CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The Citadel got a strong performance from Graeson Underwood, and the Bulldog defense kept Western Carolina well below its season average in a dominating 34-21 victory Saturday afternoon inside E.J. Whitmire Stadium.
 
Game Information
Score: The Citadel 34, Western Carolina 21
Records: The Citadel (2-5, 2-3), Western Carolina (3-5, 1-4)
Location: E.J. Whitmire Stadium (Cullowhee, North Carolina)
Series: The Citadel leads 27-19-1
 
How it Happened

• The Bulldogs got on the board on their opening possession of the game as they marched 73 yards on 12 plays to get a one-yard touchdown run from Graeson Underwood.
• The offense struck again early in the second quarter as Underwood found Ricky Conway for a 26-yard touchdown down the middle of the field.
• After an interception from Dominick Poole, The Citadel put together a 19-play drive that ended with a 23-yard field goal from Colby Kintner.
• The Bulldog defense came up with a big stop on a fake punt later in the first half, and the offense made them pay with Underwood hitting Jay Graves-Billips for a 32-yard touchdown.
• The second half started the same as the first, with the Bulldog offense marching down the field for a touchdown. The 16-play drive ended with a five yard rushing touchdown from Conway.
• The Catamounts got on the board in the third quarter on a 33-yard touchdown pass from Cole Gonzales to David White.
• The Citadel responded by eating up over eight minutes of the clock in getting a 25-yard field goal from Kintner.
• WCU found the end zone a second time in the fourth quarter on an eighth-yard touchdown pass from Gonzales to Raphael Williams.
• The Catamounts closed out the scoring with a one-yard touchdown run from TJ Jones.

 
Inside the Box Score

• The Citadel offense scored on each of its first six possessions of the game.
• They reached double digits in plays in five of the six scoring drives.
• The offense held the ball for 42:49, including almost 23 minutes in the first half.
• Graeson Underwood made his first career start, rushing for 129 yards and a touchdown on 36 carries. He also went 4-of-7 for 82 yards and two scores.
• The 36 rushing attempts tie for the sixth most in program history, and the second most by a quarterback. Jack Douglas carried 38 times against Chattanooga in 1991.
• He joins Brandon Rainey in quarterbacks making their first career starts at Western Carolina. Both quarterbacks scored a rushing touchdown on their opening drive.
• Jay Graves-Billips added 56 yards on five carries. He also caught one pass for 32 yards.
• Ricky Conway carried eight times for 47 yards and a touchdown. He also caught two passes for 41 yards and a touchdown.
• He is the first Bulldog with a rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game since Raleigh Webb against North Greenville in 2021.
• The Bulldog offense was 13-of-16 on third-down conversions
• The Citadel defense held the Catamounts to 344 total yards and 159 passing yards. They entered the game averaging 527.0 yards per game, the third most in the FCS.
• The 159 passing yards are the fewest since having 123 passing yards against Oklahoma last season. It is the fewest passing yards against a FCS team since the spring 2021 season.
• Dominick Poole intercepted a pair of passes and added a pass break-up. He is the first Bulldog with multiple interceptions in a game since Jay Howard had two interceptions in the final game of the 2018 season against Charleston Southern.
• Travon Wallace led the defense with eight tackles, including one for loss.
• The defense held WCU scoreless in the first half. It is the second time this season the Bulldogs held a SoCon opponent scoreless in the first half.
• The Bulldogs did not punt in the game. It marks the first time since Sept. 21, 2013 against Old Dominion the Bulldogs did not punt.

 
Up Next
The Bulldogs return to action on Oct. 29 as they welcome Samford to Johnson Hagood Stadium. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.