Game #4 - Charleston Southern Buccaneers

For the season's fourth game, the Catamounts return to Cullowhee to face the Big South's Charleston Southern Buccaneers in the second game of a two-game series between the two teams on the gridiron. 

The Bucs completed the 2022 season tied for third place in the Big South Conference standings, tied with Campbell and Bryant, with a 2-3 conference record.  Saturday will also be Family Day, and the game will honor and recognize the partnership between WCU and the EBCI community. 

Game #4: Charleston Southern Bucs

When: Saturday, September 23, 2023

Time: 2:30 pm
Where: Bob Water Field, Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
   -Play-by-Play: Gary Ayers • Producer: Jeff Bryson

TV/video: ESPN+

   -Play-by-Play: Kyle C Rush, Color: Daniel Hooker

Live Stats: WCU Live Stats

Conference:  Big South/OVC Alliance 

Game Notes:  Western Carolina  -  Southern Conference

The Series: This is the second meeting between the two teams on the football field, and is the second and final game in the home-and-home series between the two schools. 

Last Game vs. CSU:  September 3, 2022 - Davis Throws for 400 Yards, 6 TDs in Season-Opening Road Win - Charleston, S.C. – Carlos Davis threw for a career-high 433 yards and a school-record six touchdown passes going to six different receivers as Western Carolina won its 2022 season opener on Saturday afternoon, 52-38, over Charleston Southern at Buccaneer Field.

Head Coach: Gabe Giardina became the sixth Charleston Southern head football coach in program history in November of 2022. He comes to the Buccaneers after coaching stops at the University of Alabama, Charleston Southern, Delta State and Albany State.

Gabe Giardina's Record: 38-19 overall / 1-2 at CSU  (1st season)

Gabe Giardina's record vs. Western Carolina: 0-0
Kerwin Bell's record vs. Charleston Southern: 1-0

Last Season's Record - (CSU 2022): 2-8 overall, 1-3 home, 1-5 away, 2-3 Big South

Offensive Formation:  Run Pass Option (RPO)
Defensive Formation:  unknown at this time

The Bucs struggled to a 2-8 record in 2022 which resulted in the dismissal of head coach Autry Denson. Division II Albany State head coach Gabe Giardina gets the opportunity to lead the Buccaneers after a great run with the Golden Rams. The Bucs were picked to finish 9th in the Big South/OVC Association preseason poll. 

With the movement to an RPO-type offense, and the departure of starting quarterback Ross Malmgren, who was injured in Game 4 last season, Tony Bartalo has the inside track to the starting QB job.  

The Bucs lost at least 8 players to the transfer portal from last season, 3 on offense, 4 on defense and 1 on special teams: Darius Meeks (OL), Seth Anderson (WR), Vinson Davis III (WR), Boogsie Silvera (DB), Jeremiah McClendon (DB), Jerome Rice III (LB), Kamron Smith (DB), & Franklin Rogers (K) - most of which were on their two-deep roster for the Bucs.  The Bucs received three FBS transfers from the portal,  Isaiah Gordon (RB) from Marshall, Andrew Threatt (OL) from Navy, and Will Kakavitsas (WR) from Virginia Tech. 

"The high-octane Catamount offense – which has amassed over 500 yards in both of its last two games –  will be challenged by a Buccaneer defense that is limiting its non-FBS opponents to just 343 yards of total offense and an average of just 12.5 points per game. Defensively, WCU will match with a Buccaneer offense that ranks last out of the 122 FCS teams, averaging just 140.7 yards per game and 12.3 points per game." 

In their last outing, the Bucs held #4 William & Mary of the CAA to just 15 total points, in a 7-15 loss. In that loss, William and Mary only scored one touchdown (4th quarter), the other eight points were two field goals and a safety. That's a nice defensive game by the Bucs against the #4 ranked team. At this point in the season, the Bucs' offense is anemic in all stages of the game.  They have a total of 180 yards of rushing offense in three games, and only 222 yards of passing offense in those same three games.  CSU has two rushing touchdowns (total) and no passing TDs to date in three games.  While not a serious threat to outscore the Catamounts, they have demonstrated the ability to bend on defense, and not break.  

2023 Charleston Southern Statistics (3 games)

Rushing Offense: 180 yards

Yards per game: 60
Yards per rush: 1.9 yards
Rushing 1st downs: 10
TDs rushing: 2
Passing Offense: 222 yards or 74 yards per game
Passing 1st downs: 10
Passing Att-Comp-Int: 50-22-3
TDs Passing: 0
Total Offense: 402 yards or 134 yards per game
Fumbles-Lost: 3 - 1
3d Down Conversions: 9 of 38 (23.7%)
4th Down Conversions: 1 of 2 (50%)
Field goal-attempts:  3 of 3
PAT-Attempts: 4 of 4
Red Zone Scores: 3 of 3
Red Zone Touchdowns: 2 of 3
On-Side Kicks: 1 - 1
Penalties-Yards: 11 - 95 - Avg. per gm 31.7
Punts-Yards: 23 - 904 - Avg. per gm 39
Sacks: 7 for 35 yards