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Head coach Kerwin Bell leads the Catamounts to the field for Saturday night's matchup with No. 22 Elon.
Mark Haskett

Football Daniel Hooker, Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations

Catamounts Return to Stats Perform FCS Top 25

Cullowhee, N.C. – Following a tight road win at No. 22 Elon last Saturday, Western Carolina football returned to the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 poll at No. 24 this week as the media unveiled its weekly ranking.

The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Coaches Poll, the second most widely used and respected weekly tabulation for the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) has the Catamounts receiving votes in the latest poll announced on Monday.
 
Junior Cole Gonzales plunged into the end zone from six yards out to give Western Carolina its first lead of the day inside the final four minutes of regulation on Saturday evening and redshirt sophomore Jordy Lowery provided some distance with a scoop-and-score on a blocked field goal as the Catamounts rallied from a 14-3 third-quarter deficit to upset then 22nd-ranked Elon 24-17 at Rhodes Stadium.
 
Elsewhere around the Southern Conference, Mercer climbed to No. 14 from No. 23 as Chattanooga flipped spots falling to No. 23 from No. 14 in the media tabulation. Wofford and Furman remain just outside the top 25, as the Terriers are second among the others receiving votes.
 
Additionally, the final nonconference foe on WCU's schedule also appeared in Monday's release as Montana slid one position into ninth spot in the media poll as the Grizzles rank 10th in the coaches poll.
 
Western Carolina (1-2) closes out the nonconference schedule this Saturday, Sept. 21 when the Catamounts travel to Missoula, Montana to face the Grizzles with kickoff set for 3 p.m. ET/1 p.m. MT from Washington-Grizzly Stadium. Montana comes into Saturday's tilt off of a 59-2 win over Morehead State on Saturday in Missoula.

Fans can stream Saturday's game through ESPN+ (paid subscription required) as coverage is also available through the Catamount Sports Network beginning with the Pepsi Tailgate Show at 12 p.m. MT ahead of the 1 p.m. kickoff locally. Fans across Western North Carolina can listen to the game locally on five CSN affiliate frequencies: in Sylva on 105.7 FM and 540 AM WRGC, "The River" (WRGC.com); 104.9 FM and 1050 AM WFSC, "Franklin's First Voice" in Franklin (1050WFSC.com); and 1310 AM WISE Sports Radio in Asheville (wisesportsradio.com). Live streaming audio is available online at CatamountSports.com.

Fans can additionally follow Saturday's game with live stats accessible online at CatamountSports.com with timely in-game updates on TwitterX following @Catamounts and @CatamountsFB.
 
Single-game tickets and game day parking permits for each of WCU's home dates remain on sale now through the WCU Athletics Ticket Office, located on the first floor of the Ramsey Center, or by phone at (828) 227-2401. Fans can also purchase tickets and game day parking in advance online at CatamountSports.com/BuyTickets. Game day parking is $15 in advance and $20 on game days.
 
Keep track of everything related to Catamount football and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (FB.com/CatamountSports, FB.com/WesternCarolinaFootball), Twitter (@catamounts, @CatamountsFB), and Instagram (wcu_catamounts, catamountsfb).

This Week in Catamount Athletics & Catamount Football:
Mon., Sept. 16 – Catamount Football Weekly presented by Stanberry Insurance at Rodgers Bros (6 p.m.)
Mon., Sept. 16-17 – JT Poston Invitational – Waynesville Inn & Golf Club
Thurs., Sept. 19 – Catamount Women's Soccer SoCon Opener – vs. Samford (CAC, 7 p.m.)
Sat., Sept. 21 – Catamount Football at #9/10 Montana (1 pm MT)
Sun., Sept. 22 – Catamount Women's Soccer– vs. Mercer (CAC, 2 p.m.)
 
Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll (Sept. 16)
 
1. South Dakota State (2-1, 0–0 MVFC), 1,380 points (41 of 56 first-place votes)
Previous Ranking: 1; Week 3: 24-3 win over Augustana; Week 4: at Southeastern Louisiana
 
2. North Dakota State (2-1, 0-0 MVFC), 1,311 (5)
Previous Ranking: 2; Week 3: 38-35 win at ETSU; Week 4: Towson
 
3. Montana State (3-0, 0-0 Big Sky), 1,296 (7)
Previous Ranking: 3; Week 3: No game; Week 4: Mercyhurst
 
4. Idaho (2-1, 0-0 Big Sky), 1,255 (3)
Previous Ranking: 4; Week 3: 41-13 win over then-No. 17 UAlbany; Week 4: at No. 19 Abilene Christian
 
5. Villanova (3-0, 1-0 CAA), 1,131
Previous Ranking: 5; Week 3: 14-13 win over Towson; Week 4: at Maryland
 
6. South Dakota (1-1, 0-0 MVFC), 1,108
Previous Ranking: 6; Week 3: Canceled at Portland State; Week 4: Drake
 
7. Southern Illinois (2-1, 0-0 MVFC), 986
Previous Ranking: 9; Week 3: 35-28 win at then-No. 12 UIW; Week 4: No. 21 Southeast Missouri
 
8. Central Arkansas (2-1, 1-0 UAC), 983
Previous Ranking: 7; Week 3: 45-17 win over Austin Peay; Week 4: at Arkansas-Pine Bluff
 
9. Montana (2-1, 0-0 Big Sky), 961
Previous Ranking: 8; Week 3: 59-2 win over Morehead State; Week 4: No. 24 Western Carolina
 
10. North Dakota (2-1, 0-0 MVFC), 911
Previous Ranking: 10; Week 3: 52-28 win over Idaho State; Week 4: San Diego
 
11. Sacramento State (1-2, 0-0 Big Sky), 881
Previous Ranking: 11; Week 3: 34-7 win over then-No. 24 Nicholls; Week 4: at Texas A&M-Commerce
 
12. William & Mary (2-1, 0-0 CAA), 738
Previous Ranking: 13; Week 3: 28-21 win at Wofford; Week 4: Furman
 
13. UC Davis (2-1, 0-0 Big Sky), 653
Previous Ranking: 15; Week 3: 24-21 win at Southern Utah; Week 4: Utah Tech
 
14. Mercer (3-0, 1-0 SoCon), 575
Previous Ranking: 23; Week 3: 10-3 win at then-No. 14 Chattanooga; Week 4: The Citadel
 
15. UIW (1-2, 0-0 Southland), 565
Previous Ranking: 12; Week 3: 35-28 loss at then-No. 9 Southern Illinois; Week 4: Northern Arizona
 
16. Tarleton State (2-1, 0-0 UAC), 539
Previous Ranking: 16; Week 3: No game; Week 4: at North Alabama
 
17. Illinois State (2-1, 0-0 MVFC), 51
Previous Ranking: 18; Week 3: 51-34 win over Western Illinois; Week 4: Eastern Illinois
 
18. Lafayette (2-1, 0-0 Patriot), 444
Previous Ranking: 19; Week 3: 56-14 win over Marist; Week 4: at Columbia
 
19. Abilene Christian (2-1, 1-0 UAC), 283
Previous Ranking: 25; Week 3: 24-22 win at Northern Colorado; Week 4: No. 4 Idaho
 
20. UAlbany (1-2, 0-0 CAA), 255
Previous Ranking: 17; Week 3: 41-13 loss at then-No. 4 Idaho; Week 4: No game
 
21. Southeast Missouri (2-1, 1-0 Big South-OVC), 218
Previous Ranking: NR; Week 3: No game; Week 4: at No. 7 Southern Illinois
 
22. Lamar (1-2, 0-0 Southland), 184
Previous Ranking: NR; Week 3: 17-16 win over then-No. 20 Weber State; Week 4: Texas Southern
 
23. Chattanooga (0-3, 0-1 SoCon), 133
Previous Ranking: 14; Week 3: 10-3 loss to then-No. 23 Mercer; Week 4: No game
 
24. Western Carolina (1-2, 0-0 SoCon), 125
Previous Ranking: NR; Week 3: 24-17 win at then-No. 22 Elon; Week 4: at No. 9 Montana
 
25. Northern Iowa (2-1, 0-0 MVFC), 103
Previous Ranking: NR; Week 3: 34-3 loss at Nebraska; Week 4: at Hawaii
 
Dropped Out: Weber State (20), Youngstown State (21), Elon (22), Nicholls (24)
 
Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Florida A&M (2-1, 0-0 SWAC) 82; Wofford (2-1, 0-0 SoCon) 82; Richmond (1-2, 0-0 CAA) 80; Eastern Illinois (1-2, 0-1 Big South-OVC) 53; Rhode Island (2-1, 1-0 CAA) 52; Weber State (1-2, 1-0 Big Sky) 49; Youngstown State (1-2, 0-0 MVFC) 39; Elon (1-2, 0-0 CAA) 34; Furman (1-2, 0-0 SoCon) 30; Southern Utah (1-2, 0-0 UAC) 22; Northern Arizona (2-1, 0-0 Big Sky) 20; Nicholls (0-3, 0-0 Southland) 17; North Carolina Central (1-2, 0-0 MEAC) 15; Duquesne (1-2, 0-0 NEC) 13; Campbell (1-2, 0-1 CAA) 11; ETSU (1-2, 0-0 SoCon) 11; Harvard (0-0, 0-0 Ivy) 8; Drake (1-0, 0-0 Pioneer) 7; New Hampshire (2-1, 0-0 CAA) 5; McNeese (2-2, 1-0 Southland) 3; Towson (1-2, 0-1 CAA) 2

 
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Players Mentioned

Cole Gonzales

#9 Cole Gonzales

QB
6' 0"
Junior
Jordy Lowery

#16 Jordy Lowery

CB
5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Cole Gonzales

#9 Cole Gonzales

6' 0"
Junior
QB
Jordy Lowery

#16 Jordy Lowery

5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
CB