In the sixth game of the 2015 season, after a two game home stand, the Catamounts take their two game winning streak on the road. Traveling down the mountain to Spartanburg, SC, the Cats will play in one of the tougher places in the Southern Conference for the Cats to win, Gibbs Stadium., where the Terriers are 2-0 this season.
The Cats are 13-24 overall when facing Wofford, and had lost eight straight until last season, when the Cats were victorious in Cullowhee.
The Terriers are coming off a embarrassing loss to another triple option team, The Citadel, in Charleston after picking up a one point win over Mercer in overtime in Macon the prior week.
Wofford
When: Saturday, October 17 at 1:30 pm
Where: Gibbs Stadium (8,500). Spartanburg, SC
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
TV / video: ESPN3
Game Notes: Western Carolina - Wofford
Entering his 28th season, Mike Ayers is the dean of Southern Conference football coaches. Ayers has guided the Terriers from the NAIA and NCAA Division II ranks to Division I and the Southern Conference. Along the way, the team made appearances in the Division II Playoffs in 1990 and 1991, the Division I FCS Playoffs in 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, and 2012, and claimed Southern Conference titles in 2003, 2007, 2010, and 2012.
Last Year's Record: 6-5 overall, 4-3 SoCon (home 5-0, road 1-5)
Last Season's Game vs. Wofford (October 11th 2014) - Defense, Special Teams Leads WCU Past Wofford, 26-14 - Freshman Detrez Newsome returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for the game's first points, and later capped a game-sealing scoring drive with a 24-yard touchdown romp as the Catamounts upended the Wofford Terriers, 26-14, on Saturday afternoon in Southern Conference action at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field.
Offensive starters - Returning/Lost: 10 / 1
Defensive starters - Returning/Lost: 9 / 2 - On defense, the Terriers lost the following starters: defensive end Tarek Odom and linebacker Kevin Thomas to graduation
Specialist - Returning/Lost: 7 / 0
Offensive Formation: Triple Option (Wingbone)
Defensive Formation: Multiple 50
In 2014, the Terriers secured a winning record with a 6-5 overall finish, making it the 11th winning season in the last 13 years for Wofford. The Terriers also had a winning SoCon record at 4-3, but it was only good enough to finish the dogs in fourth place. The Terriers had eight student-athletes named to All-Southern Conference teams, OL Anton Wahrby and DL Tarek Odom on the first team, and DL E.J. Speller on the second team. In addition, OL Davis Lenoir, LB Terrance Morris, and K David Marvin earned All-Freshman Team honors. Wofford finished third in the nation in rushing, 121st in passing offense and 74th in total offense ... On defense, Wofford was ninth in rushing defense and 74th in passing yards allowed to rank 23rd in total defense ... The rushing defense allowed only 1,182 yards this season, the fewest in school history.
At the 2015 Media Day, the Terriers were picked by both the media and coaches to finish in 4th place in the conference standings. Wofford earned eight preseason honorees, and leading the Terriers on the first team were offensive lineman Anton Wahrby and punter Brian Sanders. Second team honorees include running back Lorenzo Long, offensive lineman T.J. Chamberlin, defensive lineman E.J. Speller, linebacker Terrance Morris, linebacker Drake Michaelson, and return specialist Will Gay.
Wofford Injury Update:
Players who will miss the season due to injury include: S Cole Higbie (back), CB George Gbesse (shoulder), LB Alex Horlak (hip), HB Will Gay (knee), LB Terrance Morris (knee), DL E.J. Speller (shoulder), OL Mike Jones (knee) and WR Wade Francis (Achilles).
Players who missed The Citadel game due to injury included: WR Bryce Motes, WR Will Irwin and DL Jordan Perlotte. Nick Ward (shoulder) was injured at The Citadel and will miss the rest of the season.
2015 Wofford Statistics (YTD - 6 games) :
Rushing Offense: 1569 yards (262 per game average)
Yards per rush: 4.9 yards
TDs rushing: 16
Passing Offense: 524 yards (87 yards per game)
Yards per pass: 8.1
Passing Comp-Att-Int: 64-34-1
Total Offense: 2093 yards or 349 yards per game
Fumbles-Lost: 15 - 8
Penalties-Yards: 25 - 220 yards
3d Down Conversions: 24 of 74 or 32%
4th Down Conversions: 5 of 11 or 45%
Field Goals - Attempts: 7 of 10
Red-Zone Scores: 16 of 18
Red-Zone Touchdowns: 13 of 18
On-side kicks: 0 - 0
Punts (No. Yards): 28 (934 yds)
Avg, per punt: 33 yds
Who has the Terriers played prior to Western?
The Terriers opened up the 2015 season in Clemson, SC, against Clemson and was defeated 49-10 by 12th ranked Tigers. Clemson scored touchdowns on six of their first eight possessions of the game and limited the Terriers to 213 total yards.
The following weekend, Wofford returned home against Tennessee Tech. The Terriers defeated the Golden Eagles at Gibbs Stadium. The Terriers rushed for 444 yards on 72 carries as they totaled 560 yards of offense in the game and held the Golden Eagles to under 300 total yards.
The Terriers then hit the road to Moscow, Idaho, to play Sun Belt opponent, the Idaho Vandals. The Terriers battled the Vandals, but came up short in a 41-38 loss. The Terriers defense allowed 334 passing yards in the game and the offense lost two fumbles.
The Terriers then returned home to play Gardner-Webb. The Terriers shutout the Bulldogs 16-0 in Gibbs Stadium. The game was played in a light rain, which limited the offenses of both teams. The teams combined for 17 punts in the game and Wofford had three field goals by David Marvin in the win..
To open their SoCon schedule, the Terriers will be on the road for two weekends, first visiting Mercer. The Terriers needed overtime, but defeated Mercer 34-33. The Bears scored ten points in the last four minutes to tie the game, then scored first in overtime but missed the point after. Wofford's Evan Jacks scored a touchdown and the point after was good by David Marvin for the win.
The Terriers then traveled to Charleston to meet the Citadel Bulldogs. The Citadel defeated Wofford by a final score of 39-12 at Johnson Hagood Stadium. The Bulldogs took an early 14-0 lead and used a 16-play drive to open the second half to put the game out of reach for the Terriers.
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