Game #10: Wofford

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In the tenth game of the season, The Cats remain in Cullowhee for the final home game of the 2018 season, as the Wofford Terriers visit Cullowhee.


In a series that started in 1952, The Cats & Terriers have played a total of 40 times, and Western has won 2 of the last 4 games, having dropped a road game in Spartanburg last season.








Wofford

When: Saturday, November 10 at 3:30 pm
Where: E.J. Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
- Talent: Play-by-Play: Gary Ayers; Color Analyst: Greg McLamb; Host / Producer: Jeff Bryson
TV/video: ESPN3
- Talent: Play-by-Play: Daniel Hooker; Color Analyst: Daniel Gibson
Game Notes:   WCU   -    Wofford
Message Board:  TerrierFans.com

The Series: The Cats are 14-26 overall against the Terriers. having won two of the last four games played.

Wofford's Last Season's Record (2017): 10-3 overall, 5-1 home, 5-2 away, 7-1 in the SoCon  - Beat Furman 28-10 in the first round NCAA playoffs, lost to ND State on the quarterfinals 42-10

Wofford's Record this Season (2018):  6-3 overall, 4-0 home, 2-3 away, 7-1 in the SoCon

The last game played vs. Wofford:   October 7, 2017 - No. 22 Western Carolina Falls at No. 5 Wofford in Overtime -  Spartanburg, S.C. -  Redshirt freshman tailback Donnavan Spencer scored an equalizing touchdown on a toss sweep with three minutes remaining in regulation to ultimately force overtime for No. 22 Western Carolina on Saturday afternoon at Gibbs Stadium. However, fifth-ranked Wofford scored on their second play of the extra session before sealing the win with a third interception - the second by George Gbesee - this one coming in the end zone as the Terriers held off upset-minded WCU, 35-28. Spencer capped an 11-play, 75-yard drive with a one-yard plunge around the right end with the Will Horton extra point knotting the game at 28 in the closing minutes of regulation. On the ensuing possession, Wofford moved down the field, but the ball-control offense stalled with a fourth-down pass play as time expired falling incomplete. In overtime, running back Andre Stoddard scored his second rushing TD of the game, finding the end zone from three yards out to push the Terriers ahead for the third-time in the game. The Catamount offense suffered a loss on the first play on its turn with the football before Tyrie Adams moved back into position with an 11-yard run. But on the next play, Adams' pass intended for Terryon Robinson was corralled by Gbesee as he undercut the route to end the game.

Offensive Formation:  Triple Option
Defensive Formation:   Multiple 50
Starters returning/lost:    11  /  11
Offensive starters - Returning/Lost:  5  /  6
Defensive starters - Returning/Lost:  6 /  5
Specialist - Returning/Lost: 5  /  5
Lost from 2-Deep Roster:  13    (6 offense,  7 defense, 0 specialists)

Top losses:
Offense: QB 14 Brandon Goodson; LG 72 Chuck Rouse; C 50 Roo Daniels; TE 81 Chandler Gouger; WR 19 R.J. Taylor

Defense: LDE 92 Tyler Vaughn; OLB 44 Daryl Vining; ILB 21 Colton Clemons; OLB 9 Terrance Morris; FS 31 Malik Rivera

The league-leading Terriers were defeated at Samford last Saturday, 35-20 in Birmingham.

"It is disappointing to say the least," said Wofford head coach Josh Conklin. "We had our chances for sure. When you face a team like this you have to score points on offense and we didn't do a good enough job on that. We didn't play well enough on special teams and on defense we knew we were going to give up some explosive plays, but you can't let those explosive plays be for touchdowns. It wasn't a good enough effort all the way around in terms of the execution."

Wofford is in 4th place in scoring offense, with 30.3 ppg (WCU is 2d at 33.1 ppg). The Terriers are in second place in scoring defense, giving up only 20.3 ppg (WCU is in 8th place giving up 40.4 ppg). Wofford is in first place in rushing offense with 338.3 ypg (WCU is 3d with 220.9 ypg). The Terriers are also in first place in rushing defense, giving up only an average of 87 ypg (the Cats are in 7th place, giving up 218 yards per game).


2018 Wofford Statistics (9 games)
Rushing Offense: 3182 yards
Yards per game: 339,1
Yards per rush: 6.5 yards
Rushing 1st downs: 137
TDs rushing: 28
Passing Offense: 1049 yards or 116.6 yards per game
Avg. per pass: 8 yrds
Passing 1st downs: 42
Passing Comp-Att-Int: 81-135-8
TDs Passing: 8
Total Offense: 4101 yards or 455.7 yards per game
Fumbles-Lost: 9 - 6
3d Down Conversions: 42.4%
4th Down Conversions: 42.8%
Field goal attempts: 8 - made 5
On-side kicks: 0-0
Red Zone Scores: 26 of 33
Red Zone Touchdowns: 21 of 33
Punts-Yards: 32 - 1377 - Avg per punt:  43

Game prediction: Per the Massey Ratings, the Cats have a 14% probability of winning (28-42) over the Terriers.
According to Massey, Western Carolina should be 3-7 after this game. It would be very difficult to disagree with that prediction.

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