The game will also be broadcast on the Catamount Sports Network with an air time of the Pepsi Tailgate Show at 11:00 am. Fans across western North Carolina can hear the game locally on nine CSN affiliates: in Cullowhee on 90.5 FM WWCU; in Dillsboro on 95.3 FM WWOO; 105.7 FM and 540 AM WRGC in Sylva; 104.9 FM and 1050 AM WFSC in Franklin; WISE Sports Radio 1310 AM and 102.9 FM in Asheville; and 970 AM WYSE in Canton, with live streaming audio available online at CatamountSports.com.
Western Carolina (0-2) ventures into the Triangle for a fourth-straight season on Saturday including a third visit to Chapel Hill during that same time span. The Catamounts faced the Tar Heels in consecutive seasons in 2017 and 2018 before facing NC State in Raleigh in 2019.
On Saturday, WCU has the task of slowing one of the nation's top offensive units as the Tar Heels enter the game ranked 12th in the nation in scoring offense at 43.1 points per game and are fifth overall in total offense with an average of 563.4 yards per game – 233.5 rushing (t-16th) and 329.9 passing (14th). UNC quarterback Sam Howell – who is related to former WCU Hall of Famer Charles "Babe" Howell – is third in the nation with 2,631 passing yards this season and is tied for second in the country with 23 passing TDs. He has twice been dubbed ACC Quarterback of the Week.
Wide receiver Dyami Brown has hauled in eight of Howell's touchdown tosses and ranks fourth in the country with 829 receiving yards, averaging 103.6 yards per game. Meanwhile, the running back tandem of Javonte Williams (868 yards) and Michael Carter (807 yards) give North Carolina a two-headed monster in the ground game. Williams has rushed for 15 touchdowns with Carter scoring four times in the run game.
Defensively, senior linebacker Ty Harris and junior safety A.J. Rogers lead the Catamounts with 15 total tackles in the first two games this season. Harris has a pair of tackles for loss including a sack. Defensive lineman Roman Johnson has a team-best 2.5 tackles for loss including the sack/forced fumble at Eastern Kentucky among his seven total stops while for counterpart K.J. Milner, half of his four tackles this fall have been behind the line of scrimmage.
WCU's defense has created six takeaways this season – four fumbles and two interceptions – with one turnover leading directly to points on Ricky Palao's 54-yard scoop-and-score at EKU. Cornerback Aaron Gethers has accounted for two takeaways, recovering a fumble and intercepting a pass in Richmond, Ky., while Trevor Childers has WCU's other pick this year. The Catamounts have scored 21 points off its takeaways.
The Heels have allowed offensive numbers to be put up on the reverse side of the ledger this year, allowing an average of 420.8 yards per game and nearly 31 points per ball game. Aside from limiting Syracuse to just six points in the opener, every other UNC opponent has scored 22-or-more points entering Saturday's game.
Western Carolina's offense has managed 15.5 points per game coming on a balanced attack – 537 total yards (268.5 per game) on 263 yards rushing and 274 yards passing. The Catamount tight ends have been among the most effective in the receiving game as Owen Cosenke has a team-best six catches for 60 yards while Clayton Bardall has 49 receiving yards and one of two WCU TDs. Converted defensive back Reggie Jones has been effective early in games with six catches, while Mahari Stribling hauled in his first receiving score at EKU on a 30-yard strike from quarterback Will Jones who has tossed both of WCU's passing touchdowns. Tailback Donnavan Spencer has rushed for 135 yards, averaging 67.5 yards per game through the first two outings.
Western Carolina seeks its first-ever victory over a NCAA FBS opponent (0-58) and the first against a team currently in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) – 0-31 all-time.
Western Carolina vs. North Carolina – All-Time Series:
• Western Carolina and the flagship school of the UNC System – the North Carolina Tar Heels – have only met twice prior on the gridiron entering Saturday's match-up with both meetings coming in consecutive years in 2017 and 2018 ... North Carolina has won both previous meetings – 65-10 back in 2017 and 49-26 to end the 2018 season;
• WCU and UNC added the game when the Tar Heels one nonconference game in 2020 against Charlotte was canceled due to COVID-19 ... the two squads were originally to play under the lights at Kenan Stadium on Dec. 11, but COVID-related schedule changes in the ACC prompted the move to Dec. 5.
Catamount Football in December:
• Saturday's game at North Carolina represents the first time that Western Carolina has played a football game in the month of December since the magical 1983 season that saw the Catamounts go 2-1 in the month, advancing to the NCAA I-AA National Championship game in Charleston, S.C. ... the three games in that playoff run in 1983 – winning at Holy Cross (W, 28-21, 12/3/83), at Furman (W, 14-7, 12/10/83), and in the title game against Southern Illinois (L, 43-7, 12/17/83) – represent the ONLY Catamount football games played in the 12th month of the year all-time.
Familiar Faces in WCU-UNC Series:
North Carolina wide receivers coach Lonnie Galloway is a 1994 graduate of Western Carolina where he was a four-year letter winner at quarterback … Galloway finished his WCU career as the program's all-time leader in total offense (6,832 yards, now 3rd) and was second in career passing yardage (5,545 yards, now 4th) upon his graduation – earning him induction into the WCU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015 ... Galloway has since been by-passed by former QBs Troy Mitchell (9,397 yards, 2012-15) and Tyrie Adams (11,525 yds, 2015-19). Galloway and his wife Winslow, as well as David and Marie Brinkley, made generous contributions to the WCU Player Lounge and Senior Locker Room in WCU's Dale & Diane Hollifield Locker Room renovations a couple of seasons ago.
Game 3: Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020 – Noon
Location: Chapel Hill, N.C. (Kenan Stadium – 50,500 – limited to 3,535 by COVID)
Records: Western Carolina (0-2) at North Carolina (6-3)
SATURDAY'S BROADCAST INFORMATION:
Television: ACC Network
PBP: Wes Durham; Color: Roddy Jones; Reporter: Lericia Harris
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
PBP: Gary Ayers; Color: Daniel Hooker; Reporter: Greg McLamb; Producer: Jeff Bryson
Catamount Sports Network Affiliates:
- Cullowhee – 90.5 FM, WWCU
- Dillsboro – 95.3 FM, WWOO
- Sylva – 105.7 FM / 540 AM, WRGC
- Franklin – 104.9 FM / 1050 AM, WFSC
- Asheville – WISE Sports Radio 102.9 FM / 1310 AM
- Canton – WYSE Sports Radio 970 AM
- Online: CatamountSports.com
Keep track of everything related to Catamount Football and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (FB.com/CatamountSports), and Twitter (@Catamounts, @CatamountsFB).
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Catamounts, Tar Heels to Tangle Saturday in Chapel Hill - catamountsports.com
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