THE GAME
Gardner-Webb will host regional in-state rival Western Carolina on Saturday night, with kickoff set for 6:05 in Ernest W. Spangler Stadium. The Runnin' Bulldogs and Catamounts' game will stream live on ESPN+, with Phil Constantino and former Carolina Panther Al Wallace on the call. The radio signal will originate from WGNC AM 1450 / FM 101.1 / TuneIn Radio App (Stitcher.com), with Dave Friedman and Reginald Walker, Jr., calling the action.
  
SERIES NOTES
Gardner-Webb snapped Western Carolina's four-game win streak with a 24-21 win in 2019, using Kurt Everett's 33-yard field goal as time expired to pull out the road win ... The Catamounts lead the all-time senior college series by a 6-3 margin, with Gardner-Webb Junior College's 23-7 victory over Western Carolina Teacher's College on November 12, 1932 pulling the 'Dogs within 6-4 in the series overall ... GWU won two in a row in the series in 2004 and 2009 ... The 2004 win came over a No. 25 Western Carolina squad in overtime (26-20) ... The Catamounts have two former Gardner-Webb assistant coaches (Dennis Thomas and J.J. Laster) on their current staff ... Three former Gardner-Webb student-athletes (Marlon Alexander, Cam McCutcheon and Ronald Wilson) will suit up for Western Carolina on Saturday ... Each of the games in the senior college history of the programs has been played in either Cullowhee (five times) or Boiling Springs (four times). The 1932 meeting was in Sylva, N.C.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Date                                                          Result                                                         Location
November 12, 1932                              GWJC 23, WCTC 7                                               Sylva, NC
November 12, 1983                                WCU 43, GWC 7                                          Cullowhee, NC
November 22, 2003                               WCU 39, GWU 16                                          Cullowhee, NC
September 25, 2004                         GWU 26, #25 WCU 20 (ot)                              Boiling Springs, NC
September 9, 2009                                GWU 27, WCU 20                                          Cullowhee, NC
September 18, 2010                               WCU 28, GWU 14                                    Boiling Springs, NC
September 10, 2016                               WCU 41, GWU 14                                          Cullowhee, NC
September 16, 2017                               WCU 42, GWU 27                                    Boiling Springs, NC
September 14, 2018                               WCU 28, GWU 10                                    Boiling Springs, NC
October 5, 2019                                    GWU 24, WCU 21                                          Cullowhee, NC
 
THE NORTH CAROLINA EAST/WEST BBQ BOWL
Speaking of in-state , Gardner-Webb and Campbell announced on September 3 that the two football programs would begin playing in a rivalry trophy game this season. The Runnin' Bulldogs and Fighting Camels will compete each season for the North Carolina East/West BBQ Bowl trophy, beginning on October 9, 2021 in Boiling Springs, N.C. The winning school will keep the trophy until the next season's matchup and the losing school will provide a BBQ meal from their respective region – eastern style for the Camels and western or Lexington style, for the Bulldogs – to the winning squad. North Carolina BBQ expert Bob Garner will be on hand to present the trophy to the winning team. Garner has written three books on North Carolina's favorite food and has appeared on Food Network, ABC's "Good Morning America," the Travel Channel's "Road Trip," and he produces specials for PBS North Carolina.
 
*    Gardner-Webb head coach Tre Lamb (32, September 16, 1989) is the second youngest head coach in the FCS ranks 
      currently, with only new Austin Peay skipper Scotty Walden (31, November 15, 1989) slightly younger.
 
*    Gardner-Webb's full-time coaching staff is the youngest in the Division I ranks, with an average of 28.9 years 
      old per man.
 
*    Gardner-Webb's 56-0 shutout of Division II Lincoln (Pa.) on September 18 was its first since blanking Division II
      Benedict (45-0) on October 1, 2016. 
 
*    Gardner-Webb is 43-12 when limiting opponents to less than 100 yards rushing. The 'Dogs have accomplished the 
      feat three times in just four home games under current defensive coordinator Josh Reardon.
 
*    Gardner-Webb has 15 graduate students on its 2021 active roster.
 
*    Gardner-Webb topped the 400-yard mark offensively against an FBS program for the first time ever in its
      30-25 loss at Georgia Southern. The Runnin' Bulldogs struck for 415 yards on the night.
 
*    Three current players on Gardner-Webb's roster were State Players of the Year as seniors. Quarterback 
      Bailey Fisher (Rabun County HS, Ga.) earned Class 2A Offensive State Player of the Year honors in 2017. Defensive 
      back Jamari Brown (Eastside HS, Ga.) was named Class 4A Defensive State Player of the Year in 2018. Running
      back Donovan Jones (Champagnat Catholic, Fla.) was the Class 2A Offensive State Player of the Year in 2020.
 
*    Gardner-Webb is receiving votes in the AFCA Coaches' Poll for the third consecutive week. The Runnin' Bulldogs 
      received votes in both major FCS polls last spring after their 2-0 start. GWU is one of three Big South teams either 
      ranked (Monmouth, Kennesaw State) or receiving votes this week.
 
THE HEAD COACHES
Gardner-Webb head coach Tre Lamb is the second-youngest skipper in Division I football at age 32, celebrating his birthday last week on September 16. Lamb is 3-4 in his brief tenure, with two of those losses coming to 85-scholarship FBS programs. Veteran head coach Kerwin Bell has 93 career wins and is in his first season in charge of the Western Carolina program. Bell had prior college head coaching stops at Jacksonville (Fla.) and Valdosta State. 
 
5K
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 5,139 yards during his 28 games as a Division I starter at Tennessee Tech and now GWU. The Clayton, Ga., native passed for nearly 10,000 yards as a high school signal caller at Rabun County (Ga.) High and went on to earn 2018 OVC Freshman of the Year honors as well as 2019 second-team All-OVC honors. Fisher became the first Gardner-Webb quarterback to top 300 yards in his Gardner-Webb debut on September 4 at Georgia Southern, dicing up the Eagles' secondary for 315 yards and three toucdhowns in a 30-25 loss. Fisher played sparingly in Gardner-Webb's blowout of Division II Lincoln (Pa.), passing for 104 yards and two touchdowns and running for two more scores. He has accounted for seven touchdowns through three games with the Runnin' Bulldogs.
 
PARLEZ-VOUS FRANÇAIS
Gardner-Webb's coaching staff new 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 has continued to improve, and came out of the game with nine tackles in the season opener at Georgia Southern. He has 13 total tackles and 2.0 tackles for loss and three pressures so far through two games.
 
THE MAYOR
Running back Narii Gaither (5-10, 177, Jr.) is more than just a third-down back. He's more than a fast runner. The Rock Hill, S.C., native can survive and succeed between the tackles as well as catch the ball effectively on swing passes and down the field. He's a multi-faceted threat and a perfect fit in Gardner-Webb's offensive system. The All-Big South back broke out last spring, sprinting to a pair of 100-yard games to lead GWU to a 2-0 start. He went for 111 yards and two scores on just 19 carries in the win over No. 24 Elon and followed with 151 yards on 18 carries and two total scores vs. Presbyterian. He broke school and Big South records with a 96-yard run to paydirt and caught the game-winner in overtime. Gaither broke out at FBS Charlotte on September 11, rushing for a team-high 82 yards and a touchdown. 
 
BULLDOZER
Only a handful of true freshman are good enough to start a season opener on the offensive line. Even fewer are capable of managing the pressure-packed nature of offensive tackle. Gardner-Webb's Clayton Frady (6-5, 295, So.) was up to the challenge this past spring, becoming the first true freshman to start a season opener at tackle since Will Millikan did so at South Alabama in 2015. The Sylva, N.C., native was just the third true freshman since Gardner-Webb's move to Division I to start at game at tackle – joining Demario Deese (2005), Jamie Dunaway (2009) and Millikan (2015). Frady earned All-Big South Conference honors, was runner up for the league's Freshman Offensive Player of the Year award and earned Hero Sports Freshman All-America honors. Frady has started all three games this fall at right tackle
 
AGAINST THE OLD NORTH STATE / FCS
Gardner-Webb is 4-1 in its last five meetings against Division I FCS programs from its home state. The lone loss came in triple overtime at home to Campbell in 2019. GWU rolled past #24 Elon by a 42-20 score this past spring at home. That win marked Gardner-Webb's second win in a row over the Phoenix. Saturday's game vs. Western Carolina is the first of three scheduled meetings with in-state FCS foes this season (October 9 vs. Campbell and November 20 at North Carolina A&T).
 
FRONT FOUR FORTRESS
Gardner-Webb has built a defensive line perhaps as good as any other in the nation in the Football Championship Subdivision. The unit goes 11 deep without much drop off and has truckloads of experience. After keying a pass rush that produced only 10 sacks over 12 games in 2019, the group led the way to 15 sacks in just four games this past spring. In addition to All-America end Ty French (6-3, 230, So.), the 'Dogs return veteran starters Shai Thomas (6-2, 271, Sr.) and Janathian Turner (6-3, 306, Sr.), along with highly-touted tackle Charlie Jackson (6-4, 323, So.). Former starters Kendall Bailey (6-4, 262, Gr.) and Tremayne Booker (6-2, 273, Gr.) have significant experience and have moved from end to playing inside. Former three-star recruit Cash Devaughn (6-2, 293, RFr.) also creates some depth on the interior, as does former All-State lineman Willie Harris (6-1, 275, Fr.). Providing reserve production at end are talented pass rushers Ga'Marcus Freeman (6-2, 239, So.), Brice Bass (6-4, 250, So.) and Kyndall Clark (6-2, 234, Gr.).
 
SECOND HALF STALWARTS
Through three games this season, despite playing two against 85-scholarship FBS programs, Gardner-Webb's defense has made proper adjustments at intermission. The Runnin' Bulldogs and defensive coordinator Josh Reardon are allowing an average just 6.7 points per game in the second half – just 10.0 ppg against those FBS foes. Gardner-Webb's 56-0 shutout of Division II Lincoln (Pa.) was its first since the 2016 season
 
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 will have 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.
 
GAINING GROUND
After struggling to find its rushing attack in the opener at Georgia Southern, Gardner-Webb got it going for a while at Charlotte in week two. The Runnin' Bulldogs carried 40 times for 164 yards and a touchdown, averaging a respectable 4.1 yards per carry. The Runnin' Bulldogs followed that up with 339 yards and five touchdowns against an overmatched Lincoln (Pa.) squad, despite the Lions' No. 14 ranking nationally in Division II total defense coming into the game.
 
LOCAL FLAVOR
Gardner-Webb has 28 student-athletes on its current roster who played high school football within an hour of campus. Boiling Springs, N.C., is located in football-rich Cleveland County, home to state championship programs at Burns, Crest, Shelby and Kings Mountain. The campus is also situated just 15 minutes north of Palmetto State powerhouse Gaffney High and is within an hour drive of several perennial state contenders in Charlotte, N.C., and Spartanburg, S.C. 
 
POINT OF NO RETURN
Gardner-Webb's punt team has been solid through three games, not allowing a single yard on returns. The coverage is a carry over from the spring, when the Runnin' Bulldogs allowed just one punt to be returned over four games. GWU has one of the most experienced batteries in the country, with graduate students Will Mullins (snapper) and Jack Pawloski (punter) handling primary duties again in 2021. With several offensive and defensive starters in coverage – including All-Big South running back Narii Gaither at a gunner position – the net punting stats should be strong all season.
 
WELCOME BACK BUCK
Veteran safety Malachi Buckner (6-1, 206, Jr.) will return to the starting lineup on Saturday vs. Western Carolina after missing two games with an injury. The former three-star recruit out of Tucker (Ga.) High had nine tackles in the opener at Georgia Southern and is a key cog in a rapidly improving safety rotation. Jamari Brown (5-11, 198, Jr.) will continue to see major snaps in the secondary as well after playing at a high level during Buckner's absence.
 
HITTING 400 IN SEPTEMBER
Gardner-Webb's offense topped 400 yards of total offense twice in the month of September for the first time since 2006. GWU went for 461 yards on 61 plays at Jacksonville that season (Sept. 2), then returned home to post 504 yards on 78 plays against Tennessee Tech (September 9). GWU accomplished the feat three times in September in 2005, topping 500 yards in games against Union (Ky.), Belhaven (Miss.) and UT-Martin. The 'Dogs also did so in 2003 vs. Webber International (Fla.) and Chattanooga.
 
UP NEXT
Gardner-Webb will get into the meat of its schedule next week, flying to face defending Big South Conference champion Monmouth in West Long Branch, N.J., on October 2. The game will kick off at 1:00 pm in Kessler Stadium. The game will stream live on ESPN+ and air live on WGNC Radio AM 1450 / FM 101.1 / TuneIn Radio App (Stitcher.com). Dave Friedman and Mike Pacheco will be on the radio call.