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Curtis Fann Jr. (6) and Blue Monroe (47) combine on a stop against Montana in Saturday's nationally-ranked showdown in Missoula, Mont.
Mark Haskett

Football Daniel Hooker, Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations

Postgame Notes - at No. 10/9 Montana

Postgame Notes
#10/9 Montana 46, RV/#24 Western Carolina 35
Washington-Grizzly Stadium – Missoula, Mont.
Att: 25,720
 
With the Loss:
  • Western Carolina dropped to 1-3 overall on the season as it finished nonconference play in the regular season … the Catamounts were also denied back-to-back road victories against nationally-ranked competition;
  • WCU dropped its 49th game all-time against NCAA FCS Top 10 competition – and suffered an 88th loss against a ranked NCAA FCS team dating back to 1983 … Gives the Catamounts a 16-88-3 record against nationally-ranked NCAA FCS competition;
  • Saturday's road loss at Montana was just the SECOND defeat in the last SIX games against FCS ranked competition for the Catamounts – (2022 – W, vs. #15 Chattanooga; 2023 – W, vs. #8 Samford; W, at #24 Chattanooga; L, vs. #4 Furman; 2024 – W, at #22 Elon; L, at #10/9 Montana);
Post-Game Notes:
  • Western Carolina's offense had its best performance of the season, recording a season-high 477 yards of total offense … WCU also accounted for season highs in total plays (75), points scored (35), first downs (25), pass completions (26), pass attempts (48) … the special teams accounted for a total of 90 return yards, a season-high just ahead of the 84 yards in the loss to Campbell;
  • WCU's offense scored on six of its 14 drives at Montana including five of its eight possessions in the first half;
  • Western Carolina held a 149-to-51-yard edge after the first quarter with a 14-0 lead … In the second quarter, though, Montana scored 21 points and had 249 yards of total offense … Both teams eclipsed the 300-yard mark of offense in the first half – 305 by WCU, 300 by Montana;
  • WCU was limited to 76 yards of total offense in the third quarter – 27 rushing yards and 49 passing;
  • QB Cole Gonzales had his best day of the 2024 season, finishing 26-of-48 for 340 yards … It marked the fourth 300+ yard passing performance of his WCU career – and second with exactly 340 passing yards – (2023 – 340 yds at Eastern Kentucky; 338 yds vs. Mercer; 363 yds vs. ETSU; 2024 – 340 yds at Montana) … Through games played on Saturday (Sept. 21), Gonzalez ranks 21st in the NCAA FCS for passing yards in a game;
  • Gonzales moved into eighth place in WCU's career record books with 5,116 career passing yards, by-passing Ronnie Mixon (5,099 yards from 1979-82);
  • With two passing touchdowns at Montana, Gonzales now has 43 career TD tosses – tied for the third-most in WCU football history … He is tied with Mike Pusey (43, 1977-79) … Gonzales is now just seven shy of second-place Troy Mitchell (50, 2012-15) and all-time leader Tyrie Mitchell (64, 2016-19);
  • Gonzales moved into fifth place on WCU's career total offense chart now with a total of 5,568 yards, eclipsing both Brian Gaither (5,286 from 2001-03) and Jeff Gilbert (5,343 yards from 1981-84) … He is now just 295 yards shy of fourth-place Mike Pusey (5,863 yards from 1977-79);
  • RB Branson Adams recorded a career-best two rushing touchdowns at Montana giving him four scores this season and a combined seven rushing touchdowns in his career … His 91 rushing yards represent a season-high and the second-most in his WCU career, just behind his career-best of 110 yards against ETSU last season;
  • Redshirt sophomore WR De'Andre Tamarez caught a career-high eight passes for a career-best 229 receiving yards at Montana … It was just the SIXTH 200-yard receiving performance by a Catamount receiver all-time … His 229 receiving yards were the most by a Catamount receiver since Karnorris Benson had 212 receiving yards against Mars Hill back in 2013 … the 229 yards receiving by Tamarez mark the THIRD-most by a Catamount receiver all-time – Jon Reed (235 yards vs. App State in 1989) and Craig Aiken (232 yards against The Citadel in 1992);
  • With 229 receiving yards, Tamarez currently ranks SECOND in the NCAA FCS for most yardage in a single game – second only to Elijah Stewart of Lafayette who posted 244 yards against Monmouth back on Sept. 7, 2024 … His 229 yards are the most by a receiver in the SoCon this season;
  • Freshman WR James Randle completed a wide receiver pass for 34 yards, his first career completion coming on his first pass attempt;
  • CB Jordy Lowery came up with his second interception of the season that currently leads the team … WCU has had at least one interception in each of its first four games of the 2024 season;
  • Lowery also led WCU with a career-high nine tackles … S Bo Simpson-Nealy also posted his career-best with eight total tackles at Montana;
  • The Catamounts recorded a total of 7.0 tackles for loss at Montana … Coupled with the nine TFLs in the season-opener at NC State, seven against Campbell, and eight at Elon, the Catamounts have 31.0 tackles for loss this season – second in the SoCon (Mercer, 30.0) and tied for 12th in the NCAA FCS, averaging 7.8 tackles per loss per game;
  • Paxton Robertson had a season-high five touchbacks on kickoffs at Montana … It was the second-most in a single-game in his career – that came last year against Charleston Southern (7).
Miscellaneous Notes:
  • WCU's captains for Saturday's game were redshirt senior DL #6 Curtis Fann Jr.; senior LB #15 Antoine Williams; redshirt senior OL #66 Derek Simmons; and redshirt senior OL ##74 Jordan Daniels;
  • WCU wore its white jerseys over purple pants marking the fourth of four-consecutive weeks that the Catamounts wore their white jersey … It was the fifth time under Kerwin Bell that WCU wore the white-over-purple look, falling to 2-3 all-time in that uniform combo;
  • Montana had its 13th-consecutive regular-season sellout crowd on Saturday at 25,720 … the Griz also won its 14th-straight home game and 18th-consecutive home game against nonconference opposition at Washington-Grizzly Stadium;
  • Western Carolina won the opening coin toss and elected to receive … WCU received the opening kickoff.
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Players Mentioned

Branson Adams

#2 Branson Adams

RB
5' 9"
Junior
Paxton Robertson

#46 Paxton Robertson

K
6' 0"
Senior
Bo Simpson-Nealy

#21 Bo Simpson-Nealy

DB
5' 10"
Redshirt Freshman
Curtis Fann Jr.

#6 Curtis Fann Jr.

DL
6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
Cole Gonzales

#9 Cole Gonzales

QB
6' 0"
Junior
Jordy Lowery

#16 Jordy Lowery

CB
5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
Derek Simmons

#66 Derek Simmons

OL
6' 6"
Senior
De

#4 De'Andre Tamarez

WR
5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
Antoine Williams

#15 Antoine Williams

LB
5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Jordan Daniels

#74 Jordan Daniels

OL
6' 5"
Redshirt Senior
James Randle

#19 James Randle

WR
6' 0"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Branson Adams

#2 Branson Adams

5' 9"
Junior
RB
Paxton Robertson

#46 Paxton Robertson

6' 0"
Senior
K
Bo Simpson-Nealy

#21 Bo Simpson-Nealy

5' 10"
Redshirt Freshman
DB
Curtis Fann Jr.

#6 Curtis Fann Jr.

6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
DL
Cole Gonzales

#9 Cole Gonzales

6' 0"
Junior
QB
Jordy Lowery

#16 Jordy Lowery

5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
CB
Derek Simmons

#66 Derek Simmons

6' 6"
Senior
OL
De

#4 De'Andre Tamarez

5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
WR
Antoine Williams

#15 Antoine Williams

5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
LB
Jordan Daniels

#74 Jordan Daniels

6' 5"
Redshirt Senior
OL
James Randle

#19 James Randle

6' 0"
Freshman
WR