Saturday night’s ACC Network game from Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh will be the 113th meeting between the NC State Wolfpack and the North Carolina Tar Heels. The Tar Heels, recovering from a loss at Clemson, are preparing to face their rivals in the final game of the 2023 regular season. The Tar Heels’ offense, which averages 38.1 points per game, is the 12th highest nationally, and they’ve been successful on third downs, converting 49.7% of them. Quarterback Drake Maye and running back Omarion Hampton have been key players, with Maye throwing at least one touchdown pass in 10 of the 11 games this season and Hampton rushing for 100 yards in six consecutive games.

On the other side, the Wolfpack have been formidable opponents under the guidance of head coach Dave Doeren, the winningest coach in school history with 80 wins at NC State. They are one of only four teams in the Power 5 that have won eight or more games in each of the last four seasons. Their defense, which leads the ACC in total defense and scoring defense vs. league opponents, has been particularly impressive. In the last nine games, the Wolfpack defense has allowed just 88.5 rushing yards per game. During that span, three opponents have rushed for less than 100 yards. This game promises to be a thrilling end to the regular season, with both teams bringing their A-game to the field for bragging rights and a claim to best FBS team in the state.

NCAA Division II Playoffs (Round 2)

Lenoir-Rhyne vs Benedict: The Lenoir-Rhyne Bears are set to face the Benedict Tigers in the NCAA Division II playoffs this Saturday. The Bears have had a strong season, with an 11-1 record and an average of 40.17 points per game. Their rushing game is led by Dwayne McGee, who has gained 1213 yards with an average of 110.27 yards per game. In the passing game, Jalen Ferguson has completed 111 out of 154 attempts, throwing for 1468 yards and 16 touchdowns. The receiving corps is led by DeAree Rogers, who has made 43 catches for 621 yards and 6 touchdowns. On defense, Jon Ross Maye leads the team with 86 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. The Bears' defense has been particularly effective, with 35 sacks and 13 interceptions this season. The team's overall performance has been impressive, with an average of 443.7 yards per game. This game promises to be a thrilling encounter, with the Bears looking to leverage their strong performance this season against the formidable Tigers.

NCAA FCS Playoffs (Round )

Gardner-Webb vs. Mercer: This Saturday, the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs, under the guidance of Head Coach Tre Lamb, a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, will face off against the Mercer Bears in the NCAA FCS playoffs. The Bulldogs have had a strong season, with back-to-back conference championships for the first time since 2002 and 2003, and an undefeated home record. Their offense, led by Lamb, has been aggressive, averaging 34.7 points per game in conference games and converting 24 of their 37 fourth-down attempts. On the defensive end, Ty French has set a new school record for career sacks with 30.5 and has been named a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award. Running back Narii Gaither has also made history, becoming just the second player in program history to rush for at least 3,000 yards. The Bulldogs have a record of 9-36 against FCS teams ranked inside the national polls, but they defeated #13/14 UT Martin earlier this season. Freshman quarterback Jaylen King, a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award, has gone 5-1 in his first six career starts, including leading the Bulldogs to a 38-34 upset victory over #13/14 UT Martin. This game promises to be a thrilling encounter, with the Bulldogs looking to leverage their strong performance this season against the formidable Bears.

North Carolina Central vs. Richmond: This Saturday at 3pm, the NCAA FCS playoff game between North Carolina Central and Richmond is set to be a thrilling showdown. NCCU, with a record of 9-2 overall and 4-1 in conference play, has been a force to reckon with this season. They have outscored their opponents 403 to 296, averaging 36.64 points per game. Their rushing attack, led by Latrell Collier with 684 yards and 8 touchdowns, and Davius Richard with 579 yards and 15 touchdowns, has been particularly potent. Richard has also been impressive in the passing game, completing 60.98% of his passes for 1915 yards and 20 touchdowns. On the receiving end, Devin Smith and Joaquin Davis have been key contributors, with 505 and 404 receiving yards respectively. On the defensive side, Jayden Flaker leads the team with 74 total tackles and 4.5 sacks. With a rare appearance in the FCS playoffs, NCCU is poised to give a tough fight to the University of Richmond.

Honoring NCCFB Legend Armanti Edwards 

App State vs. Georgia Southern: App State will host Georgia Southern at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone in a game that will be broadcast on ESPNU Saturday afternoon at 3:30. App State leads the series 21-16-1 overall and 14-5-1 in Boone. Leading the Mountaineers’ offense is quarterback Joey Aguilar with 2,975 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, receiver Kaedin Robinson with 45 catches for 609 yards and 8 touchdowns, and running back Nate Noel with 787 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns. Andrew Parker Jr. paces the App State defense with 98 tackles. The game will be a significant event, as it's not only the regular-season finale but also Senior Day, and the retirement of QB Armanti Edwards’ No. 14 jersey will take place at halftime. App State is also vying for a Sun Belt Championship Game berth. The team needs to beat Georgia Southern and have JMU win at Coastal Carolina to advance to face West champ Troy on Dec. 2.

As the clock struck noon on Selection Sunday, football fans across the nation eagerly tuned in to witness the unveiling of the 2023 FCS playoff bracket. The anticipation reached its peak as the NCAA Division I Football Championship Committee revealed the field of 24 teams competing for the prestigious title.

Two teams from North Carolina, Gardner-Webb and North Carolina Central, found themselves among the chosen few. For the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs, it was a testament to their resilience throughout a challenging season. Despite facing one of the toughest nonconference schedules in FCS football, the Runnin' Bulldogs secured significant victories against Elon and #13 UT Martin. They stumbled along the way, facing tough losses to FBS Appalachian State and fellow playoff team Austin Peay. However, as conference play unfolded, Gardner-Webb turned the tide, finishing strong with a 5-1 record and clinching the conference championship for the second consecutive year.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the North Carolina Central University Eagles soared into the playoffs on the wings of an impressive season. Fresh off winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and the HBCU national championship, the Eagles showcased their strength in a schedule that included marquee matchups against UCLA and a trip to the Circle City Classic in Indianapolis. Victories against South Carolina State and Norfolk State highlighted their success, while a challenging loss to Howard kept them out of the Celebration Bowl for a second year in a row but opened the door to the FCS playoffs.

As the bracket unfolded, fans marveled at the matchups that would define the road to the national championship in Frisco, Texas. Gardner-Webb was slated to face Mercer in the first round, a game that promised intensity and excitement. Meanwhile, NC Central prepared for a showdown with Richmond, setting the stage for a clash between two formidable opponents. Both North Carolina teams will play away from home for the first round of the playoffs with a win putting each team on the road at one of the top eight national seeds.

Top 8 seeds

1. South Dakota State
2. Montana
3. South Dakota
4. Idaho
5. Albany
6. Montana State
7. Furman
8. Villanova

The playoff journey begins on Thanksgiving weekend on ESPN+, with the first-round matchups set to captivate audiences across the nation. 

BOILING SPRINGS – In a commanding display of offensive and defensive ability, Gardner-Webb notched an impressive 34-10 victory over Charleston Southern, securing the Runnin’ Bulldogs second straight conference title.

Coach Tre Lamb's Gardner-Webb offensive machinery churned out an impressive 448 total yards, with a remarkable 308 yards coming from their potent rushing attack. The Runnin' Bulldogs contained the Charleston Southern offense, holding them to 248 total yards, with only 92 yards on the ground.

The scoring summary tells a tale of a Gardner-Webb squad overcoming a slow start and exploding on the gridiron in the second half. The first quarter saw Jay Billingsley's precision, nailing field goals from 48 and 22 yards out, setting the tone for the Runnin' Bulldogs. Brendan Jackson's one-yard touchdown run further solidified Gardner-Webb's early lead. Despite a responsive eight-yard touchdown run by Charleston Southern's TJ Ruff in the second quarter, the Runnin' Bulldogs held their ground. The third and fourth quarters featured standout plays, including Jackson's second touchdown run and a spectacular 43-yard pass from Jaylen King to AJ Johnson, sealing Gardner-Webb's dominance and capping a convincing victory.

Gardner-Webb's victory wasn't merely an offensive showcase; it was a testament to disciplined play across all aspects of the game. The Runnin' Bulldogs demonstrated their defensive tenacity by holding Charleston Southern to a mere 10 points. Ty French's stellar performance set a new program record for career sacks at 30.5, surpassing Gabe Wilkins' previous record of 29.0 from 1990-93. The Gardner-Webb defense's formidable display limited Charleston Southern to a mere 81 yards in the second half and held opponents to less than 100 rushing yards for the third consecutive game.

Up Next

Gardner-Webb (7-4, 5-1) awaits its destination for the 2023 FCS Playoffs. The FCS Selection Show airs on ESPNU on Sunday, Nov. 19, at 12:30 PM.

BOILING SPRINGS – In a heart-pounding showdown on Saturday, October 21, Gardner-Webb’s Runnin’ Bulldogs managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat as they clawed their way back from behind, defeating the Eastern Kentucky Colonels, 35-32. It was a game filled with dramatic twists and incredible plays and went down to the wire.

From the opening kickoff, it was evident that both teams came to play, and Eastern Kentucky wasted no time in making their presence known. In just the second play of the game, Braedon Sloan sprinted 61 yards down the field, putting the Colonels ahead 7-0 in the blink of an eye. Gardner-Webb, however, answered with a relentless drive of their own, only to be thwarted on fourth down by Mike Smith, Jr., granting Eastern Kentucky another opportunity. But it was Gardner-Webb’s defense that soon stole the show. Ja’Kai Young intercepted a pass at the 40-yard line, racing into the endzone and tying the game 7-7 with 10:51 remaining in the first quarter.

Eastern Kentucky retaliated with an impressive 11-play, 75-yard drive, capped off by an 18-yard touchdown pass from Parker McKinney to Jalen Burbage, giving the Colonels a 14-7 lead late in the first quarter. Gardner-Webb’s subsequent possession was marked by a crucial sack from Cam Junior, causing a fumble recovered by Ryan Jackson of Eastern Kentucky. Despite the opportunity, the Colonels failed to capitalize as Raequan Ousley broke up a pass on fourth down.

The back-and-forth continued when Gardner-Webb’s Jordon Thomas stripped the ball from Ephraim Floyd’s grasp, handing Eastern Kentucky possession once more. This time, the Colonels made no mistake, as Josh Carter ran into the endzone from 22 yards out, extending Eastern Kentucky’s lead to 21-7 with 11:47 remaining in the first half.

Undeterred, Gardner-Webb mounted a determined offensive drive, converting three fourth downs, with Jaylen King taking matters into his own hands and rushing into the endzone on fourth down at the six-yard line, narrowing the deficit to 21-14 with 4:59 left in the second quarter. Before the halftime whistle, Ousley snagged an interception with 2:40 left in the quarter, paving the way for Narii Gaither to storm into the endzone and tie the game at 21-21.

The third quarter saw Gardner-Webb driving deep into Eastern Kentucky territory, only for a critical sack by Logan Blake to force a fumble on fourth down, with Jaylen Herrud recovering the ball. This allowed the Colonels to take a 24-21 lead with a field goal as Ty French and Josiah Wright made a crucial tackle.

As the game entered the fourth quarter, Gardner-Webb found themselves backed up at their own 12-yard line, but Jayden Brown electrified the crowd with an 88-yard touchdown run, giving the Runnin’ Bulldogs their first lead of the night at 28-24 with 12:10 left in the game. The Gardner-Webb defense then rose to the occasion as William McRainey forced a fumble, with Wright recovering the ball at the 27-yard line. Capitalizing on the opportunity, King connected with AJ Johnson for a 37-yard touchdown pass, extending the Runnin’ Bulldogs’ lead to 35-24 with 10:25 remaining.

Eastern Kentucky, refusing to surrender, embarked on a gutsy 98-yard drive, helped by penalties against Gardner-Webb. Sloan closed the drive with a six-yard touchdown run, and McKinney found Burbage in the endzone for a two-point conversion, closing the gap to 35-32 with 2:12 remaining. Floyd’s recovery of an onside kick attempt followed by Brown’s 15-yard rush secured the 35-32 win for Gardner-Webb, capping off an exhilarating night of football.

Three North Carolina teams have qualified for the 2022 NCAA
FCS Championship Playoffs.

Eleven teams automatically qualify for this year's playoffs
via conference affiliation. An additional thirteen teams earned at-large bids
selected by the FCS Playoff Committee. The complete 24-team bracket was
announced at 12:30 on Sunday, November 20, on ESPNU. The FCS Playoffs will
conclude with the national championship in Frisco, Texas on Sunday, Jan. 8,
2023.

Gardner-Webb (6-5) secured their first-ever berth in the playoffs
with a win over North Carolina A&T on Saturday afternoon, finishing a perfect
5-0 in conference play and securing their first Big South Conference title since
2003. The Runnin’ Bulldogs and head coach Tre Lamb will travel to take on
Eastern Kentucky (7-4), representing the ASUN-WAC partnership.

Davidson (8-3) represents the Pioneer League after St.
Thomas was declared ineligible for the playoffs. The Wildcats are making their
third straight appearance in the FCS playoffs under coach Scott Abell. The
Wildcats and Abell are looking for their first postseason tournament victory
and will travel to take on Richmond (8-3) from the Colonial Athletic
Association.

Elon (8-3), also from the Colonial Athletic Association,
earned an at-large bid in this year’s playoff. The Phoenix, led by Tony Trisciani, are making their
fourth overall appearance in the FCS playoffs and first since 2018. Coach
Trisciani and the Elon squad will look to secure their first-ever FCS playoff
win on the road at Furman from the Southern Conference.

Schedule – All games will take place on Saturday, November
26, and are televised on ESPN+.

Elon at Furman – 12pm

Davidson at Richmond – 2pm

Gardner-Webb at Eastern Kentucky – 5pm

A full bracket can be found here: https://www.ncaa.com/brackets/football/fcs/2022.

BOILING SPRINGS – It was the inaugural BBQ bowl between Big South rivals Gardner-Webb and Campbell taking place at Spangler Stadium on Friday night. At stake were bragging rights and a catered barbecue meal for the winning squad. Both teams traded offensive and defensive blows for three and a half quarters, knotted at 28 with four minutes left on the clock. Campbell stepped up on both sides of the ball over the last four minutes, finding the end zone twice on their way to a 42-28 win, and claimed the right to take the brand new trophy back to Buies Creek for the next year.

The Meat

After both teams started slowly, trading punts and turnovers, it was Campbell who broke onto the scoreboard first. Capping an eight-play drive, Bryant Barr (Eastern Guilford) punched it in from two yards out to give the Camels an early 7-0 lead. It was the Gardner-Webb defense that got the Runnin' Bulldogs on the scoreboard first with linebacker William McRainey (West Brunswick) picking up a fumble and racing seventy-one yards to the house for the scoop-and-score to tie the game at 7-7.

The second quarter saw both teams turning on their offenses. Wiley Hartley, on fire since stepping into the starting quarterback role due to injury, threw the first of his two touchdown passes early in the quarter, finding Caleb Snead in the back of the end zone. Gardner-Webb struck back quickly with Narii Gaither rushing for fifty-five of his game-high 150 yards on the way to the end zone to tie the game again. Gardner-Webb then went on to take the lead on a one-yard pass from Bailey Fisher to Bryson Duckworth to seemingly give the Runnin' Bulldogs a 21-14 halftime lead, but Campbell was able to go seventy-five yards in only fifty-two seconds with Hartley finding Julian Hill (Pine Forest) over the middle for a thirty-nine-yard score to cap off the quick drive to send the game into the half at 21-21.

Both teams' running backs found the end zone during the third quarter. Narii Gaither rushed twenty-two yards for his second score of the night to give Gardner-Webb a 28-21 lead, but Bryant Barr would not let Camels go without a score, punching the ball in from a yard out, his second of the night, and setting up what would be a momentous fourth quarter. Barr added the go-ahead score, his third of the night, at the 3:53 mark to give the Camels a 35-28 lead. After the Campbell defense held Gardner-Webb on fourth down, CJ Freeman's twenty-three-yard scamper sealed the deal and secure the 42-28 win for the visitors.

The Sides

• Bryant Barr's ninety-seven yards and three touchdowns were both career highs.
• Caleb Snead hauled in ten receptions on the night, tying his own school record.
• Wiley Hartley was 26/41 on passing for 265 yards.
• Narii Gaither now has two 150 yard rushing games this season.
• William McRainey led Gardner-Webb with thirteen total tackles to go along with his scoop-and-score.
• Campbell led the time of possession battle, 36:54 to 23:06.

The Dessert

North Carolina barbecue legend Bob Garner was on hand to debut the new trophy at halftime and Big South Commissioner Kyle Kallander had the privilege of handing over the trophy to the victorious Camels in a postgame ceremony.

What's Next on the Menu?

Campbell (3-2, 2-0) will host #25 Monmouth next Saturday at Barker-Lane Stadium while Gardner-Webb (2-4, 0-2) has an open week before hosting Robert Morris at Spangler Stadium for Homecoming on October 23.

BOILING SPRINGS – Saturday night's matchup between Western
Carolina and Gardner-Webb saw a budding in-state rivalry building into a new
chapter as each team was still breaking in fairly new head coaches who both sport
offensive philosophies that want to run as many plays as possible in a quick-paced
manner. The two teams did not disappoint, combining for 1200 yards of offense
and eighty-six points. Although Western Carolina had a quarterback who threw
for over 400 yards, it was Gardner-Webb, who lived up to their Runnin' Bulldogs
name, sporting two 100+ yard rushers on the night, who were victorious on Saturday,
winning 52-34.

The first quarter did not have the fireworks that fans and
pundits alike were expecting. Gardner-Webb forced a three-and-out on the first
drive of the game, but fumbled on their first play from scrimmage, giving
Western Carolina the ball back in Bulldogs territory. The Catamounts took advantage
of the turnover, landing on the scoreboard first with a thirty-eight-yard
Richard McCollum field goal. Not wanting to be outdone by another in-state
kicker, Gardner-Webb's Austin McKay kicked his own field goal to knot the score
at three.

Although the first half was marred with turnovers with each
team fumbling twice and turning the ball over on downs once, there were bright
spots for each squad as well. Gardner-Webb running back Narii Gaither ran hard for Gardner-Webb
and wide receiver TJ Luther made two great catches with the sun right in his
eyes, the second in the back corner of the end zone to give the Bulldogs their
first touchdown of the day. Western Carolina's KJ Milner had multiple tackles
for loss and a recovered fumble and quarterback Rogan Wells was 12 of 16
passing with a scoring toss to Kenny Benjamin.

The teams started to settle down as the second quarter got
underway. After the Catamounts added another McCollum field goal to cut the
deficit to four, Rogan Wells led his team on their first/only touchdown drive
of the half, moving Western Carolina fifty-eight yards in eight plays,
culminating with a thirteen-yard scoring grab by Kenny Benjamin.

The Runnin' Bulldogs looked to regain the momentum late in
the quarter, and quarterback Bailey Fisher was ready to step up and led his
team on a seventy-yard scoring drive, finishing the drive on his own with a
keeper, but it was Western Carolina who would have the last word in the half with
Wells continuing with his hot hand, leading the visiting Catamounts
seventy-nine yards in eleven plays. Calvin Jones made a great grab at the one-yard
line to get the Catamounts into position and TJ Jones punched it in two plays
later to give Western a 20-17 halftime lead.

Gardner-Webb QB Bailey Fisher celebrates a touchdown. Photo: Brian Barnes

The second half was a tale of two quarters. The third quarter
saw both teams trading punches and trying to light up the scoreboard. After
forcing an initial punt which rolled all the way to the two-yard line, Western
Carolina struck fast and quarterback Rogan Wells broke free on an eighty-two-yard keeper three plays later to give the Catamounts a three-point lead. TJ
Luther got Gardner-Webb right back in scoring position after returning the
ensuing kickoff seventy yards to the Western Carolina thirty-yard line. This
set up Narii Gaither, who picked up eighteen of his team-leading 151 rushing yards
on a rushing touchdown three plays later. Wells and the Catamounts sought to
respond immediately. Wells, who finished with 427 yards on the evening, accounted
for all eighty-three yards through the air on this drive, finishing with a six-yard
pass to Raphael Williams to make it a two-score game again. Western Carolina
would not see the end zone again the rest of the night. The rest of the game
would belong to the home team.

Gardner-Webb got back into and then began to control the last
twenty minutes of the game. Freshman Donovan Jones added two scores for the
Bulldogs, a six-yard score, and a back-breaking seventy-nine scamper to seal the
deal. Between these two Jones scores was a pick-six for junior Jamari Brown.

Up Next

Gardner-Webb (2-2) takes on Monmouth in the Runnin' Bulldogs
Big South Conference opener while Western Carolina (0-4) opens Southern
Conference play on the road at Chattanooga.

CHARLOTTE – Fresh off its first-ever win over a Power 5 program, no one would have blamed the Charlotte 49ers if they had looked past this week's matchup against Gardner-Webb, an FCS school an hour away from campus. The Niners were focused, though, and powered their way to a 38-10 win Saturday night at Richardson Stadium.

When Gardner-Webb won the opening toss and deferred, Charlotte sought to set the tone immediately and an opening kickoff return to midfield by Keith Pearson got the Niners into a great position. Six plays later, Chris Reynolds eluded three Gardner-Webb defenders on his way to a 37-yard score to open the game. After being forced to punt on their first drive of the game, Gardner-Webb was able to take possession on an interception of a tipped pass hauled in by Dameon Williams. The Runnin' Bulldogs turned it into three points on a 45-yard Austin McKay field goal.

Charlotte responded strongly on its next three drives, finding the end zone in all three. A five-yard rush by Shadrick Byrd was accompanied by Calvin Camp one-yarder and 11-yard pass and catch from Reynolds to Jairus Mack. Gardner-Webb was able to find some bright spots in the second quarter as well, with Narii Gaither hitting paydirt from fourteen yards out and Honus Wagner intercepting a pass to get the Runnin' Bulldogs into position to attempt a field goal which ultimately went wide.

Charlotte took their foot off the gas pedal in the second half, moving some of the second team onto the field to get game action. Fayetteville's ChaVon McEachern earned his first touchdown of the season, a thirteen-yard run early in the second half. Jonathan Cruz was five for five on PATs on the evening, giving him 46 straight successful PATs, tying a school record. Cruz added a field goal early in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring.

Next Week

Gardner-Webb (0-2) hosts Lincoln (Pa.) in the Runnin' Bulldogs' first home game of the season at Spangler Stadium while Charlotte (2-0) is on the road at Georgia State.

Notable North Carolinians

ChaVon McEachern (Trinity Christian) – the redshirt freshman running back led the Niners with seventy-four yards and a score.

Chris Reynolds (Davie) – the senior quarterback rushed for a score to open the game and also threw a touchdown pass.

Marcus Robitaille (Marvin Ridge) – the redshirt sophomore defensive back had five tackles, including four solo and one tackle for loss.

William McRainey (West Brunswick) – the sophomore linebacker had seven tackles for Gardner-Webb.

BOILING SPRINGS – The Runnin’ Bulldogs were victorious in their first game under new head coach Tre Lamb on Saturday afternoon. Gardner-Webb outscored #24 Elon 35-0 in the second half on their way to a 42-20 win over the visiting Phoenix.

Gardner-Webb running back Narii Gaither led the Runnin’ Bulldogs with 119 yards on 19 carries, hitting paydirt twice on the afternoon. Quarterback Carlton Aiken added another two scores on the ground for the home team. Devron Harper also returned a punt to the house for Gardner-Webb to take the lead for good on the afternoon. Elon was paced by quarterback Joey Baughman who scored on a quarterback sneak early in the first quarter. Skyler Davis was 2 of 2 on the afternoon on field goals.

Both teams are in action next Saturday as Gardner-Webb (1-0) hosts Presbyterian for their second straight game at Spangler Stadium while Elon (1-1) returns to the friendly confines of Rhodes Stadium, hosting CAA rival James Madison. 

Notable North Carolinians

Next Week