CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Fresh off the team's first victory of the 2022 season a week ago at Bailey Memorial Stadium over Virginia University of Lynchburg, the Presbyterian College football squad turns to the road once more this weekend to renew a long-time series with Western Carolina in the third and final non-conference bout of the fall.
Opponents every year from 1965-1976 in a series that dates all the way back to 1950, the two Carolina foes will meet on Sept. 17 both touting a 1-1 record after the Catamounts fell to ACC representative Georgia Tech last weekend. Kickoff in Cullowhee at E.J. Whitmire Stadium is slotted for 3:30 p.m., broadcasted live via ESPN+.
GAMEDAY CENTRAL
WHAT: Presbyterian (1-1, 0-0 PFL) at Western Carolina (1-1, 0-0 SOCON)
WHERE: E.J. Whitmire Stadium (Cullowhee, N.C.)
WHEN: 3:30 p.m.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
WATCH: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: Sidearm
RADIO: WSPG (Ryan Clary & Tyler Shuggart)
TWITTER: @BlueHoseFtball
GAME NOTES: Presbyterian Notes |
Western Carolina Notes |
PFL Notes
Opponent Profile
• Western Carolina will open up their 2022 home schedule versus the Blue Hose on Saturday, having progressed to a 1-1 record thus far in back-to-back road matchups with Charleston Southern and ACC foe Georgia Tech.
• After starting off their campaign in impressive fashion with a 52-38 triumph over the Buccaneers, WCU closed the opening quarter holding a 14-14 tie with GT before the Yellow Jackets ultimately pulled away for a 35-17 final difference on the scoreboard in Atlanta.
• Catamount quarterback Carlos Davis, completing nearly 70% of his pass attempts in the Power 5 matchup, went for 233 yards through the air last weekend with a pair of TD's in the aforementioned opening frame. He added 38 rushing yards in the Peach State to bring his two-game all-purpose total to 732 yards.
• Terrence Horne and Toler Keigley made the most of their two snags against Georgia Tech, each of them landing in the end zone for 71 total yards to back up Desmond Reid's individual 65-yard evening on four catches.
• Through two games, Western Carolina has put together 503 yards of total offense per contest, converting 46% of their third-down scenarios while scoring a touchdown in five out of six chances inside the opponents' 20-yard line.
Last Time Out
• Bouncing back from an opening-weekend loss to Austin Peay with an eight-point W over Virginia University of Lynchburg last Saturday, the Blue Hose opened up their home slate with a gritty performance amidst consistent precipitation by scoring a TD in the final three quarters.
• Redshirt-junior QB
Nate Hayden and rookie receiver
Dominic Kibby proved to be a combo that the Dragons couldn't stop, as the former tossed for 253 passing yards on 110 of them to PC's leading catcher through two appearances.
• Gathering 24 first downs on 443 yards of total offense, PC was lifted to their first victory of the Englehart era behind another career-high 55 receiving yards from freshman
Shawn Lodge and the first two touchdown catches in tight end
Worth Warner's Presbyterian tenure during the 2nd and 3rd quarters.
PFL Outlook
• Tomorrow's trip to Cullowhee will serve as the last contest outside of Pioneer Football League action for the rest of the way involving coach Englehart's group, with the remaining eight games against league opponents. The first of those meetings will take place at Bailey Memorial on Sept. 24 in the annual Battle for the 1919 Cup between the Blue Hose and rival Davidson.
• Four other PFL programs picked up a victory alongside PC last Saturday as Englehart grabbed his first W in Clinton over the Dragons. Kibby ended the weekend as one of only three receivers in the conference to tally a 100-yard day in receptions, beginning the 20
th season of play at Bailey Memorial with Presbyterian's 54
th win at the venue since its opening in 2002.
Series History
• Originally a yearly event between the Blue Hose and the Catamounts, PC dominated the first decade of the series with a victory in eight of the first nine meetings through the 1969 season. Altogether, the blue and white outscored WCU by the lofty margin of 204-92 approaching the 1970's, where Western Carolina began to assume control of the series from there.
• Awaiting Saturday's kickoff, either side has taken down the other nine times since that first meeting 72 years ago. After a long hiatus, the two programs returned to competition amongst themselves in 2007 when the Blue Hose climbed to the NCAA's Division I ranks. Outlasting the Catamounts in 2014 by a 19-14 clip at home, Presbyterian was bested by WCU in their last trip the following year, 33-21.
