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Jefferson City, Tenn.----The Wingate University Bulldogs are on the road for the first time in 2018 Saturday night, traveling to Carson-Newman to open league play against the Eagles at 7 p.m. The contest will air on ESPN3 as part of the NCAA Division II Football Showcase. It is one of a Division-II high eight contests that will air on ESPN3 in 2018 for the Bulldogs.

ABOUT THE GAME

Saturday, Sept. 15 | 7 p.m.
Wingate (2-0; 0-0 SAC) at Carson-Newman (1-1; 0-0 SAC)
Jefferson City, Tenn. (Burke-Tarr Stadium)
Both teams receiving votes in AFCA Top 25 poll
ESPN3 (NCAA Division II Football Showcase Game)
The Eagles are the preseason SAC favorites; Wingate picked second

SERIES HISTORY

- Carson-Newman leads the all-time series 24-6, with a 12-3 advantage at Carson-Newman
- Wingate was 1-21 through the first 22 meetings, but has won five of the last eight
- The Bulldogs have won three of the last four at Carson-Newman, winning in 2010, 2012 and 2016
- Wingate won three straight from 2010-2012
- The Bulldogs won the last two meetings, including a 31-27 victory last year
- Last season's win over C-N was the first-ever night game in Irwin Belk Stadium history
- Wingate is now 6-0 under the lights at Irwin Belk Stadium
- The Bulldogs are 3-0 all-time in night games against the Eagles
- The 'Dogs prevailed 29-16 at Carson-Newman in 2016

COACHES

- Wingate head coach Joe Reich is in his 18th season at Wingate (112-75 overall)
- The winningest coach in WU history, he is one of three SAC coaches to ever win 100 games
- 2017 SAC Coach of the Year (Third time in his career)
- Mike Turner is in his second season as the CN head coach (8-4 overall)
- 1973 CN graduate, has spent 35 years on the CN coaching staff

ABOUT THE BULLDOGS

- Wingate is coming off a historic 9-2 season, winning its second SAC title and first since 2010
- The 'Dogs made their second appearance in the NCAA Division II play-offs
- Wingate started the season 9-0 and were ranked as high as 12th in the AFCA top 25 (highest ever)
- The Bulldogs are currently receiving votes and have won 11 of their last 12 regular season games
- Wingate has started the season 2-0 for the fifth straight season
- WU has seven home games, returning home the next two weeks after the CN game
- Wingate opened the year with a 36-0 win over Johnson C. Smith
- The 'Dogs downed Fayetteville State 27-13 last Saturday

WINGATE OFFENSE

- The Bulldogs are averaging 31.5 points per game, ranking third in the SAC
- Fifth in the SAC in total yards (361.5), fourth in passing yards (221.5), fifth in rushing (140.0)
- In his first year as a starter, Shaw Crocker is second in the SAC with 214.5 passing yards per game
- Crocker is completing 60 percent of his passes, good for second in the SAC
- Crocker has five TD passes and one interception, second in the SAC in passing TDs; also ran for a score
- In his first year as a starter, junior running back Domineke McNeill is averaging 118.5 yards per game
- McNeill is second in the SAC in rushing yards, one of only two averaging over 100 yards per game
- McNeill also has 14 receiving yards and a touchdown; SAC Offensive Player of the Week first week
- Receiving attack led by All-American BJ Muckelvene with 10 catches for 175 yards and two TDs
- JT Stokes has nine catches for 149 yards and two scores
- Muckelvene is third in the SAC in receiving yards per game (87.5); Stokes is fourth (74.5)

WINGATE DEFENSE

- The Bulldogs lead the SAC and rank third nationally in scoring defense (6.5 points per game)
- WU leads the SAC in total yards per game allowed (210.0)
- The 'Dogs have allowed a league-low 110.5 passing yards per game
- The Bulldogs have a conference-best 12 sacks
- Wingate has piled up 12 sacks through two games, adding an interception and forced fumble
- Eight different Bulldogs have at least a sack, led by Cardell Rawlings (3.5 sacks)
- Rawlings also leads Wingate with 4.5 tackles for loss this year
- Joe Kelly leads the way with 16 tackles, including a 13-tackle effort against Fayetteville State
- Gabe Price has 10 tackles, 3.5 Tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks
- Cameron Mattison and Juan Pagan-Gonzalez each have an interception

WINGATE SPECIAL TEAMS

- McLean Robertson is has hit four-of-five field goals including a 43 yarder; only miss from 53
- Robertson is seven-for-seven on PATs; also has three touchbacks
- Academic All-America honoree Chris Birozes is second in the SAC with a 44.3 average on 14 punts
- Birozes has four punts of over 50 yards and six inside the 20
- Birozes was the SAC Special Teams Player of the Week in week one
- Muckelvene has five punt returns for 46 yards (9.2 yards per return)
- Ronnie Procopio is averaging 25.3 yards per kick return
- Procopio had a career-long 48-yard return against Fayetteville State

ABOUT CARSON-NEWMAN

- The preseason SAC favorites went 8-3 in 2017
- CN opened with a 19-9 loss at 2017 national runner-up West Florida
- The Eagles won 33-29 at Virginia Union last week
- Carson-Newman leads the SAC with 21 league titles all-time but have not won one since 2009

CARSON-NEWMAN OFFENSE

- The Eagles lead the SAC and rank fourth nationally with 328.5 rushing yards per game
- CN ranks fourth in the SAC with 371.0 total yards per game
- Carson-Newman ranks fourth in the league with 21.0 points per game
- Antonio Wimbush leads the SAC and is fourth nationally with 186.0 rushing yards per game
- Wimbush went for 184 yards and three TDs in the Virginia Union win, earning weekly SAC honors
- Sherron Jackson is third in the SAC with 81.5 rushing yards per game
- Jackson averages 10.9 yards per carry; Wimbush averages 8.5 yards per carry
- Derrick Evans has completed nine-of-19 passes for 88 yards

CARSON-NEWMAN DEFENSE

- The Eagles rank fifth in the SAC in scoring offense (24.0 ppg) and total defense (343.0 ypg)
- Temoris Coats is third in the SAC with 10.0 tackles per game
- Antonio Henderson averages 7.5 tackles per game, good for ninth in the conference
- Coats and Brian Bembry are tied for fourth in the league with three tackles for loss each

CARSON-NEWMAN SPECIAL TEAMS

- Drew Eudy is one-for-two on field goals and three-for-six on PATs
- Eudy hit from 35 yards against West Florida and missed from 40 yards
- Craig Koenig has eight punts on the year, averaging 34.5 per punt
- Koenig has a long of 41 yards and one punt inside the 20
- Marcus Williams averages 15.3 yards per kick return on three returns
- Desmond Fairell has returned four punts for 21 yards on the year

UP NEXT

- Wingate returns home for the next two games
- The Bulldogs host Lenoir-Rhyne Saturday, Sept. 22 at 6 p.m.
- Wingate welcomes Florida Tech to town Saturday, Sept. 29 at 3 p.m.
- Carson-Newman hits the road for its next two games
- The Eagles are at Newberry next Saturday, followed by a trip to Catawba Sept. 29