Cullowhee, N.C. – The best game-day atmosphere in The Southern Conference roars back to life through the valleys of western North Carolina on Saturday as No. 19/18 Western Carolina opens its highly anticipated six-game home schedule, hosting regional rival Gardner-Webb at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field. Kickoff of WCU's first night game since 2021 is scheduled for 6 p.m. as part of the First Bank First Weekend.
Saturday's 2025 football season opener will be capped by a postgame fireworks extravaganza, as bursts of color again fill the Western Sky, presented by Ingles, 99.9 Kiss Country, and Star 104.3. Parking lots on campus open at 8 a.m. with sanctioned tailgates permitting alcohol consumption three and a half hours before kickoff, or 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, ahead of the 6 p.m. start.
First Bank's First Weekend culminates on Sunday evening at the Catamount Athletics Complex as the women's soccer team, fresh off a road win over ACC-foe NC State, hosts second-ranked Tennessee at 6 p.m. in Cullowhee. Admission to the match is free all season long, courtesy of First Bank. A large crowd is expected, and fans are encouraged to arrive early for the SoCon-SEC match-up.
Saturday's football game against Gardner-Webb will be broadcast on ESPN+ (
paid subscription required), with Catamount Sports Network coverage beginning with the Pepsi Tailgate Show at 5 p.m. Four network affiliates across the mountains are set to carry the CSN broadcasts this season, including longtime affiliates 105.7 FM and 540 AM WRGC in Sylva; 104.9 FM and 1050 AM in Franklin; and WISE Sports Radio 1310 AM in Asheville. Back after carrying select broadcasts a year ago is 96.1 and 105.9 WBRM, BIGFOOT Country in Marion, N.C.
Fans can find live stat links and listen to the Catamount Sports Network anywhere in the world by visiting CatamountSports.com. In-game updates will also be available on X, following @Catamounts and @CatamountsFB.
Limited tickets and game-day parking passes are still available for purchase through the Catamount Athletics ticket office, online at CatamountSports.com, in person at the Ramsey Center on the first floor, or by phone at (828) 227-2401. Fans should check out
"Things to Know Before You Go" for additional game day details surrounding Saturday's opener.
Storylines Entering Saturday's 2025 Season Opener:
Nationally-ranked Western Carolina out of the Southern Conference hosts Gardner-Webb to open the 2025 season. The Catamounts are riding the momentum of a third-straight winning season – its longest such streak since three in a row from 1992 through 1994. WCU completed consecutive seven-win seasons a year ago, collecting a school-record six SoCon victories to finish in second place in the highly competitive league.
The Catamounts enter the game with a number affixed next to their name for a second straight season – and for just the third time since 1994, entering Saturday's opener against the Runnin' Bulldogs. WCU was ranked No. 19 in the AFCA Coaches Preseason Poll for a second straight season, while clocking in at No. 18 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 media poll. WCU was ranked 16th by FCS Nation Radio in its preseason tabulations.
Western Carolina's offense continued to put up video game-like numbers in 2024, eclipsing the 5,000-yard mark for a fourth consecutive season under head coach
Kerwin Bell. That mark included a school-record 4,029 passing yards, the only time the Purple & Gold have eclipsed the 4K mark through the air. On the ground,
Branson Adams was the leading rusher a year ago, amassing a career-best 749 yards and four of WCU's 20 scores. He is flanked by the versatile athlete
Patrick Boyd Jr., who converted from wide receiver a year ago. The former high school quarterback, receiver, and tailback averaged five yards per carry in just surpassing the 200-yard mark with a TD.
Redshirt junior WR
Malik Knight leads a deep and talented wide receivers room, catching 23 passes for 392 yards and a score a season ago as part of WCU's record-setting 2024 through the air. Fellow returner
Jai Boyd flanks Knight, with a bevy of fresh faces expected to contribute in WCU's aerial attack under Bell.
On defense, second-year coordinator
Jerry Odom has high expectations for the potential of his defense group. The Catamounts intercepted 21 passes last season, marking just the seventh time in program history WCU hit or surpassed the 20 threshold. The 21 picks were the most for the squad since 1986. Nine of those turnovers return this season in
Ken Moore Jr. (4),
Samaurie Dukes (2),
Zayveon Wells (2), and
Bo Simpson-Nealy (1).
Senior
Hayward McQueen Jr. led WCU's defensive rotation in tackles a year ago as the Catamounts return six of their top 11 tacklers. Tag-team partners at the bandit position,
Caleb Fisher (7.0 TFL, 2.5 sacks) and
Micah Nelson (6.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks) return to lead the defensive front, with linebacker
Blue Monroe and his team-best eight tackles for loss joins McQueen.
About Saturday's Opponent – Gardner-Webb:
Gardner-Webb enters 2025 following a 4-8 season a year ago under then first-year head coach Cris Reisert. The Runnin' Bulldogs have retooled for this fall to the tune of 45 transfers, including 15 from the NCAA FBS level that features a pair of quarterbacks vying for the starting job. Marshall transfer Cole Pennington, whose father is Chad Pennington of Thundering Herd fame, and Nate Hampton, a North Carolina product in his fifth season as a graduate transfer from Liberty, are the two likely candidates.
The Runnin' Bulldogs play in the OVC-Big South Association, a league that includes two current Big South football-playing members – GW and Charleston Southern – and seven Ohio Valley Conference members in Eastern Illinois, Lindenwood, Southeast Missouri, Tennessee State, preseason favorite Tennessee Tech – who joins the SoCon in 2026 – UT-Martin, and Western Illinois. Gardner-Webb was picked in a two-way tie for sixth in the Association this season.
Saturday marks GWU's first opener against a nationally-ranked FCS opponent since the spring season of 2021.
Offensively, Gardner-Webb returns seven starters, including its biggest offensive threat in wide receiver Anthony Lowe. He caught 40 balls for a team-leading 523 yards a season ago with three touchdowns. On defense, Antonio O'Berry headlines five returning starters after compiling a team-best seven sacks last season that included four in one game along the defensive front against Eastern Illinois.
Western Carolina vs. Gardner-Webb – All-Time Series:
The Catamounts enter Saturday's matchup holding a slim, 6-5, edge in the all-time series with Gardner-Webb. The Runnin' Bulldogs have matched their longest series win streak by claiming the last two meetings, 2019 in Cullowhee (L, 24-21) and most recently in Boiling Springs in 2021 –
Kerwin Bell's first season in Cullowhee – with a 52-34 victory for the Red & Black.
The two teams have met six times in Cullowhee, with the matchups evenly split, 3-3. The Runnin' Bulldogs have scored victories in two of their last three trips to Cullowhee, winning in 2019 and 2009, with WCU claiming the 2016 matchup.
All told, eight of the 11 series meetings have been decided by double-digit decisions, with just three of the series games coming down to one score. The last time the two teams met in Cullowhee, GWU escaped with a 24-21
Final Thoughts:
Both season and single-game tickets for the six home dates in #CatamountCountry 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. A reminder that game day parking is $15 in advance and $20 on game days.
With the construction ongoing for the Western Skybox, the usual Stadium Parking lot is offline this season. The Catamount Club has reserved parking in the Creek Lot, Fieldhouse Lot, Stadium Lot, and Camp Festival. Be reminded that patrons should park in their designated numbered spot ONLY.
Public parking is available in the North Baseball Parking Deck (
NO tailgating allowed) and South Baseball Lots on campus, the Health and Human Performance parking lots down Little Savannah Road (
free shuttle to the stadium), and various other lots across campus. Many of the lots located closest to the stadium are reserved and require game day parking passes, and be reminded that entering the weekend, parking at the H.F. Robinson Building is SOLD OUT. Student groups who have reserved space have tailgating opportunities in the Bardo Arts Center Lots. Remember that alcohol at tailgating is allowed three and a half hours before the announced kickoff time, and glass bottles are prohibited at every tailgate.
Both season and single-game tickets for the six home dates in #CatamountCountry 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. A reminder that 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/catamountsportsnetwork) and Twitter (@catamounts, @CatamountsFB).
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Game 1: Saturday, August 30, 2025 • 6:02 p.m.
Location: Cullowhee, N.C. (Bob Waters Field at E.J. Whitmire Stadium)
Records: Gardner-Webb (0-0) at 19/18 Western Carolina (0-0)
BROADCAST INFORMATION:
Video Stream: ESPN+ (
subscription required) / Watch ESPN app
Announcers: Daniel Hooker and Josh Thompson
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
PxP: Gary Ayers
Producer / Analyst: Jeff Bryson
2025 CSN Radio Affiliates:
Sylva – 105.7 FM / 540 AM WRGC – wrgc.com
Franklin – 104.9 FM / 1050 AM WFSC – 1050wfsc.com
Asheville – 1310 AM WISE Sports Radio – wisesportsradio.com
Marion – 103.9 FM / 1250 AM Bigfoot Country (bigfoot1039.com)
Online:
CatamountSports.com
Click HERE to Listen to the Catamount Sports Network (CSN)
