By Daniel Hooker | WCU Assistant AD for Media Relations
With the nationally-ranked, defending Southern Conference football champion Samford Bulldogs rolling into town on Saturday afternoon, Western Carolina opens both the home and league portion of the 2023 schedule on the turf of Bob Waters Field at E.J. Whitmire Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
As the conference’s best game day atmosphere roars back to life, Western Carolina looks to “White Out Whitmire” on Saturday, encouraging all fans to wear their white Catamount gear to the game as WCU will wear its white Nike uniforms. The first 5,000 fans through the gates will also receive a free “White Out Whitmire” T-shirt, presented by Ingles, 99.9 Kiss Country, and Star 104.3.
In addition to wearing its white uniform for the home-opener, the Catamounts will honor the 40th anniversary of the 1983 WCU football team which made a run at the NCAA I-AA national championship, finishing as the national runner-up by wearing the legacy “The Cats” logo its purple helmets again Saturday. Team members from the 1983 squad are scheduled to be on hand for a special pregame tailgate and a halftime recognition commemorating that season’s success as the first SoCon team to play for the national championship.
A large crowd is expected to descend upon Jackson County for the home opener. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets and game day parking in advance by calling (828) 227-2401 or to buy online at CatamountSports.com to avoid lines on game day.
“If you’re a WCU fan, then you need to have a ticket for this Saturday’s game,” said head coach Kerwin Bell in advance of the home-opener. “We need all of Catamount Nation here. We are counting on you to be our 12th man.”
Saturday’s “Ingles Game of the Week” will be broadcast live on the Nexstar family of stations (check local listings for clearances and availability) and simulcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required). The game can also be heard through the Catamount Sports Network with the Pepsi Tailgate Show airtime at 1:30 p.m. Fans across western North Carolina can hear the broadcast locally on five CSN affiliates: in Sylva, 105.7 FM and 540 AM WRGC “The River”; 104.9 FM and 1050 AM WFSC in Franklin; Rewind 100.3 FM “Carolina’s Greatest Hits” in Asheville; and through live streaming audio online at CatamountSports.com.
Fans can also follow the game with live stats accessible online at CatamountSports.com with timely in-game updates on Twitter using @Catamounts and @CatamountsFB.
Western Carolina (0-1) and Samford (1-0) meet for the 21st time on the football gridiron with the Catamounts looking to put the clamps on a five-game winless drought that dates to the heart-stopping 38-34 Catamount victory over the then No. 17 Bulldogs back in 2017. WCU trails in the series 3-17 with two of the three head-to-head wins coming in Cullowhee (2-7).
WCU is coming off a season-opening 56-13 road loss at SEC-foe Arkansas, while Samford rode 35 second-quarter points to a 69-14 home win over Division II foe Shorter College in its nonconference tune-up.
A combined 14 preseason All-Southern Conference players are scheduled to suit up on Saturday afternoon highlighted by the reigning – and preseason – SoCon Offensive Player of the Year and preseason All-America selection in Samford QB Michael Hiers. Last season, Hiers threw for 3,544 yards and 36 touchdowns, many of which going to fellow All-America selection in WR Chandler Smith who caught 100 balls for 1,071 yards and 11 scores.
WCU’s seven active preseason All-SoCon players includes the top returning freshman from 2022 in RB Desmond Reid, while also including preseason All-America honoree in transfer linebacker Antoine Williams who looks to make his debut this weekend.
Saturday’s game marks the first SoCon game on the 2023 football schedule. The Bulldogs shared the preseason No. 1 spot with Furman in the coaches poll while were picked second behind the Paladins by the voting media. WCU was slotted right in the middle of the league in fifth in both polls, but looks to make an early-season statement against a Top 10 opponent. The match-up with Samford marks the second-straight nationally-ranked SoCon team to visit Whitmire Stadium as WCU upset No. 15 Chattanooga 32-29 in the 2022 season finale in Cullowhee.
WCU’s last victory over a NCAA FCS Top 10 opponent came back in 2005 when the Catamounts thumped No. 2 Furman 41-21 on nearly the same exact date – Sept. 10.
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