Scouting Western Carolina

u Western Carolina opens the home portion of its 2022 schedule by hosting the Presbyterian Blue

Hose . . . the Catamounts look to halt a three-game slide in home-openers dating back to the 2018 season that saw WCU down Newberry, 33-26; u Western Carolina looks to "White Out Whitmire" Stadium on Saturday, wearing its white Nike uniforms for the first time this season despite having played on the road twice – Charleston Southern held a White Out for its opener and Georgia Tech traditionally prefers to wear its white jerseys at home . . . WCU wore purple over gold for its first two games this season; u As a part of the special "White Out Whitmire" uniform scheme, the historic "The Cats" logo treatment first used by Bob Waters on the Catamount football helmets returns this weekend . . . "The Cats" logo will be on the right side of WCU's helmets in all-white, paying homage to the original logo introduced by Waters; u DID YOU KNOW: In addition to being WCU's home-opening opponent, Presbyterian was the alma mater of legendary Catamount football coach Bob Waters . . . Originally from Sylvania, Ga ., Waters transferred to PC after starting his career at Stetson before the school dropped the program after his first season . . . Waters played quarterback and defensive back for the Blue Hose, earning MVP honors of the 1960 Tangerine Bowl in a loss to Middle Tennessee; u Western Carolina and Presbyterian meet for 20th time on the football gridiron on Saturday . . .

WCU leads the competitive all-time series that dates back to 1950, 10-9 . . . WCU has won nine of the last 10 meetings in the series including the past four meetings played in Cullowhee; u The Catamounts have faced just three of the 11 teams currently in the Pioneer Football League all-time, posting a 14-9 record in those meetings – Presbyterian (10-9), Davidson (3-0), Morehead State (1-0); u Western Carolina LEADS the SoCon in total offense early in the 2022 season, averaging 503 .0 yards per game including the best passing attack with an average if 352 .0 yards through the air and 151 .0 yards per game on the ground, fifth-best in the league . . . WCU ranks tied for second in the SoCon in scoring offense (34 .5 ppg); u WCU's offense outgained Georgia Tech in total yardage 390-to-343 last Saturday night … It was the first time since 2017 at Hawai'i that the Catamounts outgained an NCAA FBS opponent, posting a 482-to-453 edge in Honolulu in the 2017 season-opener; u WCU QB CARLOS DAVIS leads the SoCon in both passing, averaging 333 .0 yards per game, and in total offense with an average of 366 .0 yards per game . . Davis tossed a WCU schoolrecord six touchdown passes in the season-opening road win at Charleston Southern while eclipsing the 400-yard mark for the second time in his career with 433 yards passing; u Davis enters the week ranked seventh in the NCAA FCS with 666 passing yards and ranks fifth nationally with an average of 366 .0 yards of total offense per game . . . He has thrown eight touchdown passes to six different receivers with just TERRENCE HORNE and TOLER KEIGLEY posting multiple receiving scores; u WCU placekicker RICHARD McCOLLUM is poised to set a school record for consecutive successful PAT attempts . . . Last weekend, McCollum tied Ken Hinsley (1995-98) with 65 consecutive PATs . . . McCollum has also hit 15 consecutive field goals including 2-for-2 this year with a 44-yard boot last Saturday at Georgia Tech . . . McCollum scored 10 points in the season-opening road win at Charleston Southern, collecting SoCon Special Teams Player of the Week honors; u WCU punter BRANDON DICKERSON currently LEADS the SoCon in punting average at 45 .3 yards per punt . . . Dickerson was named to the preseason watch list for the NCAA FCS Punter of the Year Award in the preseason; u WCU's defense recorded six sacks in the season-opener at Charleston Southern … It was the most sacks by WCU in a single-game since posting six sacks against VMI back on Sept . 22, 2018 .

WESTERN CAROLINA / PRESBY

INSIDE THE ALL-TIME SERIES

ALL-TIME SERIES . . . . . . . . . . . WCU LEADS, 10-9

In Cullowhee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Series tied, 5-5 In Clinton, S .C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .WCU leads, 5-4 Current Streak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WCU, W–1 Longest WCU Win Streak: . 8 games (1970-2008) Largest Margin of Victory . . . WCU, 19 pts (1973) Longest WCU Losing Skid: . . . . . . .4 games (twice)

Total Series Points . . . . . . . . . WCU 346 / PC 266

WCU Average Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 .2 ppg PC Average Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 .0 ppg

LAST 10 SERIES MEETINGS (9-1):

Oct . 3, 2015 Cullowhee W, 33-21 Oct . 4, 2014 Clinton, S .C . L, 19-14 Sept . 20, 2008 Clinton, S .C . W, 23-21 Sept . 22, 2007 Cullowhee W, 33-20 Sept . 4, 1976 Clinton, S .C . W, 19-7 Oct . 4, 1975 Culllowhee W, 28-14 Oct . 26, 1974 Clinton, S .C . W, 28-10 Nov . 10, 1973 Cullowhee W, 31-12 Nov . 11, 1972 Clinton, S .C . W, 24-14 Oct . 17, 1970 Clinton, S .C . W, 28-21

WCU HEAD COACH KERWIN BELL