THE GAME
Gardner-Webb hosts Big South Conference newcomer and former NCAA Division II national power North Alabama on Saturday, November 16 at 1:30 pm. Senior Day in Spangler Stadium will stream live on ESPN+, with Fabian Fuentes and Brendan Boylan calling the action for the worldwide leader. The game will also air live on WGNC Radio (1450 AM / 101.1 FM / TuneIn App), with the dynamic duo of Dave Friedman and Reginald Walker on the call.
  
SERIES NOTES
Gardner-Webb and North Alabama will be meeting for the first time on the gridiron ... Saturday's game is considered a non-conference battle as the Lions continue their transition to full Division I membership ... GWU will play in Florence, Ala., next October 31.

LOOKING AHEAD
Gardner-Webb will open its 2020 schedule at home vs. Limestone, before traveling to face Georgia Tech (9/12) and Western Carolina (9/19) in back-to-back road games. A non-conference tilt awaits against Presbyterian (9/26) before an open date to wrap up the early part of non-conference action. League play begins with back-to-back road trips to the coast – as GWU takes on Hampton (10/10) and Charleston Southern (10/17). A home date with Kennesaw State (10/24) and a road game at North Alabama (10/31) ends October for the 'Dogs. A brief step out of conference play to host Southern Conference power Wofford is on tap for November 7, followed by another league game against a current top-25 team in Monmouth (11/14). Gardner-Webb is set to close out the 2020 regular season at Campbell (11/21).

MORE FUTURE SCHEDULE NOTES
Gardner-Webb has FBS games scheduled already for the following seasons: 2020 at Georgia Tech; 2021 at Georgia Southern; 2021 at Ohio University; 2022 at Liberty.

NOTABLE INJURIES OF LATE
Gardner-Webb will be without three starters for the remainder of the season due to injuries. Quarterback Jordan Smith (6-1, 214, R-So.), who started five games this season, has missed the past two games and will be out for the remainder of the season. Safety Devin Mines (5-10, 190, Sr.) and tight end A.J. Alexander (6-3, 255, Gr.) each missed the Presbyterian game and will both miss the remainder of the season.

SENIOR DAY
Gardner-Webb will honor 13 seniors on Saturday 20 minutes prior to kickoff in Spangler Stadium. That baker's dozen includes five men wrapping up their MBA degrees in graduate school. The 2019 Senior Class includes: Chuma Awanna (Chesapeake, Va.); Jayln Cagle (Kannapolis, N.C.); James Ellis II (Greensboro, N.C.); Aaron Griffith (Union City, Calif.); Jake Hampton (Tampa, Fla.); A.J. Keene (Savannah, Ga.); Stephon Kirksey (Central, S.C.); Brandon Leahey (Parker, Colo.); Robert McKoy (Laurinburg, N.C.); Devin Mines (Charlotte, N.C.); Josh Ramseur (Kingstown, N.C.); Chris Tobin (Lithonia, Ga.) and Kalen Whitlow (Montgomery, Ala.).

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 27 wins so far in Boiling Springs, including five wins over top-20 teams. North Alabama skipper Chris Willis (Delta State '98) is in his third season in charge of the legendary Lions program after spending 15 years as an assistant coach. Willis has gone 15-15 so far despite the difficulty of transitioning to NCAA Division I.

30+ IN LOSSES
Gardner-Webb is allowing an average of 45.6 points per game in its first six losses this season. Two of those losses came at FBS programs Charlotte (49-28) and East Carolina (48-9) and another two coming at SoCon favorite Wofford (49-10) and Big South contender Monmouth (49-28). Campbell took a 49-47 win in three overtimes on October 26 in Boiling Springs and Charleston Southern used a big first half to take a 30-27 win last weekend in Spangler Stadium. GWU had its first low-scoring loss on November 9, scoring just 14 points in a 24-14 setback at Presbyterian.

LB-1
Linebacker Darien Reynolds (6-0, 224, Jr.) has been among the more consistent tacklers in the Big South Conference – and the nation – through 10 games played this season. The Charlotte, N.C., native ranks second in the league and No. 8 nationally with 109 total tackles (10.9 per game), setting a new career-high several weeks ago in pursuit of All-America honors. He has posted at least 10 tackles – but no more than 13 – in seven different games this season. He has posted a season-high 13 total stops five times and had 12 hits on the road at Presbyterian last Saturday. That effort also put Reynolds over the 200-tackle mark for his career (206). He also leads Gardner-Webb with seven pass break ups and is well on his way to a repeat of All-Big South Conference honors.

CAGLE'S CAREER YEAR
Entering the 2019 season, veteran running back Jayln Cagle (6-0, 199, Sr.) had been a steady, durable option in the run game for Gardner-Webb. He entered with a best season of 474 yards in 2017 and four touchdowns in 2018, with no more than 126 carries in any of his previous three campaigns. The Kannapolis, N.C., native has surged in 2019 and ranks No. 3 in the Big South Conference through 10 games with a career-high 183 carries for 839 yards and eight touchdowns (83.9 per game). Cagle is still on track for Gardner-Webb's first 1,000-yard rushing effort since 2013 (Juanne Blount) and is only 30 yards shy of the 2,000-yard mark for his career. He ranks No. 9 in Gardner-Webb history with 1,970 yards rushing and is nearing the top-5 for receptions by a running back. He currently has 57 career receptions for 423 yards and three scores – just behind Robbie Barnes' 60 career receptions.

BIG PLAY ZAY
Receiver Izaiah Gathings (6-4, 216, So.) casts a long shadow with his size and strength at the position, and his production over the past month has been dazzling. The former Statesville (N.C.) High standout has produced back-to-back games with 100+ yards and has caught at least one touchdown pass in five consecutive games. So far in 2019, Gathings has dominated play to the tune of 48 catches for 786 yards and eight touchdowns. He has all eight touchdown receptions against Big South Conference foes this season.

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 six men already starting at least one game during their career.

HAMMER TIME
Cade Hamilton (6-1, 223, So.) went down early with an injury at East Carolina and missed the following two games before getting clearance to return to practice during Gardner-Webb's open date. The former East Rutherford (N.C.) High star made a triumphant return at Western Carolina, collecting nine big tackles in a 24-21 win. He was even better in the Hampton win (10/12), collecting a career-high 19 total tackles (nine solo) while filling in for suspended starter Darien Reynolds (targeting). Hamilton stepped up and stopped Hampton's Deondre Francois at the two-yard line going in as time expired in the first half, keeping a 24-21 deficit intact heading into the locker room. That earned Hamilton honorable mention national Defensive Player of the Week honors and sparked a major production surge. Hamilton has collected 69 total tackles in just 27 quarters of football so far this season. He missed the second half of the season opener and played only one quarter at ECU in the second game of the season. Hamilton had an eye-popping 319 total tackles in his final two high school seasons at East Rutherford.

WHITLOW CAN THROW 
Transfer quarterback Kalen Whitlow (6-1, 194, Gr.) has proven to be one of the more effective passers in the Big South Conference this season, hitting for at least one touchdown through the air in six consecutive games. Whitlow has completed 125-of-198 passes for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns (six interceptions) – with his primary production coming against Big South Conference foes. He has a pair of 300-yard performances under his belt, the first for any GWU quarterback since Lucas Beatty in 2014. Whitlow played sparingly in his one season at FCS Tennessee State (2018) following an injury-plagued junior college career in Mississippi. He originally signed with Western Carolina University (FCS) after a strong career at Northview (Ala.) High in Montgomery. 

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.

BATTERING RAM
Veteran nose guard Josh Ramseur (5-11, 292, Gr.) has been a force in the middle for Gardner-Webb this season, bulling his way to a career-high 52 total tackles and 7.0 tackles for loss. The sixth-year graduate student had 50 tackles in an All-Conference effort in 2017 and is currently pursuing his MBA at Gardner-Webb. Ramseur made a career-high 10 total stops and had three tackles for loss at FBS East Carolina.

PICK THIS
After struggling to force turnovers in the secondary in 2018, Gardner-Webb has nearly doubled its efforts in 2019, intercepting 11 passes through 10 games played. That ranks No. 21 nationally among FCS programs. A pair of players have games with two interceptions – Devin Mines did so at Charlotte (8/29) and Robert McKoy repeated the feat at Presbyterian (11/9).

KEENE ISLAND
Cornerback A.J. Keene (5-10, 170, Sr.) is often a forgotten man within Gardner-Webb's defensive accolades, but the Savannah, Ga., native has played a key role in 2019. Keene has started all 10 games and has performed well, making 27 total tackles (19 solo), breaking up five passes and picking off a pair of passes for 21 yards in returns. Teams have often made the choice to throw to the other side of the field instead of testing Keene's prowess.

THE CANDIDATE
First-year receiver/return man Devron Harper (5-10, 165, Fr.) has made a strong case for inclusion in any discussion of Freshman of the Year candidates, both on a conference and national level. He was named to the initial Jerry Rice Award Watch List this past week as a result. The speedster had his most explosive game offensively to date against Hampton (10/12), catching four passes for 187 yards and a touchdown. The Conyers, Ga., native had receptions of 70 and 90 yards in the game and finished with 200+ all-purpose yards for the third time in six contests. Harper starred at Heritage (Ga.) High during a standout prep career in both football and track. He was the Georgia Class 3A State high jump champion in both 2017 and 2018. He was named FCS National Freshman of the Week (Sept. 23) by STATS and has been named honorable mention national Freshman of the Week by STATS twice (Sept. 2 / Oct. 14). Harper had a career-high 10 catches at Presbyterian (11/9) and set up a Gardner-Webb touchdown drive with a 37-yard kickoff return. He remains among the nationsl leaders in combined kick returns and kickoff return average, despite teams' insistance on kicking away from his location.

LONG DISTANCE
Devron Harper's 90-yard catch-and-sprint against Hampton (10/12) set new Big South Conference records for longest non-TD catch overall – and longest reception by a freshman. It also broke a 31-year old school record of 89 yards set against Catawba on October 15, 1988 when Bruce Benson hit Kelvin Richardson for 89 yards. With his 70-yard touchdown catch, Harper became the first receiver in Big South history to have two catches of 70+ yards in the same game. His 187 yards receiving marked the highest total for a GWU player since Kenny Cook went for a school and conference-record 251 yards in an overtime win at VMI on October 18, 2014.

UNIQUE POSITION
With two games remaining, Gardner-Webb finds itself in a unique position offensively. The Runnin' Bulldogs are within striking distance to finish with a 2,000-yard passer (Whitlow), a 1,000-yard receiver (Gathings) and a 1,000-yard rusher (Cagle). The Runnin' Bulldogs haven't accomplished that feat since 2013, when Lucas Beatty (quarterback), Kenny Cook (receiver) and Juanne Blount (runner) did so.

UP NEXT
Gardner-Webb will close out its 2019 season on the road, traveling to face No. 15 Kennesaw State at 2:00 pm at Fifth Third Bank Stadium. The game will stream live on ESPN+ and will air live on WGNC Radio (1450 AM / 101.1 FM / TuneIn App). The dynamic duo of Dave Friedman and Reginald Walker will provide the radio call.