CULLOWHEE – A quiet mountain town hosted a raucous college football game on Saturday afternoon. Two teams, conference rivals for longer than many fans have been alive, faced off for the first time as opponents ranked in the top ten nationally. The momentum shifted on a whim at times as the sun made its way over EJ Whitmire Stadium, but it was the Furman Paladins and quarterback Tyler Huff who delivered the final blow and defeated the host Western Carolina Catamounts, 29-17 to put themselves in the driver’s seat for the Southern Conference title.

Western rolled the dice to start the game, going for it on fourth down near the Furman forty-yard-line but a dropped pass gave the ball to Furman. The Paladins, on the offensive for the first time for the afternoon, moved the ball pretty well with a mix of runs and passes. A roll-out pass from the nine-yard-line from Tyler Huff to Mason Pline got the Paladins on the board and an offside penalty negated a missed PAT attempt. The Paladins decided to go for two with the second chance, but Andreas Keaton broke up a pass near the goal line to keep it 6-0 early in the first half. The Catamounts’ second drive played out much like the first drive with the home team facing a fourth and short and coming up short. Furman went sixty-six yards on five plays and extended their lead to thirteen with Huff’s second touchdown of the half, this one a sixteen-yard toss to Colton Hinton.

Western Carolina mounted yet another yard-consuming drive as the first quarter clock ran out. When the second quarter began, the Catamounts were situated in the red zone, hoping to claw back some of the two-score deficit the visiting Paladins forced upon them. Cole Gonzales’s nine-yard touchdown pass to AJ Colombo did just that and the Catamounts faithful celebrated the home team’s first points of the day. Furman ensured that celebration would be short-lived as Wayne Anderson rushed fifty-four yards down the home sideline to set up another Furman score two plays later, a nine-yard scamper by Dominic Roberto.

Western Carolina was willing to tempt the fates on the ensuing drive, taking another risk on a fourth down play. Like the two prior fourth down attempts, the pass was incomplete and the Paladins took over. Unlike previous possessions, however, the Catamounts defense held firm and forced the first punt of the afternoon. The Western Carolina offense regrouped, cheering on their defense for keeping them in the game, and responded in kind, marching sixty-three yards in eight plays with Cole Gonzales finding David White by the pylon to make it 20-14 late in the half. Furman attempted a long field goal as time ran out in the half, but it was wide right.

Furman wanted to force the Catamounts to play their style of football coming out of the half. Taking seven-and-a-half minutes off of the clock, the Paladins marched sixty-nine yards and were on the doorstep of making it a two-score game. The Western Carolina defense stood strong and forced a field goal attempt, but the snap was bobbled, and the Catamounts took over, seeking a potential tying or go-ahead score. That hope grew as the home team marched down the field, but a pass intended for a Catamounts receiver in the end zone was picked off by Furman’s Cally Chizik whose momentum carried him out of the end zone and out of bounds at the one-yard-line. The Western Carolina defense rallied to the aid of their offense, forcing a Furman punt that was shanked and went out of bounds at the thirty-five-yard line. Western Carolina’s offense faced the same fate as their counterparts, finding themselves unable to move the ball and forced to punt. 

Both teams traded field goals midway through the final quarter to keep the margin close, but Tyler Huff drove the final stake in the hearts of the Catamounts faithful with a fifty-three-yard touchdown run down the visiting sideline with under a minute left on the clock. A Western comeback attempt was thwarted and the Paladins were able to kneel to run out the final seconds of the clock and continue their perfect streak in conference play.

Notable North Carolinians

Dominic Roberto (Pine Forest) – the graduate running back led the Paladins with 154 rushing yards.

Branson Adams (Dudley) – the sophomore running back led the Catamounts with sixty-one rushing yards.

AJ Colombo (Cuthbertson) – the sophomore wide receiver opened the scoring for the Catamounts with a touchdown reception in the second quarter.

Up Next

Both teams are at home in Southern Conference action as Western Carolina (5-2, 3-1) hosts Mercer for homecoming while Furman (6-1, 4-0) hosts East Tennessee State.

The picturesque town of Cullowhee, North Carolina, will play host to a highly-anticipated Southern Conference football clash this Saturday when #8 Western Carolina welcomes its fierce rival, #3 Furman, to the hallowed grounds of E.J. Whitmire Stadium. The ESPN+ game will kick off at 2:30 p.m. and fans can expect an epic encounter as both teams come into the game with impressive national rankings. In what marks only the fourth game in their storied rivalry where both teams enter the arena with national rankings, this clash brings memories of the golden era of Catamount football. The last time Western Carolina and Furman shared the spotlight with numerical rankings by their names was in 1983 when the ninth-ranked Catamounts exacted sweet revenge by defeating their second-ranked rivals in the NCAA I-AA playoffs, a 14-7 triumph in Greenville. Western Carolina holds a 2-1 record in ranked matchups, boasting a perfect 1-0 record on their home turf.

The 2023 season has seen Western Carolina emerge as the Cinderella story, rising to a Top-10 ranking after a remarkable string of five consecutive wins. Leading the charge is running back Desmond Reid, whose 847 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns have made him a strong contender for All-American recognition. Quarterback Cole Gonzales, now in his sophomore season, has elevated his game with 1,532 passing yards and 14 touchdowns, establishing a potent connection with a dynamic receiving corps led by Censere Lee, boasting 421 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns.  On the other side, Furman entered the season as the preseason favorites in the Southern Conference and has lived up to the billing through the first six games. Running back Dominic Roberto, with 394 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns, and quarterback Tyler Huff, boasting 1,057 passing yards and 10 total touchdowns, anchor the Paladins' offense. The defense has excelled against the run, allowing a meager 3.1 yards per carry. However, the key to success this weekend for Furman lies in their secondary's ability to generate turnovers, currently tallying an impressive 7 interceptions.

East Carolina Gears Up to Face Charlotte in First-Ever Conference Matchup

East Carolina’s football team is set to face American Athletic Conference newcomer Charlotte on October 21. The game will kick off at 2 p.m. and can be seen on ESPN+. This will be Charlotte's first-ever encounter with an in-state conference opponent, setting the stage for a memorable showdown. East Carolina, led by fifth-year head coach Mike Houston, enters the game with a 1-5 overall record and a 0-2 mark in the AAC. In the Pirates’ last outing, they fell 31-10 to SMU, despite running 16 more offensive plays than their opponent. Mason Garcia led a pair of scoring drives, completing 12 of 26 passes for a career-high 155 yards and rushing for a team-best 38 yards on 12 carries. Wide receiver Chase Sowell emerged as a standout, delivering his second consecutive seven-catch game and a career-high 120 yards. Charlotte, with a 1-5 record and a 0-2 conference record, is coming off a 14-0 loss to Navy. The upcoming clash promises an exciting faceoff between the two teams as they each aim to secure a crucial first win in the American Athletic Conference this season.

Barton Football Set to Rebound Against Wingate in Homecoming Showdown

Barton is set to host Wingate in a crucial Homecoming matchup. The Bulldogs, who have a 47-3 record against undefeated and nationally-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne, are looking to maintain their stronghold in the Piedmont Division standings. Jordan Terrell, the school's all-time leading rusher, is just 12 yards away from reaching the 1,000-yard milestone for the third consecutive season. Terrell has been a standout for the Bulldogs, averaging 141.1 yards per game on the ground. Junior quarterback Jaquan Lynch has shown his prowess with 1,076 yards passing and a total of 16 touchdowns. The defensive charge for the Bulldogs is led by junior linebacker Shane Perry, who boasts a team-high 64 tackles. On the other hand, Wingate's football program has a remarkable track record, culminating in an 11-3 record last year and a spot in the 2022 NCAA Division II National Quarterfinals. Wingate holds the edge in the all-time series with Barton, leading 2-1. Barton College, as an Associate Member of the South Atlantic Conference until the end of the 2024 season, is under the guidance of fourth-year head coach Chip Hester, while Joe Reich serves as the Wingate Head Football Coach. The Homecoming showdown promises to be a thrilling match between Barton and Wingate, with both teams aiming to secure a pivotal victory in front of their passionate fans.