CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Gardner-Webb returns to the road and to nonconference play, heading to Clarksville, Tenn. to face RV Austin Peay of the United Athletic Conference on Saturday, Oct. 14.
Gardner-Webb (2-3, 1-1 Big South-OVC) at RV Austin Peay (3-2, 1-0 UAC)
Saturday, Oct. 14 - 2:00 PM Eastern / 1:00 PM Central
Fortera Stadium - Clarksville, Tenn.
WATCH (Barry Gresham, Ethan Schmidt, Isabella Christenson)
LISTEN (Dave Friedman, Richard Martin)
LIVE STATS
THE GAME
Gardner-Webb returns to the road and to nonconference play this weekend, facing RV Austin Peay of the United Athletic Conference. Kickoff is set for 2:00 PM eastern/1:00 PM central. Barry Gresham, Ethan Schmidt, and Isabella Christenson will have the call on ESPN+. David Friedman and Richard Martin will have the live radio call via the Runnin' Bulldog Sports Network on The Varsity App, on the air at WGNC 1450 AM/101.1 FM, and online at gwusports.com.
SERIES NOTES
GWU leads the series against Austin Peay 2-0. This is the first meeting between the Govs and the Runnin' Bulldogs since Sept. 13, 2008, a 31-15 win for Gardner-Webb in Clarksville. The two teams previously met in Boiling Springs on Sept. 29, 2007, a 20-13 win for GWU. In the 2007 game, Austin Peay led 13-6 going into the fourth quarter, but GWU scored 14 unanswered points to win the game. The Runnin' Bulldogs forced four interceptions in the 2008 game at Fortera Stadium.
LAST TIME OUT
Gardner-Webb enters this week's contest 2-3 overall and 1-1 in the Big South-OVC after knocking off Robert Morris 31-16. GWU led 21-0 after the first quarter and 28-3 at halftime against the Colonials. Jayden Brown ran the ball 13 times for 42 yards and a touchdown, while also hauling in three catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns. Brice Bass tallied five tackles, including three sacks, while forcing a fumble in the win. As a team, the Gardner-Webb defense held RMU to just 5-for-18 on third downs and 1-for-5 on fourth downs, while also recording five sacks.
SCOUTING AUSTIN PEAY
Austin Peay enters the game 3-2 overall and 1-0 in the United Athletic Conference...The Govs have won three straight games after falling 49-23 to Southern Illinois and 30-13 to #9 Tennessee to open the season. Austin Peay is receiving votes in both national FCS polls...The Governors were on a bye last week after defeating fellow Big South-OVC member Lindenwood 52-10 on Sept. 30. Austin Peay scored 28 points in the first quarter as Jevon Jackson rushed for 158 yards and two touchdowns. Mike DiLiello went 15-for-30 for 3 TD and 349 yards while also rushing for 46 yards and a touchdown. Hosea Knifeley Jr. also picked up two sacks and the Austin Peay defense forced four turnovers...The Govs are third in the country in third down defense, allowing teams to convert just 23.2 percent of the time on third down...DiLiello ranks 10th in the country in pass touchdowns (12) and 18th in passing yards (1,345)...Kam Thomas is averaging 20.9 yards per punt return with a punt return touchdown. Thomas also has 249 receiving yards and three touchdowns...The Govs have allowed just 22.4 points per game, the best mark in the United Athletic Conference.
THE HEAD COACHES
Gardner-Webb head coach Tre Lamb is the second-youngest skipper in Division I football at age 34. He is 15-18 in his brief tenure, with seven of those losses coming to 85-scholarship FBS programs. Scotty Walden is the youngest coach in Division-I football at age 33, just 60 days younger than Tre Lamb. Walden holds a record of 20-13 in four years at Austin Peay, and is 27-19 in his career. Walden led the Governors to a share of the ASUN championship last season. Walden has also had head coaching stops at East Texas Baptist in 2016 (7-3) and as the interim head coach for Southern Miss in 2020 (1-3). During his team at ETBU, Walden was the youngest head coach in all of college football at just 26 years old.
MOVING UP THE BOARD
Ty French forced a punt early in the game at East Carolina on Sept. 23, thanks to his sack that kicked the Pirates out of field goal range. Frech is now 1.5 sacks shy of tying former GWU Runnin' Bulldog and Green Bay Packer Gabe Wilkins (1990-93) for the most in school history (29.0). French also has 8.5 tackles-for-loss this season, the second-most in the conference and the seventh-most in the FCS. For his career, French has 49 tackles-for-loss, the fourth-most in program history
THE MAYOR
Running back Narii Gaither (5-10, 181, R-Sr.) now has 2,802 yards rushing for his career, ranking third all-time. Gaither is now second on the school's all-time Division I career rushing list, trailing only Tyrell Maxwell (2,944). Gaither broke the school record for career receptions for a running back vs ECU with two catches, and now has 89 receptions for his career. His 6.0 yards per carry are the second-most for a running back in program history for a career.
VOLUNTEER VISIT
Since 1970, GWU is 16-36-1 against teams from the Volunteer State. At the Division-I level, since 2000, GWU is 9-8 against teams from the state of Tennessee. The Runnin' Bulldogs have lost two in a row after winning three straight games against teams from Tennessee. GWU is 0-1 against teams from Tennessee this season, falling to Tennessee State in Nashville 27-25 on Sept. 16. Gardner-Webb will host one team from Tennessee, welcoming UT Martin into Spangler Stadium for Homecoming on Saturday, Nov. 28. The Runnin' Bulldogs will make one more trip to Tennessee this season, heading to Cookeville to face Tennessee Tech on Nov. 11.
STRAIGHT BASS HOMIE
Senior defensive end Brice Bass was a force for the Runnin' Bulldogs against RMU, as he set a new career-high with three sacks. Bass forced a fumble and picked up back-to-back sacks on the final two plays of the game. So far this season, half of Bass' 14 tackles have been tackles-for-loss with seven so far this year. Bass also has three QB hits and one pass break up this season.
UP NEXT
Gardner-Webb closes the nonconference portion of their schedule on Saturday, Oct. 21, hosting Eastern Kentucky in a rematch of the first round of the 2022 FCS Playoffs. Kickoff from Spangler Stadium is TBA. Fans can purchase tickets at gwusports.com
