 2014 when they started 4-0 in SoCon action;
  • It marks WCU's second straight victory in the series with Chattanooga – and the longest win streak since claiming three straight in a stretch from 2000-02 ... the Catamounts also halted a two-game road slide in the series vs. UTC;
  • WCU pushed its record to 5-1 marking the program's best six-game start to a season since 1974 – that squad dropped its opening game before winning nine-straight on the way to the NCAA Division II national playoffs;
  • WCU has won six of the last eight games its played as a national-ranked team as the Catamounts improved to 3-0 in matchups against Chattanooga while holding a national ranking.
 
Post-Game Notes:
  • Western Carolina's offense finished with 551 total yards on Saturday representing the fifth-straight game of eclipsing the 500-yard plateau … It's the second time this year WCU has compiled 551 yards in a game … It was also the 17th time under head coach Kerwin Bell that WCU has gone over 500 yards on offense;
  • WCU was as close to balanced on offense Saturday as it could possibly be – the Catamounts threw for 276 total yards while rushing for 275 yards for the 551 yards of total offense;
  • WCU was limited to a season-low 48 total plays from scrimmage and just 18:47 of possession time … It was the fewest offensive plays WCU had recorded under the Kerwin/Kade Bell offense – the previous low for WCU was 52 plays in last year's home loss to The Citadel which also was the least amount of possession time on offense for WCU over the past three seasons (17:11) … Despite just the 48 offensive snaps, the Catamounts averaged an astounding 11.47 yards per play in the road win at UTC;
  • Of WCU's 48 plays on Saturday, 16 went for double-digit yards with nine tallying 20-or-more yards from scrimmage gained ...  The Catamounts scored TDs of 70, 59, 55, 48, 37, 37 and 28 yards;
  • Following the game, WCU continues to LEAD the NCAA FCS in total offense, averaging 531.8 yards per game … the Catamounts are also now fifth nationally in scoring offense, averaging a SoCon-leading 41.3 points per game;
  • Despite being held to a season-low 18 first downs on Saturday, WCU continues to LEAD the NCAA with 162 total first downs recorded … the Catamounts lead fellow SoCon team Samford in second in the statistical category;
  • The Catamounts have recorded 30-or-more points in 17 of the 28 games under Kerwin and Kade Bell … Saturday was the 10th game that the Catamounts had scored 40-or-more points in a single outing;
  • WCU improved to 4-0 when leading after three quarters during the 2023 season and are 11-1 under Bell in his Catamount career ... the Catamounts improved to 3-0 on the season and a perfect 9-0 under Bell in games they've eclipsed the 40-point mark … Saturday marked the  
  • Sophomore RB Desmond Reid rushed for a career-high 211 yards in just over two quarters of action before exiting with an apparent injury … For Reid, it was his fifth-straight game of surpassing the 100-yard rushing mark – and the eighth time in his WCU career that he's gone over 100-yards in a single game … Reid's 211 yards are tied for the 10th-most in a single-game in the NCAA FCS this season;
  • Reid became the 13th different Catamount player to eclipse the 200-yard plateau with his 211 on the ground ... His performance was the 16th, 200-yard rushing performance in program history … Reid is the first back to gain over 200 yards in a game since Detrez Newsome tallied 277 in 2016 – also coming against Chattanooga;
  • Following Saturday's game, Reid currently LEADS the NCAA FCS with 847 rushing yards and a 141.8 rushing yards per game average;
  • Reid picked up his team-high 11th rushing score of the season with a 70-yard scamper in the second quarter on a one-play scoring drive … His 70-yard rush for a TD represents the 16th-longest run from scrimmage in program history and is the longest for a Catamount since Rogan Wells went for 82 yards in 2021 at Gardner-Webb … Reid later added his 12th rushing score in the early stages of the third quarter from 58 yards out;
  • Reid has at least one rushing touchdown in the last SEVEN games for the Catamounts dating back to the 2022 season-finale meeting with the Mocs and has a rushing score in nine career games at WCU … Reid moved into a three-way tie for SIXTH in the program's single-season record book on Saturday with his two touchdowns, currently with 12 scores – just FOUR shy of matching the program's single-season record held by Darrell Lipford (16, 1977);
  • Sophomore QB Cole Gonzales connected on three passing scores on Saturday for his fourth game of the 2023 season connecting on multiple passing touchdowns ... He's had nine games with multiple passing touchdowns in his WCU career including six against SoCon foes;
  • Gonzales moved into NINTH in WCU's career record books with his three TD passes on Saturday, giving him 25 over his first two seasons … He moved past former teammate Carlos Davis who recorded 23 from 2020-22;
  • Sophomore WR Censere Lee recorded two receiving touchdowns for the second multi-score game this season and the third of his WCU career … the two TDs give him a team-best six receiving scores on the season … the 55-yard touchdown reception in the first half is his longest of the 2023 season;
  • Sophomore RB Branson Adams's 37-yard rushing score in the final minute of the third quarter marked the first time that the Greensboro, N.C. native had found the endzone in his career ON THE GROUND … It was also his third touchdown of the season, coupled with the game-winning receiving score at EKU and a TD catch against Charleston Southern;
  • Senior WR David White Jr. came down with his second receiving score of the season in the early stages of the fourth quarter on a 37-yard catch from Cole Gonzales … For White, it was his seventh career receiving score over the past two seasons at WCU;
  • Western Carolina's offensive line did not surrender a sack on Saturday against Chattanooga which entered the game leading the SoCon with 15 sacks this season … Conversely, WCU posted three sacks on defense, the second-most this season while marking a third-straight game with at least one sack … WCU now has 13 sacks on the season – second in the SoCon – while having only surrendered three on the year, tied for the second-fewest surrendered by an offense this year in the NCAA FCS … Dartmouth has only allowed two to lead the nation;
  • WCU's three sacks were recorded by LB Va Lealaimatafao, DE Jayelin Davis, and LB Tyler Matheny … Lealaimatafao tallied his first sack of the season, and the third of his WCU career … Davis has 2.5 tackles this season … Matheny, a transfer from Virginia Tech, posted the first sack of his WCU career;
  • Western Carolina recorded a season-best two interceptions in Saturday's road win, the most interceptions in a game for WCU since also recording two in a win against VMI back in 2022;
  • Senior CB CJ Williams was credited with a career-best nine tackles to lead the Catamounts on Saturday that included eight solo stops … LB Ed Jones IV finished with seven tackles, tied for the second-most in a game in his WCU career – he also posted seven stops in the 2022 win over UTC;
  • Redshirt freshman DB Ken Moore Jr. recorded his first career interception in the final minute of the third quarter … Ed Jones IV later pushed the Catamounts in front 49-42 in the late stages of the fourth quarter with a 48-yard pick six … It was the first interception returned for a touchdown since Nov. 6, 2021, when Jacob Harris had a 41-yard pick-six return against Furman at home … Jones IV, a transfer from Cisco College, also posted both the first interception and touchdown of his WCU career;
  • For just the second time this season, WCU did not turn the football over on Saturday while creating two takeaways … It's just the second time this season WCU has won the turnover battle while also tying twice;
  • Redshirt senior PK Richard McCollum scored 10 points in Saturday's road win, connecting on seven PATs and the game-winning 32-yard field goal … Currently with 257 career points scored, McCollum remains FOURTH-place in program history for career scoring … McCollum is just 21 points shy of third-place (Detrez Newsome, 278 points, 2014-17) and 45 points shy of the program's all-time leader Kirk Roach (302 points, 1984-87);
  • McCollum's game-winning field goal gives him now has 40 made field goals for his WCU career (40-of-47, 85.1%) as he maintains possession of THIRD all-time in program history … McCollum trails second-place Dean Biasucci (57-of-70, 1980-83) and all-time leader Kirk Roach (71-of-101, 1984-87).
 
Miscellaneous Notes:
  • WCU's captains for Saturday's game were represented by the offensive and defensive line – DL #0 Bryce Wilson, OL #70 Christian Coulter, OL #74 Tyler Smith, and DL #90 Marlon Alexander … WR #7 David White Jr. was selected to carry the American flag during the team's pregame entrance;
  • Western Carolina won the opening coin toss and elected to receive … Chattanooga kicked off to begin the game and received to start the second half;
  • Chattanooga celebrated its Homecoming on Saturday at Finley Stadium.
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Players Mentioned

Carlos Davis

#5 Carlos Davis

QB
6' 3"
Junior
Jacob Harris

#3 Jacob Harris

S
6' 1"
Junior
Branson Adams

#22 Branson Adams

RB
5' 9"
Sophomore
Marlon Alexander

#90 Marlon Alexander

DL
6' 0"
Graduate Student
Christian Coulter

#70 Christian Coulter

OL
6' 5"
Senior
Jayelin Davis

#19 Jayelin Davis

DE
6' 0"
Senior
Cole Gonzales

#9 Cole Gonzales

QB
6' 0"
Sophomore
Ed Jones IV

#7 Ed Jones IV

LB
6' 1"
Junior
Va Lealaimatafao

#8 Va Lealaimatafao

LB
6' 1"
Senior
Censere Lee

#10 Censere Lee

WR
5' 11"
Sophomore
Richard McCollum

#89 Richard McCollum

K
5' 9"
Redshirt Senior
Ken Moore Jr.

#12 Ken Moore Jr.

CB
5' 10"
Redshirt Freshman

Players Mentioned

Carlos Davis

#5 Carlos Davis

6' 3"
Junior
QB
Jacob Harris

#3 Jacob Harris

6' 1"
Junior
S
Branson Adams

#22 Branson Adams

5' 9"
Sophomore
RB
Marlon Alexander

#90 Marlon Alexander

6' 0"
Graduate Student
DL
Christian Coulter

#70 Christian Coulter

6' 5"
Senior
OL
Jayelin Davis

#19 Jayelin Davis

6' 0"
Senior
DE
Cole Gonzales

#9 Cole Gonzales

6' 0"
Sophomore
QB
Ed Jones IV

#7 Ed Jones IV

6' 1"
Junior
LB
Va Lealaimatafao

#8 Va Lealaimatafao

6' 1"
Senior
LB
Censere Lee

#10 Censere Lee

5' 11"
Sophomore
WR
Richard McCollum

#89 Richard McCollum

5' 9"
Redshirt Senior
K
Ken Moore Jr.

#12 Ken Moore Jr.

5' 10"
Redshirt Freshman
CB