Saturday’s Elon at Western Carolina showdown may not decide a trophy, but it could decide the direction of both teams’ seasons.
Western Carolina, with highest hopes of breaking a four-decades-long playoff drought, has to win to avoid starting the season in an 0-3 hole. Elon, too, needs a victory to avert a 1-2 start with another big road test coming Sept. 20 at East Tennessee State.
Our headline FCS matchup kicks off at 2:30 p.m. at Whitmire Stadium in Cullowhee and will be carried by ESPN+.
Last Time Out: Lightning Strikes Both Ways
Aside from enduring lengthy weather delays, Elon and Western Carolina had completely different experiences this past Saturday.
The Phoenix cruised past Davidson 55-7 behind 547 yards of offense and a smothering defense (just 158 yards allowed). Freshman Landen Clark had a coming out party as the new Elon signal caller (CAA Rookie of the Week), and Landyn Backey caught two of Clark’s four TD passes during a quick span of the second quarter.
“When we hit the field, I mean, we came out really from the get-go and took control of the football game,” coach Tony Trisciani said during the CAA’s weekly zoom call. “Played clean, really on both sides of the ball. And, yeah, really proud of the way we started that football game and the way we finished it. It was a complete game for us.”
Western Carolina, meanwhile, took its FBS paycheck from Wake Forest and a 42-10 drubbing to go with it. The Catamounts’ defense was no match for Demon Deacons running back Demond Claiborne, who galloped for 193 yards and three TDs. We thought the Catamounts (0-2) could hang with a rebuilding Wake program with a new coaching staff but alas, no.
Series History: Elon leads all-time, WCU has recent bragging rights
Elon and Western Carolina have been playing football against each since 1933. The Phoenix have a 24-18 overall advantage, but WCU has won the last two, including spoiling Elon’s home opener 24-17 a year ago. Jordy Lowery picked up a blocked kick in the fourth quarter, helping the Catamounts rally from a 14-3 deficit.
Western Carolina is 12-9-1 at home, though Elon has captured three of the last four.
Key Storylines
Take the over? There is no official over/under line for Saturday’s FCS game. But both teams have shown a propensity to score in bunches. WCU has had a high-octane offense since Kerwin Bell arrived in Cullowhee (801 yards of total offense against Furman last fall, 45 points in the opener vs. Gardner-Webb for examples).
If Elon can continue its prolific offensive showing from this past Saturday, fans could be treated to a high-scoring shootout. Western Carolina has given up 1,139 yards in two games so far, including 608 on the ground (Gardner-Webb quarterback Nate Hampton ran for four TDs). We’d likely take the over if there was one.
Who quarterbacks the ‘Cats?
WCU’s Taron Dickens came into the season as a preseason All-American quarterback and the SoCon’s preseason offensive player of the year. But he has yet to take a snap, apparently due to eligibility issues. Dickens is still listed on the Western Carolina depth chart this week, but he was there the past two weeks as well, so it is hard to know what to make of that.
Bennett Judy has been QB1 for most of the first two games, completing 35-of-59 passes for 306 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Isaac Lee has played in both games, completing 11-of-19 throws for 131 yards and one score (no interceptions).
This week’s depth chart lists Dickens at the top but also says “or Bennett Judy or Isaac Lee.” Elon is preparing for all three.
Elon Receiver Room Thin But Effective.
The Phoenix were short four scholarship wide receivers against Davidson, Trisciani said. Enter Backey, a redshirt junior from Monroe (Weddington HS). He caught five passes for 118 yards against Davidson, including touchdown grabs of 22 and 44 yards in the first half. Next man up.
“He had a great spring, really solidified and earned his starting spot,” Trisciani said. “We’ve been really thin at the receiver spot … but Landyn has been in. He has not missed a rep in practice … We put a lot on him with the injuries we’ve had in the room. So, yeah, really proud of him for being able to do that and then having his moment on Saturday night.”
Bottom Line: Lots of Points, Fight to the Finish
We plugged this game into the Massey Ratings, and it spit out a 31-30 Elon win. That sounds about right in terms of total points. Expect a shootout, coming down to the final possessions in the fourth quarter to decide a winner.
