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Patrick Boyd Jr. (1) broke off a 70-yard run in amassing a career-high 142 yards on the ground as part of 194 all-purpose yards against Gardner-Webb.
Mark Haskett

Football Daniel Hooker, Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations

Postgame Notes - vs. Gardner-Webb

Postgame Notes
Gardner-Webb 52, (19/18) Western Carolina 45
E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field
Cullowhee, N.C. | Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025
Att: 11,889
 
With the Loss:
  • Western Carolina suffered its third straight season-opening loss, falling to 1-4 all-time under head coach Kerwin Bell in a season's first game;
  • WCU's two-game win streak dating back to last season was halted with Saturday's defeat … the  Catamounts defeated VMI (58-28) and won at Samford (47-42) to conclude the 2024 season, finishing with seven victories, including a school-record six SoCon wins;
  • Dating back to last season, the Catamounts have now dropped their last SEVEN straight games as a nationally-ranked NCAA FCS team:
    • No. 14 WCU fell at VMI to conclude 2023, effectively ending WCU's hopes for a return to the NCAA FCS postseason;
    • In 2024, the 20th-ranked Catamounts fell at NC State in the season-opener, 38-21, but advanced to No. 17 in the polls … the following week, the 17th-ranked Cats dropped their home opener to Campbell;
    • After winning at Elon, WCU moved back into the Top 25 at No. 24, but that week fell at No. 10 Montana (46-35)
    • WCU also had 2024 losses at Mercer (44-34, ranked No. 24) and at ETSU (24-21, ranked No. 22), ahead of last Saturday's loss to Gardner-Webb;
  • With the loss, the all-time series between WCU and Gardner-Webb is even at 6-6 all-time, and the Runnin' Bulldogs have won three-straight, their longest consecutive game win streak in series history.
 
Post-Game Notes:
  • Western Carolina's 45 points were the most by a Catamount squad in an opener since putting 52 on the board at Charleston Southern in 2022 … It also marked the second-most point hung on the scoreboard by WCU under head coach Kerwin Bell … the 52 points surrendered were the most by a Catamount opponent since the 2023 opener at Arkansas when the Razorbacks scored 56;
  • A combined 22 Catamounts made their first appearances on the field for the Purple & Gold, with nine true or redshirt freshman and 13 transfers – including starters WR Dominic Dutton, OL Ilija Krajnovic, and OL Renard Smith on offense, and DB Cam'Ron Dabney, LB Jordan Thompson, and DL Jahleel Anderson;
  • WCU redshirt sophomore QB Bennett Judy made his first career start in Saturday's season opener, posting a career-high 15-of-27 passing for a career-best 151 yards and two touchdowns … redshirt freshman QB #11 Isaac Lee made his collegiate debut, tossing a 69-yard TD strike to Malik Knight;
  • Redshirt sophomore RB #1 Patrick Boyd Jr. ran for a career-best 142 yards as part of amassing a career-high 194 all-purpose yards … Among his 142 yards was a career-long 70-yard romp … Returning redshirt junior RB Camury Reid has a triumphant return to Cullowhee, scoring his first and second career touchdowns, coming on just six touches and seven yards gained;
  • Redshirt freshman WR #16 James Tyre and true freshman WR #80 Trey Walker both caught their first career touchdown passes in the loss to Gardner-Webb … Tyre led the team with five catches and 66 receiving yards … Walker's score came on his first career reception, a 25-yard strike … Redshirt junior WR #7 Malik Knight caught one pass, a season's best 69-yard scoring strike from Isaac Lee, his first career passing TD and the second career  scoring reception by Knight;
  • Senior LB Hayward McQueen Jr. was credited with a career and game-high 15 tackles against Gardner-Webb … It was his fourth double-digit tackle effort in a Catamount uniform … He also forced a fumble on a quarterback sack;
  • In just his 10th career game, sophomore CB #12 Hasaan Sykes came up with WCU's first interception of the season, a year removed from recording 21 picks;
 
Miscellaneous Notes:
  • Western Carolina's team captains for Saturday's 2025 opener were senior RB #2 Branson Adams … senior LB #5 Hayward McQueen Jr. … senior DE #11 Caleb Fisher … and senior TE #86 Brayden Blackmon;
  • Fifth-year senior DL #90 Jamichael Wilson carried out the United States flag during the team's entrance … redshirt junior LB #47 Blue Monroe carried out the State of North Carolina flag, a tradition the Catamounts began the week following the devastation across western North Carolina by Hurricane Helene in 2024.


 
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Players Mentioned

Jamichael Wilson

#90 Jamichael Wilson

DT
6' 3"
Fifth Year
Brayden Blackmon

#86 Brayden Blackmon

TE
6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
Patrick Boyd Jr.

#1 Patrick Boyd Jr.

RB
5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore
Caleb Fisher

#1 Caleb Fisher

DE
6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
Bennett Judy

#17 Bennett Judy

QB
6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
Malik Knight

#7 Malik Knight

WR
6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
Isaac Lee

#11 Isaac Lee

QB
6' 4"
Redshirt Freshman
Hayward McQueen Jr.

#5 Hayward McQueen Jr.

LB
6' 1"
Senior
Blue Monroe

#47 Blue Monroe

LB
6' 1"
Redshirt Junior
Hasaan Sykes

#12 Hasaan Sykes

CB
6' 0"
Sophomore
James Tyre

#16 James Tyre

WR
5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore
Ilija Krajnovic

#77 Ilija Krajnovic

OL
6' 8"
Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

Jamichael Wilson

#90 Jamichael Wilson

6' 3"
Fifth Year
DT
Brayden Blackmon

#86 Brayden Blackmon

6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
TE
Patrick Boyd Jr.

#1 Patrick Boyd Jr.

5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore
RB
Caleb Fisher

#1 Caleb Fisher

6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
DE
Bennett Judy

#17 Bennett Judy

6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
QB
Malik Knight

#7 Malik Knight

6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
WR
Isaac Lee

#11 Isaac Lee

6' 4"
Redshirt Freshman
QB
Hayward McQueen Jr.

#5 Hayward McQueen Jr.

6' 1"
Senior
LB
Blue Monroe

#47 Blue Monroe

6' 1"
Redshirt Junior
LB
Hasaan Sykes

#12 Hasaan Sykes

6' 0"
Sophomore
CB
James Tyre

#16 James Tyre

5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore
WR
Ilija Krajnovic

#77 Ilija Krajnovic

6' 8"
Redshirt Senior
OL