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THE GAME
Gardner-Webb will wrap up the 2015 season on Saturday, hosting Monmouth at 1:30 pm in Ernest W. Spangler Stadium. The Runnin' Bulldogs and Hawks are currently part of a four-way tie for third place in the league standings with Liberty and Kennesaw State. Saturday's game will air live on the Big South Network (bigsouthsports.com), with Fabian Fuentes and Ben Fuller on the call. Brendan Boylan and Tyler Helms will do the honors on wgwg.org, the audio home of GWU athletics.

SERIES NOTES
Saturday marks the second meeting between Monmouth and Gardner-Webb in football, with the Hawks joining the Big South as an associate football member prior to the 2014 season ... Monmouth won last season's finale in West Long Branch, N.J., by a 31-15 score on November 22 ... the Hawks forced six Gardner-Webb turnovers (three fumbles, three interceptions) and turned those directly into 17 points ... Monmouth also sacked GWU quarterback Lucas Beatty six times and turned a 17-7 halftime lead into a 31-7 edge early in the fourth quarter ... Beatty and Bobby Clark each scored rushing touchdowns to account for Gardner-Webb's scoring ... Jacob Henderson caught a two-point conversion pass after Clark's score for the final margin ... The two teams have each beaten Liberty and Presbyterian for their two league wins in 2015 ... The duo also share common losses to Kennesaw State, #4/4 Coastal Carolina and #8/9 Charleston Southern ... Monmouth had #1 Coastal Carolina on the ropes before falling 23-20 in October on a last-second field goal.

HOME FIELD SUCCESS
Gardner-Webb is 11-5 over its last 16 home games, dating back to 2013. The Runnin' Bulldogs have also won 14 of their last 20, dating back to 2012. GWU went 5-1 at home in 2013, with wins over Furman, #11 Richmond and #12 Charleston Southern. Notable wins in Spangler Stadium last season came vs. Wofford (43-36) and Charlotte (27-24). The Runnin' Bulldogs play six of their 11 games this season in Spangler Stadium – the second time in three seasons that the home crowd has been treated to a six-game home slate. The 'Dogs are 3-2 at home so far this season – with a win over #15 Liberty the early highlight. Gardner-Webb is closing the season with two consecutive home games for the first time since the 2006 season.

WEAR THE WHITE PANTS
Gardner-Webb has worn its white Under Armour pants three times so far in 2015. In those three games, GWU has posted a 2-1 record and has averaged 28.3 points per game. The lone loss came in the season opener at Division I FBS South Alabama (33-23). In its two home wins wearing the white pants, GWU has averaged 408 yards of total offense and 31.0 ppg – while the defense has allowed only one offensive touchdown in those two games.

THE HEAD COACHES
Gardner-Webb head coach Carroll McCray (Class of '83) returned to his alma mater in 2013 and has forged an 15-19 record so far in his time in Boiling Springs. Monmouth head coach Kevin Callahan is in his 23rd season in charge of the program he launched in 1993. Callahan is 130-108 during his time as the Hawks' head coach.

MAU WOW
Gardner-Webb nose guard OJ Mau (6-2, 319, Sr.) has continued to provide headaches for opposing offenses in 2015, ranking second among Big South defensive linemen with 55 hits (26 solo). Mau has recorded a career-best 13.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks in 10 games, despite consistent double teams in the middle. He managed eight stops and a sack in the win at Presbyterian (10/31), providing excellent pressure up the middle and on the edge and enjoyed another eight-tackle game vs. ETSU to go with 4.0 TFL and 2.0 sacks. The Masefau, American Samoa, standout blocked the second field goal of his career in the win over #15 Liberty (10/10) and has managed 33.5 tackles for loss in his 41 games played – with 32.0 coming over the last 32 games. Mau was named to the STATS FCS All-America Team in July and is also a member of the STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year Watch List. The preseason Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Year has twice earned postseason All-America honors (2013, 2014). Mau was also named to the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) FCS Defensive Awards Watch List in early November along with GWU linebacker Chad Geter. Mau is set to graduate from Gardner-Webb in December (Sociology) – just 3.5 years after arriving on campus at age 17.

THIRD DOWN DEFENSE
Gardner-Webb has fared well on third down defensively for much of the 2015 season, limiting opponents to a 27.0 percent success rate on third down through 10 games. That 37-for-137 effort ranks No. 5 nationally among 123 FCS programs and leads the Big South Conference. That third down effectiveness has also helped Gardner-Webb rank 14th nationally in first downs allowed – 153 through 10 games. It marks the second time in three seasons that GWU has ranked highly in both categories, finishing 11th in third down conversion defense in 2013 and seventh in first down defense.

FOUR ACES
Gardner-Webb's starting foursome at linebacker – Tanner Burch (6-3, 248, R-Sr.), Aaron Cook (6-1, 233, Jr.), Chad Geter (6-2, 242, R-Jr.) and Azziz Higgins (6-2, 230, Sr.) – were projected to be a strength for a veteran defensive unit and have lived up to those expectations. Through 10 games, each of the quartet has at least 72 tackles, with Geter (85 hits) and Higgins (80 hits) leading the way. All four men rank in the top-7 in the Big South in tackles per game through 10 contests and each of the four have multiple games this season with double figures tackles. Higgins topped the 200-tackle mark for his career at #8 Coastal Carolina, joining Burch (314 tackles) and Geter (220 tackles) in that club. Cook (187 tackles) should be the next man to top the 200-tackle mark – and could do so by the end of the 2015 campaign. The quartet has combined for 926 career stops.

BIG DAY JEBRAI
Gardner-Webb defensive end Jebrai Regan (6-2, 263, Sr.) will wrap up a career-best season on Saturday and has been a major cog in the Runnin' Bulldogs ranking No. 15 nationally through 10 games in total defense. The Woodstock, Ga., native entered the 2015 season with only 36 career tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in 34 games played. After packing on 15 pounds, Regan has nearly doubled those career numbers in 10 games this season, leading the Big South's defensive linemen with 56 total stops (26 solo) and ranking among the league's best with 12.0 tackles for loss. He has added 2.5 tackles for loss and leads the team with seven quarterback hurries. He has posted a career-high in tackles twice this season, collecting nine hits vs. Elon (9/12) and matching that with a dominant performance against ETSU (11/14). Regan had nine stops, 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack – along with four quarterback pressures in the 28-3 win over ETSU. He helped hold the Buccaneers to just 126 yards of total offense in the game (54 rushing) and led a surge up front that produced 12.0 tackles for loss on just 46 total defensive snaps.

BE LIKE MIKE
Tight end Mike Estes (6-4, 240, R-Jr.) continues to work himself higher in the Big South Conference and Gardner-Webb record books. The All-America candidate leads the team with 24 catches for 320 yards and a career-high five touchdowns in 2015 and has caught eight passes for 148 yards and two scores over the past three games combined. Estes became the first tight end in Big South history to top 1,000 yards for his career through the air (1,006) and needs just 15 more receptions to pass former teammate Seth Cranfill for first in career receptions. His 76 catches ranks third in Gardner-Webb history, behind Cranfill (90) and former All-America tight end Jason Bright (80). Bright, who played only one season in the Big South (2002), also ranks first in career yardage (1,050) and is tied with Estes for the top spot in career touchdown catches (8).

A FINAL TIME
Gardner-Webb will honor 14 seniors for the final time at Spangler Stadium Saturday afternoon: linebacker Tanner Burch; running back Bobby Clark; defensive end Phillip Fata; receiver Stanley Fleurant; linebacker Azziz Higgins; punter Dustin Holder; offensive lineman Dylan Hopper; safety Adam Johnson; nose guard OJ Mau; offensive tackle Matt McAlvin; defensive end Jebrai Regan; safety Corey Santiago; cornerback Jonathan Sherrill and cornerback Ivan Toomer. A dozen of those 14 seniors have started at least one game this season for the Runnin' Bulldogs – including eight on a defensive unit that ranks No. 15 nationally in total yardage allowed. All told, the group of 14 seniors has posted 244 career starts, 1,064 career tackles, 94.5 career tackles for loss, 44 career pass break ups, 21.5 career sacks and 12 career interceptions. The group has been honored as All-Big South six times collectively and on an FCS All-America team three times (Burch, 2012; Mau, 2013 and 2014). Two members of the senior class – Stanley Fleurant and Matt McAlvin – have already graduated and are currently enrolled in graduate school.

THE GETER METER
Outside SPUR linebacker Chad Geter (6-2, 242, R-Jr.) has been a force on the edge and in coverage for the Runnin' Bulldogs in 2015, returning to full steam after missing the final nine games of the 2014 campaign with an injury. The Irmo, S.C., native ranks third in the Big South Conference with a career-best 85 total tackles (54 solo) and has added a career-high 13.0 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks. He has four games this season with at least 10 stops and six with at least nine hits. Geter, who came to Gardner-Webb as a 195-pound safety, has totaled 220 career tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 quarterback sacks and 12 pass break ups during his time in Boiling Springs. He has 24.5 tackles for loss in his last 24 games played. His 13 hits behind the line in 2015 rank second in the Big South Conference – tied with teammate OJ Mau.

MAD MAX
After powering Gardner-Webb's offensive fortunes with his legs for much of the 2015 season, quarterback Tyrell Maxwell (6-2, 213, So.) unleashed his strong arm against ETSU, passing for a career-high 205 yards and two touchdowns on 13-of-23 accuracy. Maxwell added 63 yards rushing, leading the team in that category for the ninth time in nine starts. His 715 yards on the ground this season rank fourth all-time among quarterbacks in Big South history and is the top mark for Gardner-Webb quarterbacks in a single season. He is 30 yards away from becoming the eighth quarterback in league history to top 1,000 yards on the ground, joining former Gardner-Webb signal caller Nick Roberts (1,182 yards) in that exclusive club. Maxwell's 1,625 yards of total offense and 11 touchdowns accounted for are career-high numbers in his first season as a starter with the Runnin' Bulldogs.

THIS WEEK AROUND THE BIG SOUTH CONFERENCE
Thursday, November 19
#4/4 Coastal Carolina at Liberty, 7:00 pm (ESPN News)

Saturday, November 21
Monmouth at Gardner-Webb, 1:30 pm (Big South Network)
Kennesaw State at Presbyterian, 2:00 pm (Big South Network)
#8/9 Charleston Southern at #2 Alabama, 4:00 pm (SEC Network)

THE SAN DIEGO KID
Safety Spencer Havird (6-2, 192, R-So.) has come into his own in his second season as a starter, ranking among the Big South's best defensive backs in tackles (53) and ranks second the league with 12 passes defended (11 PBU, one INT). The former Valhalla (Calif.) High All-State selection also ranks among the Big South's best in tackles for loss (4.5) and sacks (2.0) among defensive backs. Havird, who collected a career-high 60 total tackles last season, is on pace to top that mark in 2015. He earned All-State honors in California after a spectacular senior season in 2012, recording 163 total tackles (112 solo), 11 interceptions and four fumble recoveries. Havird also starred for Valhalla High in basketball (16.8 ppg) and volleyball. He played in the same prep conference as former Gardner-Webb All-America and NFL Draft pick Brian Johnston (Madison HS) and current NFL players Reggie Bush (Helix) and Alex Smith (Helix).

ROOKIE ROAD GRADERS
Left tackle Will Millikan (6-4, 288, Fr.) has started all but one game at arguably the toughest position on the field in his first season on a college campus. Millikan, an All-Area tackle at Pinecrest (N.C.) High, is the first true freshman to start at left tackle since Jamie Dunaway did so in 2009. Dunaway became a four-year starter and earned FCS All-America honors at guard following the 2013 season. Millikan was joined by redshirt tackle Charlie Eudy (6-2, 267, R-Fr.) in the starting lineup midway through the season. Eudy made six consecutive starts at right tackle after entering the lineup at Wofford (9/26). He moved over from defensive end two days into 2015 preseason camp.

MORE ON MAXWELL
Quarterback Tyrell Maxwell (6-2, 213, So.) has been a catalyst for successful offense in the three wins he has started under center this season – both running and throwing. Maxwell is averaging 113.7 yards per game with four rushing touchdowns in wins over #15 Liberty (10/10), Presbyterian (10/31) and ETSU (11/14), posting 6.1 yards per carry. Maxwell has posted a passer efficiency rating of 146.90 in those three wins as well, completing 31-of-52 attempts (59.6 percent) for 407 yards and four touchdowns. He accounted for 68.2 percent of Gardner-Webb's total offense in those three wins.

KERRY'S CARRIES
Running back Kerry Bernard (5-9, 188, So.) has emerged as the top option at the position after battling injuries for the first seven weeks of the season. Twice in the past three games the Orlando, Fla., native has posted a career-high rushing total. His 62 yards on 16 carries vs. ETSU broke his previous best of 56 yards at Presbyterian (10/31). †