THE GAME
Gardner-Webb will be on the road again, for the fourth time in five games, as it faces in-state foe Western Carolina in Cullowhee on Saturday, October 5 at 3:30 pm. The game will stream live on ESPN+, with Daniel Hooker and Rik Richards calling the action from atop E.J. Whitmire Stadium. The game will also air on WGNC radio (1450 AM/101.1 FM/TuneIn app) with Dave Friedman and Reginald Walker on the call. 
  
SERIES NOTES
Western Carolina has won four in a row in the series to hold a 6-2 edge all-time ... Gardner-Webb's last win in the series came in Cullowhee, with GWU taking a 27-20 win on September 9, 2009 ... Last season's meeting came on a Friday night, as the regularly scheduled game was adjusted due to impending tropical weather ... The Catamounts have run wild in the previous three meetings, averaging 533 yards of total offense in those wins ... WCU ran for 325 yards last season, averaging 7.1 yards per carry, in Spangler Stadium to power a 28-10 victory ... Current Gardner-Webb assistant coaches Dennis Thomas and Marco Butler have Catamount ties ... Thomas coached three seasons (2013-2015) in Cullowhee, while Butler played defensive back and receiver for the Catamounts – and earned his degree from WCU in 2000 ... Current Catamounts assistant coach Arketa Banks served in a similar capacity at Gardner-Webb last season ... The teams' listed meetings came as a senior colleges ... Gardner-Webb took a 23-7 win over Western Carolina in 1932 as a junior college.

SERIES HISTORY
Date / Result / Location
11/12/83 / WCU 43, GWU 7 / Cullowhee
11/22/03 / WCU 39, GWU 16 / Cullowhee
09/25/04 / GWU 26, #25 WCU 20 (ot) / Boiling Springs
09/09/09 / GWU 27, WCU 20 / Cullowhee
09/18/19 / WCU 28, GWU 14 / Boiling Springs
09/10/16 / WCU 41, GWU 14 / Cullowhee
09/16/17 / WCU 42, GWU 27 / Boiling Springs
09/14/18 / WCU 28, GWU 10 / Boiling Springs

HARPER FLASHES SPEED AGAIN
Gardner-Webb's Devron Harper (5-10, 165, Fr.) showed another flash of ability at Wofford, breaking free for what appeared to be another kickoff return touchdown before a flag cut that return back to 88 yards. GWU scored two plays later for its lone touchdown of the game. Harper finished that night's action with 235 kickoff return yards on eight attempts and had a career-high 304 all-purpose yards – the fourth-best total in the nation at the time – in his fourth career game. Harper had three catches for 64 yards in the game, and tacked on a five-yard punt return. So far this season, Harper ranks No. 1 nationally in total return yardage (542) and ranks No. 12 in kickoff return average (28.3). Ha has caught eight passes for 112 yards, with more than half of that yardage total coming in his last outing.

PLAYING CLOSE TO HOME
Saturday's game marks Gardner-Webb's fourth so far this season against in-state teams. GWU dropped guarantee games at Charlotte and East Carolina before coming home to beat North Carolina Central. The 'Dogs will play five total games against North Carolina schools on the gridiron this season, including WCU and Campbell (10/26).

THE HEAD COACHES
Gardner-Webb's Carroll McCray ('83) is in his seventh season as head coach of his alma mater. The Monroe, N.C., native has forged 25 wins so far in Boiling Springs, including five wins over top-20 teams. Western Carolina head coach Mark Speir is in his eighth season in charge in Cullowhee, his first head coaching stop in a decorated overall coaching career. Spier is 30-54 as head coach.

OLD NORTH STATE NOTES
Gardner-Webb is 83-96 against teams from its home state since moving to senior college football 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) ... 17 of Gardner-Webb's losses came to current in-state FBS foes Appalachian State (0-6), NC State (0-1), Wake Forest (0-2), Charlotte (1-2) and East Carolina (0-1) ... Gardner-Webb played as an NAIA member from 1970-1992, as an NCAA Division II member from 1993-1999 and as an NCAA Division I-AA independent from 2000-2001 ... GWU joined the Big South as an associate member for football in 2002, winning the league's first two titles on the gridiron.

TACKLING MACHINE
Linebacker Darien Reynolds (6-0, 224, Jr.) has continued to excel, ranking second in the Big South and leading Gardner-Webb with 42 total tackles so far in 2019. He was named honorable mention FCS National Defensive Player of the Week following his second consecutive game with 13 total tackles on September 14. Reynolds had seven solo stops in the win over North Carolina Central and posted three pass break ups and one tackle for loss. Five of Reynolds' 13 tackles came inside his own 20-yard line and two of his three pass break ups came on third downs. He also deflected a pass that wound up in Malachi Buckner's hands for an interception. Reynolds was a Shrine Bowl selection at Vance (N.C.) High in Charlotte, N.C., and earned All-Big South honors in 2018 after posting 75 tackles in his first year as a starter.

PICK IT
Gardner-Webb struggled to create turnovers last season, particularly in the secondary, with only six interceptions through 11 games in 2018. That has not been the case so far in 2019, with the Runnin' Bulldogs picking off seven passes over its first four games – despite the bump in competition. Devin Mines (5-10, 190, Sr.) grabbed two interceptions in the season opener, and linebacker Quinton Jones (6-2, 200, So.) added another against the 49ers. Two of those turnovers created easy touchdown drives. Cornerback Deonte Grier (5-11, 172, R-So.) had an interception at East Carolina – his second in the past three games – and safety Kobe Rodgers (6-1, 189, R-Jr.) nearly had his own interception before a replay review. Rodgers, Malachi Buckner (6-1, 206, R-Fr.) and A.J. Keene (5-10, 172, Sr.) each had picks against North Carolina Central (9/14). GWU created anothert turnover at Wofford, with Darien Reynolds  (6-0, 224, Jr.) recovering a fumble.

MAKING HIS MOVE
One of the team's most improved players during training camp was receiver Izaiah Gathings (6-4, 216, So.) and the Statesville, N.C., standout has started to see his opportunities increase in the season's early stages. Gathings hauled in four passes for 83 yards, with a long of 37 yards, at East Carolina (9/7), with one of his grabs setting up Gardner-Webb's lone touchdown of the game. A former prep basketball standout, Gathings had a 43-yard catch against North Carolina Central (9/14) and hauled in a 26-yarder at Wofford (9/21). He ranks No. 18 nationally and second in the conference with an average of 20.6 yards per catch. He has 10 receptions for 206 yards so far in 2019.

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY
Gardner-Webb welcomed transfers from five different colleges during the summer months adding tight end A.J. Alexander (6-3, 255, Gr.) from Ohio State, receiver Chuma Awanna (6-3, 217, Gr.) from Norfolk State, defensive lineman Aaron Griffith (6-0, 289, Gr.) from Middle Tennessee State, quarterback Kalen Whitlow (6-1, 195, Gr.) from Tennessee State and cornerback Dameon Williams (5-11, 175, R-So.) from Georgia Tech. Four of the five have already earned degrees from their previous schools. Alexander (four-star), Whitlow (three-star) and Williams (three-star) were each highly regarded prep recruits.

D-LINE DEPTH
After toiling with an inexperienced front three last season due to injuries, defensive line coach Dennis Thomas has the luxury of seasoned depth within his unit in 2019. The starting unit of Josh Ramseur (5-11, 292, Gr.), John Singleton (6-5, 237, R-So.) and Janathian Turner (6-3, 306, So.) is perhaps Gardner-Webb's most gifted since the All-Big South trio of O.J. Mau, Preston Pemasa and Shaquille Riddick in 2013. The unit goes at least 10 deep, with five men already starting at least one game during their career.

TURNOVER TALK
Gardner-Webb coughed up five turnovers on Saturday vs. North Carolina Central, its most in a win since the 1992 season. The Runnin' Bulldogs had a school and NAIA national-record nine turnovers – all interceptions – in its quarterfinal playoff win over Concord (WVa.) on November 21. The 'Dogs won that game 28-21 en route to a 12-2 record. GWU responded with zero turnovers given away at Wofford, but fell on the road by a 49-10 score.

RUN / PASS
Gardner-Webb ranks near the bottom of the pile in rushing defense, allowing 333.3 yards per game (122nd nationally out of 124 ranked teams). The Runnin' Bulldogs have fared better through the air, ranking 13th nationally in pass efficiency defense and fifth nationally with seven interceptions.

ON THE AIR AGAIN
For the first time since 2003, Gardner-Webb football will have a broadcast presence on a commercial radio station. All 12 regular season games, and any postseason games, will air live on WGNC (1450 AM / 101.1 FM) in Gastonia, N.C. Veteran play-by-play man Dave Friedman and a color analysts Reggie Walker and Bryan Fetzer will serve as talent. Walker is a former collegiate player at Penn State and Fetzer, who played collegiately at Canisius, is the former head track & field coach at Gardner-Webb and the University of Virginia. The station is available online via the TuneIn app.

THE STREAM TEAM
Each of Gardner-Webb's five home games will stream live on ESPN+ ($4.99 per month subscription), with the Voice of the Runnin' Bulldogs Fabian Fuentes joined by analyst Brendan Boylan. ESPN+ is the home of the Big South Network for the second season in a row. The Runnin' Bulldogs will also play road games on ESPN+ at Charlotte (8/29), at Wofford (9/21), at Western Carolina (10/5), at Presbyterian (11/9) and at Kennesaw State (11/23). Games at East Carolina and Monmouth will be streamed on ESPN3 (WatchESPN.com).

BATTERING RAM
Veteran nose guard Josh Ramseur (5-11, 292, Gr.) had nearly his entire family on hand at East Carolina (9/7) as he faced off with younger brother Aaron Ramseur – a Pirates' linebacker. The elder Ramseur had the upper hand in the fraternal battle, posting a career-high 10 total tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and a quarterback hurry in the game. Ramseur also recorded a safety in the game in an impressive performance. The Kingstown, N.C., native has 24 total tackles so far in four games. He has shown excellent recovery after missing the entire 2018 campaign with an injury. The sixth-year graduate student had 50 tackles in an All-Conference effort in 2017 and is currently pursuing his MBA at Gardner-Webb. .

BIG BAD JOHN
A breakthrough season in 2018 came quickly for defensive end John Singleton (6-5, 237, R-So.), who earned Hero Sports FCS Freshman All-America honors in addition to Big South Defensive Freshman of the Year and All-Big South accolades. The Apex, N.C., had nine tackles and a tackle for loss vs. North Carolina Central (9/14) and has 19 hits on the season so far. He led the league's defensive linemen with 51 total tackles, added 5.5 tackles for loss and posted three sacks as a rookie in 2018. Singleton earned Shrine Bowl honors as a senior at Middle Creek (N.C.) High at outside linebacker. Singleton had five total tackles in the opener at Charlotte (8/29).

THE PUNTER
Newcomer Jack Pawloski (6-0, 190, Gr.), a graduate transfer from Elon, did not see game action in his first three seasons of college football. The Florence, S.C., native won Gardner-Webb's punting job during training camp and has responded with the 16th-best average nationally through three games – booming 27 punts for 1,178 yards (43.6 ypp). Pawloski has hit six punts for more than 50 yards and has forced eight fair catches.

LINEBACKERS DOWN
Gardner-Webb was without three of its four starters at the linebacker position against North Carolina Central (9/14), with Shai Thomas (6-2, 256, Jr.), Cade Hamilton (6-1, 224, So.) and Devin Mines (5-10, 190, Sr.) each going down with injuries at East Carolina the week before. The three men who replaced them in the lineup – Kyndall Clark (6-2, 234, R-So.), Quinton Jones (6-2, 200, So.) and Robert McKoy (6-0, 219, R-Sr.) – stepped up and combined for 18 tackles while keeping the Eagles out of the end zone. Jones, who had played well in extended snaps at Charlotte and ECU off the bench, finished the NC Central game with a season-high eight stops – and broke up the game's final pass. Thomas returned to action in a limited role at Wofford, but Hamilton and Mines still missed that entire game. GWU should be at full strength at the position for the Western Carolina game on October 5.

WHITLOW WORKS AT WOFFORD
Backup quarterback Kalen Whitlow (6-1, 195, Gr.), a graduate transfer from Tennessee State, saw his most extensive action at Wofford and responded with a career-high 201 yards through the air on 13-of-21 accuracy. Whitlow was sacked twice, but had four pass plays of 20+ yards in the game – including a 41-yarder to fellow graduate transfer Chuma Awanna (6-3, 217, Gr.). Whitlow will be making a homecoming trip of sorts on Saturday, as he originally signed with Western Carolina after a strong prep career in Montgomery, Ala. Whitlow redshirted in 2015 but passed for 131 yards in the Catamounts' Spring Game. He transferred to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, then Tennessee State, before landing at Gardner-Webb in August.