THE GAME
Gardner-Webb hits the road to face its toughest test to date, battling FBS Appalachian State on September 22 at 3:30 pm. The game will stream live on ESPN+, with Harrison Battle and Pierre Banks calling the action from Kidd-Brewer Stadium.

LAST WEEK
A last-second touchdown before the halftime horn put Western Carolina up 21-10 at Gardner-Webb, and the Runnin' Bulldogs could not find their footing in the second half of a 28-10 loss in Ernest W. Spangler Stadium. The game was moved to Friday (Sept. 14) due to expected rough weather from Hurricane Florence. Running back Jayln Cagle carried 25 times for 83 yards and a touchdown for the Runnin' Bulldogs. Western Carolina ran for 325 yards in the win, with a pair of 100-yard rushers.

SERIES NOTES
Appalachian State holds a 5-0 series edge in the senior college series with the last meeting coming on October 6, 2007 in Boone (45-6) ... The Mountaineers also captured a pair of wins when Gardner-Webb was known as Boiling Springs Junior College in 1929 and 1930 ... The closest game came on October 15, 1983 when Division I-AA Appalachian State survived a 21-17 win over NAIA Gardner-Webb in Boone ... Gardner-Webb head coach Carroll McCray got his college coaching career underway as a graduate assistant at Appalachian State, spending 1984-1988 on Sparky Woods' staff. 

RESULTS
11/23/1929 (App State 6, Boiling Springs JC 0) – Boone, N.C. *
11/22/1930 (App State 27, Boiling Springs JC 0) – Boone, N.C. *
10/15/1983 (App State 21, Gardner-Webb 17) – Boone, N.C.
09/24/1988 (App State 39, Gardner-Webb 10) – Boone, N.C.
09/02/1989 (App State 43, Gardner-Webb 7) – Boone, N.C.
09/23/2006 (App State 41, Gardner-Webb 6) –     Boiling Springs, N.C.
10/06/2007 (App State 45, Gardner-Webb 7) – Boone, N.C.
* Denotes Junior College Era Game (1928-1969)

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 late-September. GWU has already faced off with North Carolina A&T (3-0) and Western Carolina (2-0) and has a date with an FBS team that is already flirting with the top-25 polls this weekend at Appalachian State. Conference games with 2017 playoff participant Monmouth and perennial contender Charleston Southern also remain. The bright spot? GWU does have its games with Wofford, Kennesaw State and Monmouth on its home turf.

THE HEAD COACHES
Gardner-Webb head coach Carroll McCray (Class of '83) returned to his alma mater in 2013 and is 22-38 so far in his time in Boiling Springs. Scott Satterfield (Appalachian State '96) is in his sixth season as head coach at his alma mater, and has gone 42-23 with a pair of Sun Belt Conference Championships in 2016 and 2017. Satterfield has also directed the Mountaineers to three consecutive bowl wins.

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.

THE HIT MAN
Mike linebacker Corey Horne (6-1, 225, Sr.) has been a stalwart for the Runnin' Bulldogs through the first three games, totaling a league-best 36 tackles so far in 2018. Horne has 26 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. Horne had 12 total stops at No. 5 North Carolina A&T (9/8), then a career-best mark, but broke that single-game effort with 16 total tackles (11 solo) vs. Western Carolina (9/14). Horne has 152 career tackles, with all of those coming over the last three seasons. He topped the 50-tackle mark in both 2016 and 2017.

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. Thomas posted a career-high 12 stops vs. Western Carolina (9/14) and now has 22 total tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss in 2018.

SPEED DEMON
Receiver and return man Kyle Horton (5-11, 178, Sr.) is fully healthy in his final campaign and has proven to be a dangerous weapon so far – despite not reaching the end zone through the season's first three games. The former Mallard Creek (N.C.) High standout has hauled in a team-high 11 balls for 168 yards (15.3 yards per catch) and has remained a dynamic punt returner. Horton ranks No. 2 nationally with an average of 21.5 yards per return so far in 2018, bringing four punts back for 86 yards. He caught six passes for 96 yards at No. 5 North Carolina A&T and hauled in three balls for 61 yards vs. Western Carolina.

OLD NORTH STATE NOTES
Gardner-Webb is 82-93 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) ... 14 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.

BOOM 
First-year starter Tre' Jackson (5-10, 226, R-Jr.) has proven to be a powerful, and reliable, kicker through three games. The Newland, N.C., native will make a return to his neck of the woods when Gardner-Webb plays at nearby Appalachian State on September 22. Jackson has connected on all three of his field goal attempts this season, including a 41-yarder vs. Western Carolina (9/14) and a 40-yarder at No. 5 North Carolina A&T (9/8). He has been perfect on PAT kicks as well. Jackson's most impressive performance has come on kickoffs, where he has boomed 10-of-14 attempts into – or out of – the end zone for touchbacks. His 10 touchbacks are more than double the next highest total in the Big South so far this season.

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. 

BABY BULLDOGS
Gardner-Webb played at least 20 true freshmen and redshirt freshmen in each of its first two games this season, and put 18 on the field vs. Western Carolina (9/14). 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.

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.

ROOKIE IRON MAN
True freshman safety George Welch (6-2, 200) found out last Tuesday he would be starting against Western Carolina when an injury forced an opening on the depth chart. After another injury in the secondary on Thursday, Welch not only started against the Catamounts on September 14, but played all 74 defensive snaps at safety. The Augusta, Ga., native finished with six total tackles (three solo) and a pass break up. The All-State safety from Aquinas (Ga.) High is the second true freshman from his high school to start for the Runnin' Bulldogs in 2018, joining classmate Crimmins Hankinson (punter).

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 and Appalachian State  will also stream live on ESPN+.

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 the September 8 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.

GWU-APP STATE CONNECTIONS
In addition to Gardner-Webb head coach Carroll McCray's coaching start in Boone, N.C., there are several other interesting connections between the Appalachian State and Gardner-Webb rosters in 2018 ... Mountaineers' running back Jalin Moore was heavily recruited by Gardner-Webb and grew up less than a mile from Ernest W. Spangler Stadium on campus. Moore and App State teammate Chris Willis each played at nearby Crest (N.C.) High ... App State center Noah Hannon is the cousin of Gardner-Webb Hall of Fame quarterback Ray Hannon ... Gardner-Webb kicker Tre' Jackson was an All-State and Shrine Bowl selection at Avery County (N.C.) High, which is just 22 miles from Boone ... Gardner-Webb freshman running back Dexter Brown II is the son of former Appalachian State linebacker Dexter Brown (1984-1987).

UP NEXT
Gardner-Webb returns home to face its second top-10 foe of the season, hosting No. 6 Wofford at 6:00 pm in Ernest W. Spangler Stadium on September 29. The game will stream live on ESPN+, with Fabian Fuentes and Brendan Boylan calling the action. †