CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The Citadel blocked two punts and the defense pitched a shutout in the second half as the Bulldogs rallied from a double-digit halftime deficit to defeat Western Carolina, 38-24, Saturday afternoon.
 
Game Information
Score: The Citadel 38, Western Carolina 24
Records: The Citadel (3-5, 3-4 SoCon), Western Carolina (3-6, 1-6 SoCon)
Location: Johnson Hagood Stadium (Charleston, South Carolina)
Series: The Citadel leads 25-17-1
 
How it Happened

• The Bulldogs took the opening kickoff and quickly scored as Brandon Rainey went round left end for a 43-yard touchdown run.
• WCU was able to get a field goal on their opening possession, and then return a Bulldog fumble to take a 10-7 lead after the first quarter.
• The Citadel was able to tie the game in the second quarter as they put together a 16-play drive that ended with a 24-yard field goal from Jacob Godek.
• The rest of the quarter belonged to the Catamounts as they scored a pair of rushing touchdowns to take a 24-10 lead into the locker room.
• The defense forced a punt on the first drive of the second half and Sean-Thomas Faulkner came up the middle for the block.
• The offense needed only three plays to reach the end zone as Clay Harris broke a tackle at the line of scrimmage and raced for a 19-yard touchdown.
• The punt-block unit came calling again as Bradley Carter came up the middle for the block and Dante Smith scooped up the ball and ran it in two yards to tie the game.
• The Bulldogs now had all the momentum and the defense made sure it stayed with the Bulldogs as Willie Eubanks, III stepped in front of a pass for his second interception of the season.
• Five plays later, Harris burst up the middle for a 10-yard touchdown run, his second of the game.
• WCU nearly tied the game as Tyrie Adams connected on a long pass down the left sideline. Ronald Peterkin did not give up on the play and was able to track down the receiver and punch the ball out at the 17-yard line. Jay Howard scooped up the ball and returned it 41 yards.
• After an exchange of punts, the Bulldogs put the game away with a reverse to Raleigh Webb that resulted in a 59-yard touchdown.
• The Catamounts got the ball one last time, but Noah Dawkins came around the edge and forced a fumble on the sack that was recovered by Eubanks.

 
Inside the Numbers

• Quarterback Brandon Rainey got his first start at quarterback and rushed 31 times for 188 yards and a touchdown.
• The 188 yards is tied for 21^st on the single-game rushing list.
• Running back Clay Harris carried 21 times for 126 yards and two scores.
• It marked the first time this season, and first since the Samford game in 2016, that the Bulldogs had two 100-yard rushers in the same game.
• As a team, the Bulldogs ran 71 times for 421 yards and four touchdowns. The Citadel only attempted one pass on the day.
• The punt-block unit blocked a pair of punts that led to 14 points. The first block led to a touchdown run, while the second one was scooped up by Dante Smith for the touchdown.
• Sean-Thomas Faulkner blocked his second punt of the season, while Bradley Carter blocked his first.
• The Citadel has now blocked five punts in the last two games against the Catamounts.
• The Citadel defense held the Catamounts to their second-lowest yardage total and point total of the season.
• WCU was limited to 172 yards and no points in the second half. The Bulldogs gave up just 39 rushing yards in the second half.
• The Citadel recorded five sacks. It is the second time this season the Bulldogs had at least five sacks in a game.
• The defense also forced four fumbles.

 
Up Next
The Bulldogs return to Johnson Hagood Stadium on Nov. 10 as they welcome Samford for Homecoming. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.