BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb announced its 2021 spring football schedule on Monday in conjunction with the Big South Conference's schedule announcement.

The Runnin' Bulldogs enter the spring with four games scheduled – each a Big South Conference game – but is in the process of filling additional non-conference dates prior to the start of league play.

The Big South schedule begins for GWU on March 20, as the 'Dogs welcome defending champion Monmouth to Spangler Stadium. Nationally-ranked Kennesaw State follows with a visit to Boiling Springs on March 27 to wrap up the home portion of the spring slate.

Gardner-Webb then closes out the spring season with trips to Charleston Southern (April 3) and Robert Morris (April 10).

The abbreviated season for the Big South isn't the shortest in the league's history. The inaugural season of Big South Conference football in 2002 saw a four-team league play a three-game schedule. Gardner-Webb rose as high as No. 18 in the national I-AA rankings that season, going 9-1 overall and 3-0 in the Big South to claim the trophy. 

GWU beat Liberty, Elon and Charleston Southern in its run through the inaugural Big South schedule.

Gardner-Webb went 4-0 in 2003 to capture its second Big South Conference title, beating Coastal Carolina, VMI, Liberty and Charleston Southern in the process.