From: The Big South/OVC Football Association | bigsouthovcfootball.com
The Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs, the co-champions of the Big South/OVC Football Association, return to the FCS Playoffs for the second straight season as an automatic qualifier, and will travel to Mercer in the first round on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 3 p.m.
This is the second straight year Gardner-Webb has qualified for the FCS Playoffs. The Runnin’ Bulldogs earned the automatic bid to the playoffs from the Big South-OVC Football Association thanks to a 38-34 victory over Co-Champion UT Martin on Saturday, Oct. 28. GWU clinched their second straight conference championship with a 34-10 win over Charleston Southern on Saturday, Nov. 18.
Gardner-Webb made the 2022 FCS Playoffs last year, defeating Eastern Kentucky 52-41 in the first round before falling to #5 William & Mary 54-14 in the second round.
This is Mercer’s first-ever trip to the FCS Playoffs. The Bears enter the game 8-3 overall and 6-2 in conference play out of the SoCon. Mercer has won four in a row, including a 45-38 victory over #10 Western Carolina on Saturday, Oct. 28.
This will be the second meeting all-time between Mercer and Gardner-Webb. The then 16th ranked Bears rolled to a 45-14 victory over the Runnin’ Bulldogs inside Spangler Stadium on Sept. 24, 2022.
The winner of the matchup between the Bears and the Runnin’ Bulldogs will head to Brookings, S.D. to face #1 South Dakota State on Saturday, Dec. 2.
Kickoff between Mercer and Gardner-Webb is set for 3:00 P.M. The game will be streaming live on ESPN+. An audio broadcast via the Runnin’ Bulldog Sports Network presented by AlphaGraphics South Charlotte will also be available on the radio at WGNC 1450 AM/101.1 FM, or online via The Varsity Network App and at gwusports.com. Tickets are available at mercerbears.com.
The FCS Championship Game will be at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas on Sunday, January 7. It will air on ABC at 2 p.m. ET.
