Western Carolina’s offense has been running in high octane mode the past couple of seasons under coach Kerwin Bell.
Nothing epitomized that more than last year’s Southern Conference showdown at Furman. The Catamounts exploded for 801 yards of total offense – getting a record-breaking 620 yards and five touchdowns through the air from quarterback Cole Gonzales – en route to a 52-20 triumph. It was WCU’s largest victory margin ever in the series.
The rematch between the SoCon teams who wear slightly different shades of purple comes this Saturday afternoon in Cullowhee, and once again WCU’s offense has been in the headlines.
New starting quarterback Taron Dickens is coming off a 53-of-56 passing performance last weekend against Wofford, which included breaking the NCAA record for most consecutive completions (46). In just three games of action, Dickens already has more than 1,300 yards of passing and 13 touchdowns, against zero interceptions.
Most importantly, WCU has been winning of late. The Catamounts like to live on the edge, but they bagged a key conference ‘W’ at Wofford to improve to 2-0 in the SoCon standings, keeping conference title and playoff dreams afloat.
Last season notwithstanding, Western Carolina has traditionally had a tough time against Furman, holding a 14-36-2 record all-time against the Paladins and 2-6 against current Paladins head coach Clay Hendrix. A lot of offense may be needed again to put another notch in the WCU win column this weekend.
Game Vitals: How to Watch Furman at Western Carolina
🏈 Matchup: Furman (4-1, 2-0) at Western Carolina (3-3, 2-0)
🏟️ Where: EJ Whitmire Stadium | Cullowhee, NC
⏰ Kickoff: Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025 | 2:30 p.m.
📺 TV/Streaming: ESPN+
📅 Last Meeting: Western Carolina 52, Furman 20 (2024)
📊 Massey Ratings Prediction: Western Carolina 31, Furman 28
Furman at WCU: Key Storylines
Dickens was an easy pick for Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Week after his stat-stuffing game at Wofford last weekend. The redshirt sophomore from Miami also earned FCS National Offensive Player of the Week honors from Stats Perform. He finished with 378 passing yards and three TD passes, not misfiring until the fourth quarter. Dickens helped guide what would be the game-winning drive in the final minutes, which led to a Marcus Trout 34-yard field goal for the 23-21 triumph.
Since Dickens returned to the lineup, the WCU offense has been in overdrive – 733 total yards vs. Samford, 564 yards at Campbell, 466 yards at Wofford. That’s an average of 587.7 yards per game for that series. For the whole season, with Dickens and without, Western Carolina still has a top-10 offense at the FCS level (480.0 yards per game). Such has become the norm under coach Bell.
Furman counters with one of the top pass-rushing defenses in FCS football. The Paladins have recorded 18 sacks as a unit. Raleigh’s Joshua Stoneking (Cardinal Gibbons) – who has a great name for a QB-hounding defensive end – leads the way with 9.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. Furman has returned three interceptions for touchdowns, including a 95-yarder from cornerback Jordan Miller against East Tennessee State last week.
Both WCU and Furman come into Saturday’s contest on a hot streak. Both teams have won three in a row. Both have been receiving Top 25 votes. Both beat Campbell in Buies Creek, with both weathering late comebacks in those contests. Mercer currently leads the SoCon standings at 4-0. Saturday’s winner will slot in a half-game behind the Bears, who will play a non-league game at Princeton this weekend.
Furman sophomore quarterback Trey Hedden enjoyed his own breakout passing performance in the win over ETSU. Hedden completed 36-of-49 passes for 358-yards and two touchdowns. For the season, he has completed 72.2 percent of his throws for 1,386 yards and eight scoring strikes.
Western Carolina has not won back-to-back games against Furman since 2014-15. The Catamounts have never won the SoCon in football and haven’t made the playoffs since the 1983 season (beating Furman in the I-AA semifinals after a tie in the regular season). But things have been different under coach Bell. WCU is looking for its third-straight winning season on the gridiron – the last time that happened was in the mid-1990s.
Furman has erased fourth-quarter deficits in three of its four wins. In the Campbell game, the Paladins stalled a potential Camels’ winning drive inside the 10. Last week, Furman trailed 22-7 in the final period before storming back for a 31-22 triumph.
Furman’s all-conference kicker, Ian Williams, has Charlotte ties (Weddington HS). Williams averages 44.2 yards on punts, has hit 8-of-11 field goals and has put 23 of his 29 kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks.
What to Expect/Prediction
This is one of the most anticipated matchups in our state this weekend and could be a big shaper in the SoCon race. We don’t think Western Carolina will have problems moving the ball, but can the Catamounts pay off drives with touchdowns (a bit of a struggle last week)? Establishing the run may be as important for the Western Carolina as Dickens putting up video game numbers since the Paladins will be QB hunting.
WCU has lost some big leads in games this season, and Furman has shown itself capable of coming back from early deficits. Who will flinch?
Our prediction: A lot of offense, multiple lead changes that keep fans on the edge of their seats and Western Carolina squeaking out a narrow victory at home (with a late rushing TD). WCU 38, Furman 36.
More North Carolina FCS Football Coverage
➡️ Check out where Western Carolina ranks in this week’s Fabulous 15 statewide rankings, highlighting the top college football teams across North Carolina.
➡️ See the complete North Carolina college football schedule for this week, featuring 26 games on Saturday.
➡️ Elon also plays am important conference game this weekend, hosting No. 18 Villanova in a battle of top teams in the CAA.
