CHARLESTON, S.C. – Despite compiling a season-high 14 points off a strong offensive effort, The Citadel (0-5, 0-2 SoCon) failed to keep up with the balanced attack of Western Carolina (4-1, 2-0 SoCon), falling to the Catamounts by a final 49-14 mark Saturday afternoon at Sansom Field at Johnson Hagood Stadium.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Western Carolina def. The Citadel, 49-14
Records: WCU (4-1, 2-0 SoCon), The Citadel (0-5, 0-2 SoCon)
Location: Sansom Field at Johnson Hagood Stadium
Series: The Citadel leads 27-20-1
KEY PLAYS & STATS
- Western Carolina got on the board early and often, scoring on each of their first five possessions for the game.
- The Bulldogs fought back during the early-going, knocking in a touchdown on their opening drive -- a 3:30, 75-yard affair -- and nearly scoring again on their second kickoff return opportunity (called back due to a blindside block).
- The Citadel balanced its run attack between seven different rushers, all-in-all led by QB Graeson Underwood with 28 yards total on the ground followed by three others -- Cooper Wallace, Romello Jones and Varney Layman -- above the 20-yard mark.
- Underwood also composed a solid air attack, generating 91 yards of offense off 11-of-16 passing for one touchdown, a 10-yard strike to Wallace late in the third quarter.
- The Catamounts put together a high-octane balanced offense throughout the contest, finishing with 308 passing yards and 237 rushing. QB Cole Gonzales led the former on 22-of-28 for 237 yards with one touchdown while Desmond Reid commanded the latter on 167 rushing yards on 18 carries for five scores.
- The Bulldogs kept the turnover margin even with one surrendered fumble along with one grabbed interception, a pick at the goal line by Dominick Poole.
- Notably, The Citadel opened its first offensive series by running two consecutive wishbone option plays in honor of the recently passed Stanley Myers, Class of 1998 and former standout quarterback for the Bulldogs. Additionally, Varney Layman started under center donning No. 16, Myers' jersey, picking up eight yards and 14 yards on the back-to-back QB keepers.
NEXT UP
SoCon play continues for The Citadel as the Bulldogs hit the road once again for a contest at Furman on Saturday, Oct. 7, kickoff set for 2 p.m.