THE GAME
Gardner-Webb will close out its 2021 home schedule on Saturday, hosting longtime rival Charleston Southern at 1:30 pm in Ernest W. Spangler Stadium. The game will stream live on ESPN3, with Phil Constantino and Reginald Walker, Jr., calling the action. Dave Friedman and Matt Hiers will bring the action from the radio booth, with the game airing on WGNC 1450 AM / 101.1 FM (TuneIn Radio App).

SPECIAL DAY
In addition to recognizing its 21 seniors prior to kickoff, Gardner-Webb will host its annual Military Appreciation Day on Saturday in Spangler Stadium. In addition to several in-game recognitions, all veterans and active military personnel will be given free admission to the game with a valid I.D. Call (704) 406-4340 for more information.

SERIES NOTES
Gardner-Webb leads the all-time series with Charleston Southern, 10-8, with the two teams first meeting as varsity teams in 1992 ... CSU competed as a club team in 1988, an unofficial game that Gardner-Webb won 42-0 ... The Buccaneers have won four in a row in the series, including a 20-7 decision last April in Charleston, S.C. ... CSU jumped out to a 24-0 lead by halftime in its last trip to Spangler Stadium (2019) and held off a furious Gardner-Webb rally to win 30-27 ... During the four-game losing streak, Gardner-Webb has been held to seven points or less three times ... Each of the last two losses in Boiling Springs have come by an average of just 2.0 points per game ... The Buccaneers kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired in 2017 to beat Gardner-Webb 10-9 in Spangler Stadium ... Gardner-Webb is 6-3 against the Buccaneers in Spangler Stadium (1992, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013) ...  Saturday will be the 15th time the two schools have played during the month of November..

THE HEAD COACHES
Gardner-Webb head coach Tre Lamb is the second-youngest skipper in Division I football at age 32, celebrating his birthday on September 16. Lamb is 5-8 in his brief tenure, with two of those losses coming to 85-scholarship FBS programs. Autry Denson is in his third season as the head coach at Charleston Southern and is 11-14 during that time.

HOME COOKING
A Gardner-Webb win on Saturday would give the 'Dogs a 4-1 record in Spangler Stadium for the season, marking the best finish at home since going 5-1 on the home turf in 2013. The Runnin' Bulldogs are 5-2 so far under head coach Tre Lamb in Spangler Stadium dating back to last spring, with losses to Monmouth and Campbell.

NOVEMBER NOTES 
Gardner-Webb is 1-10 in its last 11 November games, dating back to the 2017 season. The Runnin' Bulldogs last win in the 11th month on the calendar came vs. Presbyterian on November 3, 2018 in Spangler Stadium. GWU has lost seven November games in a row. Two of those losses came at the hands of Charleston Southern (2018, 2019).

BITING NAILS 
Four of Gardner-Webb's six losses this season have come down to the final moments. The Runnin' Bulldogs stuffed Georgia Southern's final offensive chance and drove well into the FBS Eagles' territory in the season opener – but dropped a 30-25 decision on the road. Against Campbell in the 2021 N.C. East/West BBQ Bowl on October 9, the 'Dogs  made another key defensive stop with less than four minutes to play in a tie game. A muffed punt at the 10-yard line set the Camels up nicely for a quick go-ahead score. Campbell added another late score for a 42-28 win in Boiling Springs. On October 30, Gardner-Webb stormed back with two touchdowns in the final three minutes to take a 30-27 lead with 43 seconds left at No. 10 Kennesaw State. The Owls used a timely kickoff return out near midfield and tossed the game-winning touchdown with just 11 seconds to go. On November 6, Gardner-Webb was stopped on fourth down in the first overtime period at Hampton and the Pirates scored on first down to end the game, 26-21.

TOTAL THREAT
Quarterback Bailey Fisher (5-11, 207, Jr.) crossed the 5,000-yard passing mark in Gardner-Webb's September 11 loss at FBS Charlotte and has now passed for 6,402 yards during his 34 games as a Division I starter at Tennessee Tech and now GWU. Fisher topped the 7,000-yard mark in career total offense at No. 10 Kennesaw State, and now has at 7,334 yards with 65 touchdowns accounted for in those 34 starts. Fisher has accounted for 17 touchdowns through nine starts at Gardner-Webb and became the first GWU quarterback to top 300 yards passing in his team debut on September 4 at Georgia Southern (315 yards, 3 TD). Fisher has thrown just three interceptions, with two coming in late game situations and Gardner-Webb trailing by double digits. He had a season-high 354 yards passing at No. 10 Kennesaw State (10/30).

FRENCH DUDE
Gardner-Webb's coaching staff knew it had a jewel when Ty French (6-3, 230, So.) enrolled in the fall of 2020. The former Colquitt County (Ga.) High star was a three-star recruit with a high motor, great character and sterling work ethic. The undersized label was erased when he quickly adjusted to the college weight room and packed on nearly 20 pounds. His performance this past spring raised eyebrows – as he ranked in the national top-10 in sacks (4.0) and tackles for loss (8.0), while adding 10 quarterback hurries in just four games. His dominance earned first-team All-Big South honors, Freshman All-America honors from Hero Sports and the 2020/21 Big South Conference Defensive Freshman of the Year award. French exploded once again against Robert Morris on October 23, earning National FCS Defensive Player of the Week honors after posting nine tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks. He has 52 stops, 12.5 TFL and 7.5 sacks this season. French also has 22 quarterback pressures in 13 career games.

DIALING LONG DISTANCE
Gardner-Webb has four different ball carriers who have at least one touchdown run of 40 yards or more this season. Narii Gaither (43 yards, TD), Donovan Jones (79 yards, TD), Jalin Graham (73 yards, TD) and Dexter Brown (47, TD). Gaither leads the league with an average of 6.5 yards per carry overall.

RAPID PACE
Gardner-Webb has at least one scoring drive of at least 70 yards in every game this season, and 20 drives of that length or better so far through nine games. More impressively, 11 of those drives have lasted two minutes or less. That quick strike capability has been aided by chunk plays, with Gardner-Webb posting 39 "big plays" on the season – rushing plays longer than 20 yards and passing plays longer than 25 yards. Narii Gaither has 16 of those plays on the season.

FULL HOUSE FOR BIG SOUTH
The Big South is celebrating its 20th season of sponsoring football in 2021, and the league mem- bership is at an all-time high of nine members. New members North Carolina A&T and Robert Morris are playing their first full seasons.

WILLIAM THE TACKLER
Linebacker William McRainey (6-0, 217, So.) has been a rising star since arriving on campus with the Class of 2020. He leads Gardner-Webb this season and ranks second in the Big South with 83 total tackles through nine starts. He has added 8.5 tackles for loss, one sack and a 71-yard fumble return for a touchdown. His 17 total tackles vs. Western Carolina saw him earn Big South Defensive Player of the Week honors. McRainey also carries a strong 3.55 GPA in his chosen major of accounting

THE MAYOR
Running back Narii Gaither (5-10, 177, Jr.) has been nearly unstoppable overall this season, but has raised the bar during home games at Spangler Stadium. Gaither is averaging a healthy 111.2 yards per game through four home dates, despite playing less than two quarters in the home-opening blowout of Lincoln (Pa.). He also has 11 catches for 95 yards and a touchdown and has scored five total touchdowns on the home turf. Gaither ran for 151 yards and a touchdown vs. Western Carolina and followed with 150 yards and two scores vs. Campbell. The Rock Hill, S.C., native has kicked into high gear away from home over the past two weeks, posting back-to-back games with 200+ all-purpose yards. He had 116 yards rushing and 207 all-purpose yards at No. 10 Kennesaw State (10/30) and followed with 147 yards rushing and 210 all-purpose yards at Hampton (11/6).

MORE ON THE MAYOR
Narii Gaither has more 100-yard rushing games this season (4) than any other player in the Big South Conference. Gaither also has more 200-yard all-purpose games this season than anyone else in the Big South. Gaither has rushed for at least 100 yards in six of his last 14 career games.

ON THE AIR AGAIN
Gardner-Webb football will have a broadcast presence on a commercial radio station again this fall. All regular season games, along with 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 color analyst Reginald Walker, Jr. will serve as talent. Walker is a former collegiate player at Penn State and veteran of the television industry. The station is available online via the TuneIn app.

THE STREAM TEAM
Each of Gardner-Webb's home games will stream live on ESPN+ ($4.99 per month subscription), with Penn State graduate Phil Constantino, Gardner-Webb's Director of Broadcasting, serving as play-by-play voice. He will be joined this season by former Carolina Panther and University of Maryland star Al Wallace, along with several other voices in the booth.

THE TRE LAMB SHOW
Gardner-Webb has an off-campus football coaches show this fall, beginning on Wednesday, September 1 in Shelby, N.C. The Tre Lamb Coaches Show will originate live from the Cleveland Country Club at 7:30 pm and will air live on WGNC 1450 AM / 101.1 FM and the TuneIn Radio app. Dave Friedman will serve as host and will be joined on the air by head coach Tre Lamb each Wednesday during the season. Fans are invited to attend the live show.

FUTURE SCHEDULE NOTES
Gardner-Webb has its slate of FBS opponents almost complete for the next few seasons, with dates at Coastal Carolina (2022), Liberty (2022), Appalachian State (2023), East Carolina (2023), Charlotte (2024) and Georgia Tech (2025) and Liberty (2026) on tap.

DEFENSIVE SURGE
Over its last three games, Gardner-Webb's defense has made notable improvements statistically, allowing an average of just 345.7 yards per game and 131.7 yards per game on the ground (two rushing TD). During that time, the 'Dogs have recorded 10 sacks, recovered four fumbles and picked off five passes. By comparison, in its six previous dates, Gardner-Webb had allowed 450.2 yards per game overall and 229.5 on the ground, although two of those six opponents were 85-scholarship FBS teams

FIVE YARDS
Gardner-Webb was in the backfield often against Robert Morris, limiting the Colonials to a net gain of five rushing yards by the end of a 28-17 win on October 23. That final total was the lowest against a Division I opponent in Gardner-Webb's history, besting the 10 rushing yards allowed against No. 11 Richmond on September 14, 2013.

ROOKIES
Gardner-Webb started three true freshman, and played eight total true freshmen, on defense at Hampton on November 6. Cornerbacks TJ Jones (5-10, 170) and Jamari Nelson (5-11, 160) started opposite each other after doing the same on the prep level at Eau Gallie (Fla.) High. Jones had six stops (five solo) and Nelson nearly intercepted a pass. Defensive tackle Willie Harris (6-1, 270) started and had five solo tackles, four tackles for loss and a sack. The youth movement will continue over the final two weeks.

TRIPLE THREAT
In addition to his excellence under center – both passing and running – quarterback Bailey Fisher has shown off a strong leg as an occassional punter. Fisher leads the Big South Conference with an average of 44.3 yards per attempt (10 attempts), including a booming 59-yarder vs. Western Carolina on September 25. Six of his 10 kicks have been downed inside the 20-yard line and four have gone longer than 50 yards.

TRANSITION POINTS
Gardner-Webb ranks No. 2 nationally with four defensive touchdowns this season, tied with Big South Conference foe Campbell in that category. The Runnin' Bulldogs rank No. 10 nationally in takeaways with 19 and rank No. 17 nationally with nine recovered fumbles. GWU has scored defensive touchdowns vs. Western Carolina, Campbell, Robert
Morris and Hampton – going 2-2 in games where the defense comes up with a score.