Wingate, N.C.----The 16th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs are back at home Saturday night, hosting Lenoir-Rhyne University at 6 p.m. (VIDEO | LIVE STATS). Wingate is back at Irwin Belk Stadium after a three-game road trip, coming off a 48-21 victory at UVA Wise. The Bulldogs are 6-1 overall and 4-0 in the SAC, the only team without a loss in league play. Lenoir-Rhyne is 5-2 overall and 4-2 in the SAC.

ABOUT THE GAME

Saturday, Oct. 30 | 6 p.m.
Wingate (6-1; 4-0 SAC) hosts Lenoir-Rhyne (5-2; 4-2 SAC)
Wingate, N.C. (Irwin Belk Stadium) | Video | Live Stats
 
SERIES HISTORY

- This will be the 37th meeting between the Bulldogs and Bears
- There is no team Wingate has played more than Lenoir-Rhyne
- The Bears lead the all-time series 23-13
- LR is 11-7 at Wingate
- Lenoir-Rhyne has won the last four meetings in the series
- Three of those contests have been one-score games
- The Bulldogs won three straight from 2015 through 2017
- That stretch included a 49-6 home victory in 2016
- Wingate also won six in a row from 2005 through 2010
- The Bears then won the next four leading up to WU's streak in 2015
- LR won 31-24 at Wingate in 2018, then prevailed 21-17 in Hickory in the NCAA play-offs
- That play-off contest saw the Bears score in the final minute of the game to rally for the win
- Lenoir-Rhyne won another tight 20-13 contest in Hickory in 2019
 
COACHES
 
- WU head coach Joe Reich is in his 21st season at Wingate (137-84)
- One of three SAC coaches to ever win 100 games
- 2017 SAC Coach of the Year (Third time in his career)
- Has led Wingate to four NCAA D2 play-off bids, including each of last three seasons
- Mike Jacobs is in his second year at Lenoir-Rhyne (8-3)
- He is 50-11 in his head coaching career
- Jacobs took over as LR head coach after four years as the Notre Dame College head coach

ABOUT THE BULLDOGS
 
- Wingate is seeking its fourth straight season with at least nine wins
- WU has made three straight NCAA play-off trips for the first time in program history
- The Bulldogs are ranked sixth in the first NCAA Region poll of the season
- The 'Dogs won nine games in back-to-back years for the first time ever in 2017 & 2018
- Wingate won a school-record 10 games in 2019
- The Bulldogs are 44-14 overall since the start of the 2016 season
- Wingate is 73-35 at Irwin Belk Stadium since 2001
- The Bulldogs are to 14-2 under the lights at Irwin Belk
- Wingate has 34 straight wins when scoring at least 30 points
- Wingate is outscoring opponents 95-27 in the second quarter this year
- WU has been in every AFCA top 25 poll since the start of the 2019 season
- Wingate climbed as high as eighth this year, highest in program history
- The Bulldogs have won 23 of their last 26 regular season home games
- Wingate has the most overall wins and SAC victories since the start of the 2016 season

WINGATE OFFENSE
 
- The Bulldogs rank third in the SAC, averaging 34.4 points per game
- Wingate ranks fourth in the league with 403 total yards per contest
- WU is fourth in rushing (175 yards per game) and fifth in passing (228 yards per game)
- The 'Dogs have run for at least 135 yards in every game, going over 170 each of the last four
- Wingate has passed for over 220 yards in six of seven contests this season
- WU is second in the SAC and 18th in the nation, converting 49 percent of third downs (47-96)
- The Bulldogs rank third nationally in fourth down conversions (6-7)
- The 'Dogs lead the SAC, scoring on 84 percent of red zone trips with 21 touchdowns
- Wingate is second in the conference in passing efficiency and completion percentage
- The Bulldogs rank second nationally in time of possession (35:22)
- Shaw Crocker is fifth in the conference with 222.6 passing yards per game
- He ranks second in the SAC in completion percentage and passing efficiency and third in TDs
- He threw four touchdown passes in the win at UVA Wise last week
- Nijere Peoples is third in the SAC with 75.1 rushing yards per contest
- He has run for 526 yards and four touchdowns on the season
- RJ Mobley leads the 'Dogs with 21 catches, 341 yards and four touchdowns
- Kamal Desor also has 21 receptions, going for 241 yards and four TDs
- Ryder Martin has 18 grabs for 276 yards and a pair of scores
- Trevor Grant has hauled in three touchdown passes on the season
- Myles Dillon has 14 catches for 132 yards and a TD, adding 68 rush yards and two touchdowns

WINGATE DEFENSE
 
- Wingate ranks third in the SAC in scoring defense and total defense
- The 'Dogs allow 18.6 points and 305.7 yards per game
- The Bulldogs rank third in the conference in rushing defense and fifth in passing defense
- Wingate has 15 sacks, six fumble recoveries and four interceptions on the year
- The 'Dogs rank second in third down defense, allowing just 31 percent conversions (27-88)
- The Bulldogs are third in the SAC in red zone defense, with opponents scoring on 11-16 trips
- Jaquan Edwards leads the 'Dogs with 46 tackles, six TFLs, a sack, an interception and four break-ups
- He was named the SAC Defensive Player of the Week last week for his efforts at UVA Wise
- Romario Johnson has 30 tackles, three TFLS and a forced fumble
- Sirod Cook leads WU with 7.5 TFLs, three sacks and five QB hurries, adding a forced fumble and a recovery
- Matthew Ellis-White has piled up 24 tackles, adding a pair of pass break-ups
- Justin Armwood has two interceptions and three pass break-ups
- Daquan Mosley has an interception and seven break-ups
- DJ Horne has notched five TFLs, 2.5 sacks and three QB hurries
- Jordon Anderson has added four TFLs, a sack, a fumble recovery and a QB hurry
- Mark Burks has 15 tackles, a break-up and two blocked kicks
 
WINGATE SPECIAL TEAMS
 
- Wingate ranks third nationally in punt return defense, allowing zero return yards
- The 'Dogs are third in the league in net punting
- McLean Robertson earned SAC Special Teams Player of the Week for the third time this year
- He has hit 14-of-16 field goals, including five-of-six from over 40 yards
- Robertson hit a career-best 54 yarder at Barton
- He leads the nation in field goals per game and is 17th nationally in total points scored
- Ethan Evans averages 40.3 yards per punt on 23 attempts, with four over 50 yards
- He has 14 punts inside the 20 on the season
- Evans also has 28 touchbacks in 48 kickoffs
- The Bulldogs ranks eighth in the nation in kick return average
- Kyron Thomas is sixth in the nation with 405 kick return yards and 31.2 yards per return
- J Max Swaim leads the SAC and is 17th nationally with 12.0 yards per punt return
- The 'Dogs have blocked five kicks and a punt this season

ABOUT LENOIR-RHYNE

- The Bears won the SAC title in 2018 and 2019
- LR went a combined 15-0 in league play over those two seasons
- Lenoir-Rhyne is 5-2 this year, with a 4-2 record in league play
- The Bears lost league games to Newberry and UVA Wise
- LR has won three straight, piling up 142 points
- Lenoir-Rhyne has won its last two by a combined score of 104-3 (C-N & Limestone)
 
LENOIR-RHYNE OFFENSE
 
- The Bears lead the SAC in scoring (38.6 ppg) and yards (492.3 yards per game)
- LR averages a league-best 239 rush yards per game, ranking third with 253 passing yards
- Lenoir-Rhyne averages a league-best 26 first downs per game
- The Bears lead the SAC, converting 52 percent of third downs (56-107)
- Dwayne McGee leads the conference with 163.3 rushing yards per game
- He has run for 1,143 yards and 15 touchdowns on the season
- Grayson Willingham has thrown for 1,757 yards and 14 TDs
- He is 157-257 on the year, throwing for 251 yards per contest
- Deondre Lester has 41 catches for 494 yards and four TDs
- Kelin Parsons has 27 grabs for 288 yards and a pair of scores
 
LENOIR-RHYNE DEFENSE
 
- The Bears rank second in the SAC in scoring defense and fifth in total defense
- LR allows 17.1 points per game and 324.4 yards per contest
- Lenoir-Rhyne allows 242.7 pass yards and 81.7 rush yards per game
- The Bears have 19 sacks, nine fumble recoveries and six interceptions
- Preston Joseph has 46 tackles, 3.5 TFLs and three QB hurries
- Amari Houston has piled up 11.5 TFLs, 5.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries
- Jimmie Palmer has four interceptions and three pass break-ups
- Dan Louba has 8.5 TFLs and five sacks
 
LENOIR-RHYNE SPECIAL TEAMS
 
- Chase Allbaugh has hit eight-of-12 field goals with a long of 43 yards
- Michael Owen averages 40.4 yards per punt on 30 attempts, with 14 inside the 20
- Owen also has nine touchbacks on 45 kickoffs
- Ryan Carter has 221 yards on nine kick returns, averaging 24.6 yards per return
- He also has 101 yards on 11 punt returns, going for 9.1 yards per return with a long of 40
 
UP NEXT
 
- The Bulldogs hit the road next week, traveling to Newberry for a 1 p.m. kickoff
- Wingate is back home for the season finale on Nov. 13, hosting Mars Hill at 3 p.m.
- LR travels to Barton next week for a 4 p.m. kickoff
- The Bears wrap up the regular season at home Nov. 13, hosting Catawba at 1 p.m.