THE GAME
Gardner-Webb will visit two-time defending champion and first-place Monmouth to open its 2021 Big South Conference season on Saturday, October 2. Kickoff time is set for 1:05 pm in Kessler Stadium. The game will stream live on ESPN+, with Matt Harmon and Eddie Occhipinti on the call. The radio duo of Dave Friedman and Mike Pacheco will be on site to call the action on WGNC AM/FM (1450 / 101.1 / TuneIn Radio app).

*   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 fourth consecutive week. The Runnin' Bulldogs 
    received votes in both major FCS polls last spring after their 2-0 start. GWU is one of four Big South teams either 
    ranked (Kennesaw State) or receiving votes (Monmouth, GWU, Charleston Southern) this week.

  
SERIES NOTES
Monmouth owns a 6-1 lead in the all-time series, which dates back to 2014 ... The only win for the Runnin' Bulldogs came on a 34-33 overtime decision in Spangler Stadium to end the 2016 season ... The Hawks have scored 40.1 points per game in the series, and have pushed that average to 48.5 points per game during the current four-game win streak ... GWU trailed just 20-19 at halftime during the teams' April meeting, but Monmouth scored 28 unanswered in the second half and clamped own on defense for a 48-19 victory ... Saturday marks the second visit to New Jersey in a row for Gardner-Webb as Monmouth's homecoming foe.

THE NORTH CAROLINA EAST/WEST BBQ BOWL
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.

50 BURGERS
Gardner-Webb's 52-point effort against Western Carolina marked its second weekend in a row scoring more than 50 points in a win. The last time the Runnin' Bulldogs scored 50+ points in consecutive wins was in 2005, when GWU opened with lopsided wins over NAIA programs Union (Ky.) and Belhaven (Miss.).

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 4-4 in his brief tenure, with two of those losses coming to 85-scholarship FBS programs. Monmouth boss Kevin Callahan is in his 29th season in charge of the Hawks' program and is the only head coach in program history. Callahan is 168-127 during his time in West Long Branch. 

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 5,400 yards during his 29 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 10 touchdowns through four games with the Runnin' Bulldogs.

PARLEZ-VOUS-FRANCAIS
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 has continued to improve, and came out of the game with nine tackles in the season opener at Georgia Southern. He has 20 total tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and six pressures so far through four 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 starred in Gardner-Webb's win over Western Carolina, rushing for 151 yards and a touchdown and catching a 29-yard pass en route to 199 all-purpose yards. Gaither runs the 100m dash in 10.6 seconds. 

THE NORTH
Gardner-Webb's last win up north came on November 1, 2008, when it topped Stony Brook in a Big South Conference affair on Long Island. The Runnin' Bulldogs also beat Morgan State in 2004 and posted a win at No. 23 New Hampshire on November 11, 2000. Gardner-Webb is 3-5 against I-AA/FCS programs on the road in the north since moving to Division I prior to the 2000 season.

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 STUBBORN
Through four 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 8.3 points per game in the second half overall – and just 10.0 ppg against those FBS foes. Gardner-Webb has allowed just 3.3 points per game to opponents in the fourth quarter this season.

SPEED
Gardner-Webb landed one of the most underrated big-play men in the country when former Wofford receiver and return man T.J. Luther joined the program in June. The Arcadia, Fla., native averaged more than 22 yards per catch during his time with the option-heavy Terriers and has continued to use his 10.4-second speed (100m) to make big plays for the Runnin' Bulldogs. Luther, also a talented blocker on the edge, has a pair of 100-yard games through the air so far, and totaled 253 all-purpose yards vs. Western Carolina. Through 31 career games, he has caught 53 passes for 1,181 yards and 11 touchdowns. He had a 100-yard kickoff return touchdown last season and posted a 70-yarder to set up a score for GWU last week. Luther ranks among the national leaders in yards per catch and kickoff return average this 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. That production has gotten even better the past two weeks. In wins over Lincoln (Pa.) and Western Carolina, Gardner-Webb has rumbled for 315.0 yards per game – and has punched in nine rushing touchdowns. Two of those touchdown runs were longer than 70 yards.

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 four 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 returned to the rotation 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.) started and 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 returns home for a big one, hosting in-state rival Campbell in the inaugural North Carolina East/West BBQ Bowl. The game will kick off at 6:00 pm in Spangler Stadium and will stream live on ESPN+. The game will also air live on WGNC Radio (1450 AM / 101.1 FM / TuneIn Radio app.).