Quarterback Lex Thomas accounted for 215 total yards, including 163 yards passing and 52 rushing yards with three touchdowns in Saturday's SoCon road loss at ETSU.

Mark Haskett

Football 9/26/2026 11:45:00 PM Daniel Hooker, Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations

Postgame Notes - at ETSU (9/26/26)

Postgame Notes
ETSU 58, Western Carolina 31
William B. Greene Jr. Stadium
Johnson City, Tenn. | Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026
Att: 9,204

With the loss:

The Catamounts fell to 2-3 on the season and dropped their Southern Conference opener (0-1);
WCU suffered its third-straight defeat in the head-to-head series with ETSU, as the Buccaneers retained possession of 'the Rock' traveling trophy … WCU fell to 3-6 all-time in the trophy series;
WCU's current three-game slide against ETSU is the longest since dropping four straight meetings from 1994-1997 … WCU also fell to 5-3 against ETSU when the two meet in the Southern Conference openers;
The Catamounts saw their three-game win streak in Southern Conference openers snapped, suffering their first league-opening loss since 2022 … WCU fell to 25-25 in is SoCon opener, celebrating its 50th year in the SoCon – the Catamounts are also 8-19 when the league opener is played on the road.

Post-Game Notes:

ETSU's 58 points were the most the Buccaneers had scored in the all-time series against Western Carolina, matching WCU's high of 58 scored back in 2023 in the 58-7 win for the Catamounts in Cullowhee … the Bucs have scored 50+ points in each of the last two meetings – 58-31 in 2026 and 52-35 in 2025 – and have 50 or more points scored in three of the last six series meetings;
WCU has scored at least 20 points in each of the last six series meetings against ETSU, with at least 30 points in four of those matchups;
Despite surrendering 24 second-half points at ETSU – the most allowed to an NCAA FCS team this season – the Catamounts have continued to outscore their FCS opponents 99-31 this season;
WCU's offense struggled to get going at ETSU, held to just 17 total yards of offense on only seven combined plays and without a first down against the Buccaneers … the Catamounts did not record their first first down until around the 10-minute mark of the second quarter, coming on a Lex Thomas to Michael Rossin 14-yard pass play;
The Catamounts were limited to just four first downs in the opening two quarters … WCU finished with 23 first downs, right at its seasonal average … WCU responded in the second half, securing seven first downs in the third quarter and 12 in the fourth quarter alone;
Quarterback Lex Thomas rushed for a career-high three touchdowns in the road loss at ETSU, the most rushing TDs by a Catamount QB since Tyrie Adams ran for three in a win against Newberry in September of 2018 … According to available research, the three rushing TDs by Adams and Thomas are the most in a single-game ever by a Catamount quarterback;
Through five games, Thomas has five rushing touchdowns, the most by a quarterback under head coach Kerwin Bell, eclipsing the four by Rogan Wells back in 2021 – and are the most ground scores by a Catamount QB since Tyrie Adams ran for five back in 2019 … Thomas is second in the SoCon with five rushing scores;
Freshman WR Santana Carlos finished with a career-high four receptions for 37 yards, recording his first career touchdown coming on the first career TD pass b y freshman QB Patrick Harding in the fourth quarter … Harding finished 4-of-6 for 24 yards and a score;

Miscellaneous Notes:

Western Carolina's team captains for Saturday's game: DB #1 Ken Moore Jr; LB #11 Marco Patierno; OL #53 Zach Watson; TE #87 Jake Young;
DL #14 Vanier Baptiste carried the United States flag during the pregame runout and Dl #33 Gavin Rowell carried out the North Carolina flag, a tradition begun in the game following the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in 2024;
WCU won the opening coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff.

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