THE GAME
Gardner-Webb returns home to face another stiff test, taking on Western Carolina (1-0) at 6:00 pm in Ernest W. Spangler Stadium on Friday night. The game will air live on ESPN+, with Fabian Fuentes and Blake McCandless calling the action (available for $4.99 per month).

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
Impending weather associated with Hurricane Florence prompted a move to Friday, September 14 for the game – believed to be the first Friday-night collegiate football game in Ernest W. Spangler Stadium. The statement by Gardner-Webb Vice President for Athletics Chuck Burch read: "After consulting with on-campus officials and speaking with [athletics director] Randy Eaton at Western Carolina, we are in agreement that Friday gives our teams the best opportunity to play the game without adverse effects from the weather. We will continue to monitor conditions."

SERIES NOTES
Western Carolina holds a 5-2 lead in the all-time series, and has won three in a row dating back to the 2010 season ... Gardner-Webb's last win at home in the series came on September 25, 2004 and the last win overall came in Cullowhee on September 9, 2009 ... Western Carolina has averaged 43.0 ppg in its last two wins ... The two teams' first met as senior colleges in 1983 ... Gardner-Webb Junior College won the other meeting between the two programs, topping Western Carolina by a 23-7 score during the 1932 season ... The two teams will play next season in Cullowhee, N.C.

TOP 10 TRIO
Gardner-Webb's 2018 schedule is stacking up to be as difficult as its 2017 slate, which was rated by the NCAA as the nation's most difficult at the FCS level. The Runnin' Bulldogs will face three teams currently ranked in the top-10 of both major polls, with North Carolina A&T, Wofford and Kennesaw State each sitting among the elite programs nationally in mid-September. Gardner-Webb also faces projected playoff contenders Western Carolina and Monmouth, along with FBS Appalachian State – which nearly toppled No. 9 Penn State in it's season opening game. The Runnin' Bulldogs have Western Carolina, Wofford, Kennesaw State and Monmouth at home in Spangler Stadium.

THE HEAD COACHES
Gardner-Webb head coach Carroll McCray (Class of '83) returned to his alma mater in 2013 and is 22-37 so far in his time in Boiling Springs. Mark Speir (Clemson '90) is in his seventh season as head coach at Western Carolina, and has the program headed in the right direction. Speir is 27-43 in his seven seasons as a head coach, with all seven coming in charge of the Catamounts.

SYMMETRY
For the first time since moving up to NCAA Division I in 2000, Gardner-Webb will alternate home and road dates evenly throughout a season. GWU almost pulled off the feat in 2010, but played its final two games back-to-back at home in Ernest W. Spangler Stadium.

TRENCH MOB
Gardner-Webb's strength on offense this season will be overall experience, but it's anchor will be a veteran offensive line. GWU returns all five starters from the 2017 season, and two more reserves with starting experience. The current projected starting quintet averages 6-foot-3, 306.4 pounds per man. Tackles Will Millikan (6-4, 309, Sr.) and Charlie Eudy (6-2, 304, R-Sr.) have combined to start 64 games and are in their fourth season in the lineup together. Center Brandon Leahey (6-3, 297, R-Jr.), guards Brayden Briggs (6-3, 307, R-Jr.), Jack Nichols (6-3, 315, So.) and Daniel Smith (6-4, 286, R-So.) and tackle Darius Clark (6-2, 280, So.) have combined for 55 career starts – giving GWU a total of 119 starts on the offensive line so far.

DOUBLE TAKE (AWAY)
Linebacker Shai Thomas (6-2, 248, So.) made his second career start very memorable in the season opener. Since beginning the sport of football at age 10, Thomas was never given the opportunity to play on offense. It didn't matter against Limestone, as he scored the first two touchdowns of his career – at any level – in a 52-17 win. Thomas pounced on a fumble to put Gardner-Webb up 28-10 in the second quarter and one series later took an interception back 41 yards to the house for a 35-10 advantage. For his efforts, Thomas was named Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Week and was an honorable mention choice for FCS National Defensive Player of the Week. He also finished with six total tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in the win.

ENGINE NO. 9
Quarterback Jordan Smith (6-1, 211, R-Fr.) went the distance at No. 5 North Carolina A&T last week, leading the Runnin' Bulldogs on a pair of scoring drives inside the red zone. The Fruit Cove, Fla., native finished with a career-high 192 yards passing, despite a ferocious pass rush all night, and overcame five dropped passes by his receiving corps. Smith's lone miscue – an interception – came after a batted ball. He will start his third consecutive game on Saturday vs. Western Carolina. 

OLD NORTH STATE NOTES
Gardner-Webb is 82-92 against teams from the State of North Carolina since moving to senior college status in 1970 ... GWU has its most wins against former SAC-8 and South Atlantic Conference foes Lenoir-Rhyne (17-12) and Mars Hill (17-16) ... Eight of GWU's losses to in-state teams came to current FBS members Appalachian State (0-5), NC State (0-1) and Wake Forest (0-2) ... Gardner-Webb played as an NAIA member from 1970-1992, as an NCAA Division II member from 1993-1999, as an NCAA Division I-AA independent from 2000-2001 and as a member of the Division I FCS Big South Conference since 2002.

HOME SWEET HOME
Gardner-Webb has been traditionally tough in Ernest W. Spangler Stadium, and have gone 16-13 at home since head coach Carroll McCray's arrival in 2013. That includes wins over top-25 opponents Richmond (2013), Charleston Southern (2013) and Liberty (2015). Eight of those 13 home losses since 2013, including six of its last seven, have come to teams ranked in the top-25 at some point during that same season. GWU had a 15-game home win streak from 2001-2004 in Spangler Stadium.

FOOTBALL FAMILIES
Gardner-Webb features two families on its current roster with strong ties to college football. Nose guard Josh Ramseur (5-11, 286, R-Sr.), who will seek a medical redshirt in 2018, is one of five brothers in his family to play college football. Older brothers Kenneth (Gardner-Webb) and Tim (NC State) played collegiately in the 1990s, while brothers Tank (Tuskeegee) and Aaron (East Carolina) are currently on college rosters. Another set of brothers on Gardner-Webb's roster – Robert McKoy and Keante McNair – are part of a group of four brothers to play college football. Older siblings Terrell Manning (NC State) and Artemis Robinson (NC State) played collegiately, with Manning drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 2012. Current GWU teammates Elijah Rodgers (Fr.) and Kobe Rodgers (R-So.) are both expected to garner significant snaps in the secondary this season for the Runnin' Bulldogs. 

NEW FACES ON STAFF
Gardner-Webb has three new coaches on its 2018 staff. Inside linebackers coach Taylor Anderson and running backs coach Arketa Banks each joined the Runnin' Bulldogs prior to spring practice. Anderson came to GWU after assistant coaching stops at Limestone and Valdosta State, and Banks came to GWU from former SAC rival Lenoir-Rhyne. Outside linebackers coach Marco Butler came on board during the summer months from Catawba. Anderson (North Greenville), Banks (Elon) and Butler (Western Carolina) each played collegiately at schools in the region.

BABY BULLDOGS
Gardner-Webb has played at least 20 true freshmen and redshirt freshmen in each of its first two games this season, and that number is expected to grow as the season progresses. The Runnin' Bulldogs saw 21 freshmen play vs. Limestone in the season opener – including five starters – and played 20 freshmen at No. 5 North Carolina A&T in the second game of the season.

HIT MAN
Mike linebacker Corey Horne (6-1, 225, Sr.) has been a stalwart for the Runnin' Bulldogs through the first two games, totaling a league-best 20 tackles so far in 2018. Horne has 15 solo stops, anchoring a very young defensive unit overall. The former South Effingham (Ga.) High star was the team's top returning tackler from the 2017 season and is charging hard for All-Big South honors in his final season with the Scarlet & Black.

A TOUGH MATCHUP
Gardner-Webb has seen Western Carolina quarterback Tyrie Adams at his best over the past two years, as evidenced by a pair of wins by the Catamounts with 40+ point outings. The 6-foot-2 signal caller has been very effective in his two career starts vs. GWU, completing 50-of-66 passes for 651 yards and eight touchdowns (three interceptions) since 2016. Adams has also carried 23 times for 120 yards in those wins, compiling a strong 174.52 NCAA passer rating.

ESPN+
The Big South Conference entered into an agreement to provide content for ESPN+ (ESPNPlus.com) beginning last spring, and that presents a new platform for Gardner-Webb football going forward. The Big South Network on ESPN+ will air a minimum of 900 events annually as part of the agreement, which runs through the 2024-2025 season. During football season, a total of 33 events will stream on ESPN platforms, with eight league games on ESPN3 and 25 on ESPN+.  Five of Gardner-Webb's six home games will stream on ESPN+, while the October 13 game vs. Kennesaw State will stream on ESPN3 as part of the Big South's "Game of the Week" selection. The October 29 road game at Campbell will also be carried by ESPN3, while the remainder of Gardner-Webb's Big South games will stream on ESPN+. Non-conference games at ETSU (ESPN+) and Appalachian State (TBA) will also air live.  

THE REAL McKOY
Gardner-Webb moved safety and kick return man Robert McKoy (6-0, 220, R-So.) to outside linebacker in July and the move has paid off. The former Shrine Bowler from Scotland County (N.C.) High was the team's best defender during preseason training camp and has continued that momentum into the season. In last week's game at North Carolina A&T, McKoy finished with eight tackles and his first career sack.

RAMSEUR OUT
Preseason All-Big South nose guard Josh Ramseur (5-11, 286, R-Sr.) will miss the entire 2018 season after undergoing offseason surgery, but will apply for a medical redshirt and a sixth year of eligibility for 2019. The former Burns (N.C.) High standout totaled 50 tackles as a redshirt junior and is expected to make a full recovery. The bright spot in the extended career is that Ramseur will have a chance to play against his youngest brother – Aaron Ramseur – when Gardner-Webb travels to East Carolina on September 7, 2019.

UP NEXT
Gardner-Webb will trek up Highway 321 next Saturday for a date with Sun Belt Conference opponent Appalachian State – the first of three in-state FBS games over the next two seasons. GWU will also visit Charlotte (2019) and East Carolina (2019) next season. Kickoff in Boone, N.C., is set for 3:30 pm in Kidd-Brewer Stadium. The game will stream live on ESPN+ ($4.99 per month). The visit to Appalachian State is Gardner-Webb's first in the sport of football since 2007 – and the first meeting in the overall series since that season. †