Eastern Kentucky travels to Western Carolina in a Week 0 college football matchup on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. The contest will open the season for both programs. Western Carolina will christen major improvements to Whitmire Stadium.
Aug. 25 update: Western Carolina has named NC State transfer Lex Thomas its starting quarterback, according to multiple reports.
🏟️ Game Information
Eastern Kentucky (5-7 in 2025) at Western Carolina (7-5)
Date: Saturday, August 29, 2026
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Bob Waters Field at E.J. Whitmire Stadium (Cullowhee, NC)
TV/Stream: ESPN+
Listen Live: Catamount Sports Network
📚 EKU vs WCU football history
- Eastern Kentucky leads series 5-3
- Last meeting: Western Carolina 27, Eastern Kentucky 24 (Sept. 16, 2023)
- First meeting: Eastern Kentucky 32, Western Carolina 14 (Oct. 22, 1988)
The last time the teams met in 2023, WCU edged the Colonels on a rainy Saturday night in Richmond, Kentucky. Cole Gonzales threw for 340 yards and three touchdowns, while running back Desmond Reid compiled 240 yards of total offense.
WCU’s defense stood strong at the goal line late in the fourth quarter, forcing Eastern Kentucky into a field goal to take a 24-21 lead. The Catamount stoppers came up big again a few minutes later with a three-and-out.
Western Carolina moved the ball into the red zone on its last series, and Gonzales hit Branson Adams with the winning TD pass with 25 seconds left.
🔍 What to Watch
🏈 UPDATE: Lex Thomas takes over at quarterback
NC State transfer Lex Thomas has won Western Carolina’s starting quarterback job after a competition with Isaac Lee and Patrick Harding that stretched from spring practice through preseason camp, according to multiple reports. He’ll replace one of the most prolific passers in school history in 2025 starter Taron Dickens, whose transfer journey eventually landed him at Northern Illinois after a brief stop at UNC.
Thomas played his high school football at Heritage High in Wake Forest, throwing for more than 3,000 yards with 33 touchdowns over two seasons. He appeared in four games over two seasons at NC State, completing 7 of 15 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown.
Coach Kerwin Bell has said he wants his quarterbacks to be “Hall of Fame point guards,” distributing the ball efficiently and keeping the chains moving. Saturday will provide the first look at Thomas running Bell’s offense after emerging from the competition. Lee served as Dickens’ backup last season.
🛡️ First look at WCU’s rebuilt defense
Western Carolina finished second in the Southern Conference a year ago, winning six of eight games. But the Catamounts struggled to stop teams at times, and coach Kerwin Bell has focused his off-season on resetting the defensive side of the ball. The season opener will provide the first peek into how the reconstruction is going under new coordinator Nick Reveiz.
📊 Where they stand in the preseason
Neither team enters 2026 as the favorite in its conference, but both are expected to be in the mix.
Western Carolina was picked fourth in the Southern Conference preseason poll, behind defending champion Mercer, newcomer Tennessee Tech and ETSU. The Catamounts are coming off a 7-5 season that included a 6-2 finish in SoCon play.
Eastern Kentucky was picked in a tie for fifth in the United Athletic Conference, giving Saturday’s opener an early look at two teams trying to outperform their preseason expectations.
👀 Plenty of new faces for EKU
Eastern Kentucky is coming off a 5-7 campaign, but two of the losses came against FBS opponents – Louisville and Marshall. The Colonels stunned Austin Peay, then ranked 15th and 16th in the major FCS polls, by a 34-20 score. They played No. 18/20 Abilene Christian tough late in the season before falling 17-10.
EKU is undergoing a major roster reset, bringing in roughly 45 new players for 2026. Like Western Carolina, the Colonels need to find a new starting quarterback after projected starter Myles Burkett suffered a serious injury during spring drills.
⚫ Blackout Whitmire
Special: This will be a “Blackout Whitmire” game, and WCU fans are encouraged to wear black gear to the season opener. The football team will debut new black “Night Cat” Nike uniforms. The first 3,500 fans will receive a FREE black WCU T-shirt, with Catamount students receiving 4,000 black thunder sticks, courtesy of The Everson.
🔗 More Western Carolina & FCS Football Coverage
- Western Carolina football schedule
- Southern Conference standings
- FCS football schedules
- North Carolina college football scores
📝 Game Recap
Check back after the game for the final score, key moments, standout performances, stats and a postgame recap.
