THE GAME
Gardner-Webb visits Campbell on Saturday, November 12 for the second annual N.C. East/West BBQ Bowl, sponsored by the North Carolina Pork Council. Kickoff is set for 1:00 pm in Barker-Lane Stadium. The game will stream live on ESPN3, with Chris Hemeyer and Jay Sonnhalter on the call. The game will air live on WGNC Radio 1450 AM / 101.1 FM with Phil Constantino and Reginald Walker, Jr.

SERIES NOTES
The Camels own a 6-4-3 edge in the all-time series, which dates back to both programs' junior college days in 1929 ... Gardner-Webb and Campbell have met only three as senior colleges, with both coming as Big South members in 2018, 2019 and 2021 ... GWU captured the first and only meeting in Buies Creek on October 27, 2018 by a final score of 35-7 ... Campbell scored as time expired in regulation the following year in Spangler Stadium and came away with a 49-47 triple overtime win on October 26, 2019 ... Last year's meeting was a back-and-forth affair, with a muffed punt and a late touchdown giving Campbell a 42-28 win in the inaugural N.C. East/West BBQ Bowl in Boiling Springs ... The bulk of the two teams' history came during the junior college era, with the first meeting coming in Buies Creek, N.C., on September 16, 1929. Campbell leads the overall series 5-4-3. Gardner-Webb has played home games in the series in Shelby, N.C. (0-0-2), Gaffney, S.C. (0-0-1) and Boiling Springs, N.C. (1-2-0). The lone victory in Boiling Springs for Gardner-Webb in the series came on November 12, 1949 – a 35-0 decision – under coach Wayne Bradburn.

WHAT A SCHEDULE
Gardner-Webb has the nation's 10th toughest schedule according to NCAA.com, with its cumulative opposition posting a 52-40 overall record to date. Each of Gardner-Webb's losses have come to FCS teams currently ranked inside the top-20 and to its three FBS opponents, including a 21-20 loss at current FBS #19 Liberty and a 31-27 loss at current FBS #26 Coastal Carolina. The combined record of opponents in Gardner-Webb's five defeats is an eye-popping 35-11 – a winning percentage of .761 through November 10.

HOT ROUTES
* TJ Luther has more catches this season (43) than he had the first three seasons of his college football career combined (39).

* Five teams on Gardner-Webb's 2022 schedule have at least seven wins this season. Three are currently ranked in their respective subdivision's top-25 (Liberty, Elon, Mercer) and two more (Coastal Carolina, Limestone) are receiving votes. The Chanticleers are one spot outside the FBS top-25. 

* Saturday's N.C. East/West BBQ Bowl will feature the top-2 offenses in the Big South Conference. Campbell is the league leader at 435.2 yards per game and Gardner-Webb is a close second at 429.0 yards per game.

* Gardner-Webb is averaging 41.3 points and 548.7 yards of total offense per game this season in Big South play. The 'Dogs have averaged 25.3 first downs per game in the 3-0 league start. Campbell isn't far behind at 502.3 yards per game against Big South foes.

* Gardner-Webb head coach Tre Lamb (33, September 16, 1989) is the second youngest head coach in the FCS ranks currently, with only Austin Peay skipper Scotty Walden (32, November 15, 1989) slightly younger.

* Gardner-Webb has two preseason All-America selections on its roster – Narii Gaither and Ty French – for the first time since 2014. GWU is the lone Big South squad with multiple preseason All-America selections in 2022.

* Gardner-Webb won outright Big South Conference championships in both 2002 and 2003, the conference's first two seasons sponsoring football. Gardner-Webb is the only team remaining in the Big South with multiple outright league titles. Charleston Southern won an outright crown in 2005.

* Gardner-Webb and Charleston Southern are the two remaining original football members of the Big South Conference. The two schools began play in 2002, with GWU claiming that first league trophy. The first conference season featured GWU, CSU, Liberty and Elon.

THE HEAD COACHES
Gardner-Webb head coach Tre Lamb is the second-youngest skipper in Division I football at age 33. He is 10-14 in his brief tenure, with five of those losses coming to 85-scholarship FBS programs. Mike Minter is 43-58 in his 10th season in charge of the Campbell Camel. The former Carolina Panthers' safety played on a national title team at Nebraska in 1995.

LET'S GO
Gardner-Webb is 3-0 in the Big South for the first time since 2003, when the Runnin' Bulldogs won their second league championship with a 4-0 conference mark. Gardner-Webb defeated Coastal Carolina (October 4), Liberty (October 11), VMI (October 18) and Charleston Southern (November 8) that season – posting an average margin of victory of 22.2 points per game.

CATCH THIS
Receiver TJ Luther (6-1, 180, R-Sr.) has been among the best in the nation this season, catching 43 passes for 878 yards and five touchdowns through nine games. The Arcadia, Fla., native ranks No. 5 nationally in receiving yards, No. 6 nationally in receiving yards per game and No. 13 nationally in yards per catch – leading the Big South in all three categories. Luther now has 105 career catches for 2,140 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns in 42 games played. He has 3,159 career all-purpose yards. Luther is also the first Gardner-Webb receiver to post six different 100-yard receiving games in a season since the 'Dogs moved ot Division I in 2000. Receiver Cutrell Haywood (6-0, 217, Gr.) has been consistently strong as well, hauling in 59 passes for 551 yards and five scores. Haywood has caught 204 passes for 1,947 yards and 19 touchdowns in 40 career games. Haywood has now gone over 50 catches three times in his career.

THAT WAS FUN
Gardner-Webb posted its largest margin of victory ever in a Big South Conference game when it steamrolled Robert Morris 48-0 in the Pittsburgh suburbs on October 8. The previous mark was a 46-0 win over Charleston Southern on November 8, 2003 in Boiling Springs. The previous mark for a Big South road game was 42 points in a 57-15 win at Charleston Southern on November 9, 2002.

THE MAYOR OF ROCK HILL
Gardner-Webb deploys one of the most talented offensive players in the country in Narii Gaither (5-10, 181, Sr.). The Rock HIll, S.C., native is a preseason FCS All-America choice as an all-purpose back and is one of only two men in the nation returning  after leading his team in both rushing yards and receptions. Gaither, who nearly reached the 1,000-yard rushing mark last season despite playing in just eight full games, was also recently named to the Walter Payton Award Watch List – given annually to the top offensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision. He didn't disappoint in the season opener, churning out 137 yards and a score on just 13 carries – despite playing less than two full quarters. Gaither played just two snaps at Coastal Carolina before leaving with an injury and missed the next three games before returning with 11 carries for 106 yards at Robert Morris on October 8.  He has three 100-yard games this season.

ALSO FUN
Gardner-Webb's 48-0 win at Robert Morris on October 8 marked its first shutout in a Big South game since an 18-0 win at Charleston Southern on November 13, 2004. It was the first shutout for the Runnin' Bulldogs in a Division I game since beating No. 8 Wofford by a 3-0 score in Spartanburg on September 21, 2013.

BONJOUR
Defensive end Ty French (6-3, 234, Jr.) is a preseason FCS All-America choice, as well as one of the nation's most feared pass rushers. A disruptive force on the edge, the Moultrie, Ga., native had 14.5 tackles for loss last season and recorded 7.0 sacks over his final four starts of the season. A two-time, first-team All-Big South selection, French was named to the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List in August. The Buchanan Award is given each season to the top defender in the Football Championship Subdivision. French has 8.5 sacks so far this season, collecting a pair to go with three hurries at Marshall (10/1). He followed with two more sacks and a hurry at Robert Morris (10/8) and two at Liberty (10/15). French has seven games with multiple sacks in 21 career starts.

ROAD TRIP
Gardner-Webb endured the longest road swing in program history during the month of October, playing four in a row away from Spangler Stadium from October 1-October 22. GWU went 2-2 during that stretch, with the losses coming at FBS Marshall and current #19 FBS Liberty. Gardner-Webb's two road conference wins at Robert Morris (Oct. 8) and Charleston Southern (Oct. 22) mark the first time since 2009 that GWU has picked up multiple Big South wins away from home in the same season.

THIRD DOWN PATROL
Gardner-Webb has been among the nation's best defenses this season on third down, ranking second nationally in the FCS by allowing opponents to convert just 28.1 percent. GWU built on that success by limiting FBS Liberty to just 1-of-12 on third down, it's best effort against a foe from the Football Bowl Subdivision since holding Georgia Tech to a 4-of-14 effort in a 10-7 loss on October 11, 2008. Teams are converting an average of just 3.6 third downs per game against GWU this season.

CORNERING THE MARKET
Gardner-Webb has dominated the Big South's Freshman of the Week award in 2022, posting six winners in the first nine weeks of play. Janiero Crankfield took the honor after the opener, followed by Jay Billingsley (Week 2), Ty Anderson (Week 5), Jayden Brown (Week 6, Week 8) and Jonathan Burns (Week 9).

BEHIND THE LINE
Gardner-Webb leads the Big South and ranks No. 8 nationally in total sacks as a team, posting 29 on the season. GWU has posted 18 of those in the past five games, including five at FBS Liberty. The 'Dogs have 56.0 tackles for loss in 2022, led by Ty French (10.0), Brendan Jackson (8.0) and Janathian Turner (7.0).

WHEN THE MAYOR IS IN THE OFFICE
Gardner-Webb has played just five games this season with All-America running back Narii Gaither at full speed, going 4-1 in those contests. GWU is averaging 40.0 points and 522.6 yards of total offense per game over those five contests, with the only loss coming in a 21-20 nailbiter at FBS Liberty – currently ranked No. 19 nationally with an 8-1 mark. Gaither himself is averaging 93.8 rushing yards per game on those five dates with three touchdowns.

BEST IN STATE
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.

THIS IS COOL
Quarterback Bailey Fisher (5-11, 207, R-Sr.) is the first man in Gardner-Webb's football history – with the senior college era dating back to 1970 – to pass for 400 or more yards twice in the same season. The Clayton, Ga., native went for 403 yards in a narrow loss at bowl elgible Coastal Carolina and topped that with 408 yards at Charleston Southern (10/22).

PRESEASON HONOR
Narii Gaither (5-10, 181, Sr.) was named Big South Preseason Offensive Player of the Year in July, and is only the second Gardner-Webb man to earn that honor in league history. Quarterback Tyrell Maxwell was also named prior to the 2017 season after earning the postseason award in 2016. Gardner-Webb has seen seven men earn Big South Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors, including four consecutive between 2007 and 2010.

ELITE COMPANY
Gaither is one of only three backs to pace the Big South Conference in total rushing yards for two consecutive seasons, joining Liberty's Dre Barnes (2002-2003), Stony Brook's Miguel Maysonet (2010-2012) and Coastal Carolina's De'Angelo "Hop" Henderson (2014-2015) also accomplishing the feat. Maysonet is the only man to lead the league for three consecutive seasons.

THE GREAT NATE
Janathian Turner (6-3, 306, R-Sr.) has enjoyed a strong 2022 so far, posting 7.0 tackles for loss on the season to go with 41 total hits. He recorded at least a half TFL in each of Gardner-Webb's first five games this season. 

PLAY FOR THE PIG
Gardner-Webb and Campbell will meet for the second year in a row in the N.C. East/West BBQ Bowl, with the winner taking home the prestigious pig trophy and bragging rights. The biggest prize? The losing side will provide the winners with a pork barbeque dinner later this year. Campbell rallied in the final four minutes to win last year's inaugural bowl by a 42-28 score in Boiling Springs. This year's game is sponsored by the N.C. Pork Council.

TACKLING MACHINE
Gardner-Webb linebacker William McRainey (6-0, 217, Jr.) leads the team and ranks among the Big South's best with 77 tackles this season. The Shallotte, N.C., native has 205 career tackles through 24 starts and is a two-time All-Big South selection. McRainey is also an Academic All-America candidate again in 2022, one season after earning Academic All-District III honors as a sophomore.

MORE ON FISHER
Quarterback Bailey Fisher (5-11, 207, R-Sr.) ranks among the nation's top-10 among active career leaders in 10 offensive categories. The Clayton, Ga., native is third in career passing attempts (1,324), third in completions (788), fourth in passing yards (9,211), fifth in touchdown passes (66), third in touchdown responsibility (93), third in total plays (1,762), fifth in total plays per game (39.6), third in total offensive yards (10,303), fifth in passing yards per attempt and – among quarterbacks with at least 4,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing – he ranks first in total yards. Fisher ranks among the top-20 in all of Division I (FBS and FCS) in attempts, completions, total plays and total yards.

TIME CHANGE FOR SENIOR DAY
Gardner-Webb will host North Carolina A&T at Noon on Saturday, November 19 in Spangler Stadium, a shift from the original kickoff time. The game will stream live on ESPN+ and air live on WGNC 1450 AM / 101.1 FM.