Gaffney, S.C.----The eighth-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs kick off a three-game road trip this weekend, traveling to Gaffney to face Limestone Saturday at 1 p.m. in SAC football action (VIDEO | LIVE STATS). The Bulldogs are 4-0 on the season and 2-0 in league play, coming off a 43-35 homecoming victory over Tusculum last Saturday. Limestone enters the weekend 0-3 overall and 0-1 in the SAC. The 'Dogs have outscored opponents 138-66 this season.

ABOUT THE GAME

Saturday, Oct. 9 | 1 p.m.
#8 Wingate (4-0; 2-0 SAC) at Limestone (0-3; 0-1 SAC)
Gaffney, S.C. (The Reservation) | VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
SERIES HISTORY

- This will be the seventh meeting all-time between Wingate and Limestone
- The Bulldogs have won each of the previous six meetings
- Wingate is 3-0 in Gaffney and 3-0 at Irwin Belk Stadium
- The teams met every season from 2014 through 2019
- Wingate is outscoring Limestone 227-97 all-time (37.8-16.1)
- The 'Dogs have won five of the six meetings by 19 points or more
- WU rolled to a 34-3 home victory in the most recent meeting in 2019 in Wingate
- The last time the teams met at Limestone the Bulldogs prevailed 49-26
- Nijere Peoples ran for 241 yards and five touchdowns on 25 carries in the win
- Wingate has scored 34 or more points in five of the six meetings
- The 'Dogs have scored over 40 points in three of the last four contests
- The 34-3 win in 2019 was the largest margin of victory in the series
- The closest game was in 2015, a 17-12 home victory
COACHES
 
- WU head coach Joe Reich is in his 21st season at Wingate (135-83)
- 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
- Brian Turk is in his third season at Limestone (4-14)
- Was named Limestone head coach following the 2018 season
- Has been on the LC staff for five years after serving as an assistant coach at South Carolina   

ABOUT THE BULLDOGS
 
- Wingate is looking to start a season 5-0 for the fourth time in six years
- The 'Dogs started 5-0 in 2015, 2017 and 2019
- Prior to 2015, the last time WU won its first five was 2008, winning the first seven
- The 2017 season saw the Bulldogs win their first nine games and climb to #12 in the AFCA poll
- That #12 ranking was the highest in program history prior to last week when WU cracked the top 10
- The 'Dogs won their first eight of the 2019 season, again climbing to 12th in the AFCA top 25
- 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 '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 42-13 overall since the start of the 2016 season
- Wingate has the most overall wins and SAC victories since the start of the 2016 season
- After spending all of 2019 in the AFCA top 25, WU has been in all six 2021 polls
- Wingate is 73-35 at Irwin Belk Stadium since 2001
- Wingate has 32 straight wins when scoring at least 30 points
- Wingate is ranked eighth in the AFCA top 25, the highest ranking in program history
- The Bulldogs have won 23 of their last 26 regular season home games
 
WINGATE OFFENSE
 
- The Bulldogs are averaging 34.5 points per game, good for second in the SAC
- Wingate is third in the league with 399.5 total yards per contest
- The 'Dogs ranks fourth in rushing yards (160.5) and passing yards (239.0) per game
- Wingate has scored 90 first half points this season, outscoring opponents 90-31
- WU is outscoring the opposition 44-10 in the opening quarter this year
- The 'Dogs dominate time of possession, ranking second in the nation (35:48)
- Wingate is fourth in the nation, converting 54.5 percent of third downs (30-55)
- The Bulldogs converted 14 of 19 third downs against Tusculum Saturday
- WU has scored on 91 percent of red zone trips, leading the SAC (19-21)
- The balanced attack has over 220 pass yards and 130 rush yards every game this year
- Shaw Crocker is 74-112 for 918 yards and eight touchdowns this season
- He leads the SAC in completion percentage (65.5%) and is fourth in yards per game (229.5)
- Crocker also leads the SAC in QB efficiency (153.6)
- Peoples is third in the SAC with 87.3 rushing yards per game
- He has 349 yards on the season with three touchdowns, going for 4.8 yards per rush
- Peoples has a pair of 100-yard rushing games this season and 11 in his career
- The balanced receiving attack has seven players with at least five receptions
- Ryder Martin has a team-best 12 catches for 202 yards and a touchdown
- RJ Mobley has 12 grabs for 166 yards and a team-best three TDs, adding a rushing score
- Trevor Grant has 12 receptions for 164 yards and a score
- Myles Dillon has 11 catches for 110 yards and a TD, adding a rushing touchdown
- Kamal Desor has also pulled in a pair of touchdown
 
WINGATE DEFENSE
 
- Wingate ranks second in the SAC, allowing 16.5 points per game
- The 'Dogs lead the league in total defense, allowing 280.3 total yards per contest
- Wingate is second in the conference, allowing just 88.8 rushing yards per game
- The Bulldogs allow 191.5 passing yards per game, good for third in the league
- WU leads the SAC and is 13th in the nation in third down defense
- Wingate has allowed opponents to convert 27 percent of third downs (13-48)
- The 'Dogs have allowed just five red zone trips through four games
- Teams have scored on just three of the five trips
- Wingate also leads the SAC and ranks fourth nationally in fewest penalties
- The Bulldogs have eight sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries
- Jaquan Edwards leads the 'Dogs with 26 tackles, adding 2.0 TFLs, a sack and three break-ups
- Sirod Cook has 5.0 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, four QB hurries and a forced fumble
- Jesiah Carlton has 17 tackles, 2.0 TFLS and four QB hurries
- DJ Horne has collected 3.0 TFLs, 1.5 sacks and three QB hurries
- Justin Armwood has 3.0 TFLs, two break-ups and a 94-yard pick-six
- Daquan Mosley also has an interception for the Bulldogs
- Tre Morrison has piled up six pass break-ups on the season
 
WINGATE SPECIAL TEAMS
 
- The Bulldogs rank ninth in the nation with three blocked kicks
- Wingate also has a blocked punt
- The 'Dogs ranks fourth in the nation in punt return defense and ninth in net punting
- Wingate also leads the league in kick return average
- McLean Robertson leads the nation with 2.5 field goals per game
- The two-time SAC Special Teams Player of the Week has made 10-11 field goals this season
- He already has three field goals of at least 40 yards this season, adding 12 PATs
- Robertson tied a career long with a 49-yarder in the Tusculum win Saturday
- Ethan Evans averages 42.5 yards per punt, with seven of 11 inside the 20
- He has three punts of at least 50 yards on the season
- The Bulldogs have not allowed a punt return yard this season
- Evans also has 16 touchbacks on 29 kickoffs this year
- Kyron Thomas leads the SAC and is fifth in the nation with 32.4 yard per kick return
- J. Max Swaim leads the SAC and is 12th nationally with 12.7 yards per punt return
- Swaim also has two kickoff returns for 62 yards

ABOUT LIMESTONE

- The Saints started their football program in 2014
- Their first-ever game was a 38-10 loss against Wingate
- The first win came two weeks later against College of Faith
- Limestone's first win over a SAC team came in 2015, a 28-25 double OT win against Brevard
- The Saints joined the SAC in 2017, going 4-6 overall with a 3-6 league record
- Limestone went 3-8 in 2019 with a 2-6 SAC mark, while going 1-3 in the spring of 2021
- LC opened the season with a 37-16 loss at North Greenville
- The Saints lost a tough 24-21 overtime contest at Tusculum
- Limestone is coming off a 45-7 home setback against Barton on Sept. 25
- The Saints were scheduled to play at Catawba last week, but that game was cancelled
 
LIMESTONE OFFENSE
 
- The Saints are eight in the SAC, averaging 14.7 points per game
- Limestone is also eighth in the league with 292.3 total yards per contest
- The Saints are fifth in the league in passing yards and seventh in rushing yards per game
- LC has been sacked eight times through three games
- The Saints are 13-37 on third downs and 1-8 on fourth downs
- Limestone is on the opposite end of Wingate in the time of possession race (26:52)
- The Saints have scored on three-of-eight red zone trips (38 percent)
- All three scores have been touchdowns
- Dustin Noller is 34-61 with 439 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions
- He has thrown for 219.5 yards per game with a completion percentage of 55.7
- Anthony McAfee has run for 156 yards on 35 carries, going for 52 yards per game
- Caden Peeler leads the team with eight receptions for 101 yards
- Joshua Gary has five catches for 97 yards and a touchdown  
 
LIMESTONE DEFENSE
 
- Limestone is eight in the SAC in total defense, allowing 419.3 yards per game
- The Saints are last in the league in scoring defense, allowing 35.3 points per contest
- Limestone allows 236 rushing yards and 183.3 passing yards per game
- The Saints have four sacks, two fumble recoveries and an interception this season
- Opponents are 21-41 on third downs against the Saints this season (51 percent)
- Limestone has allowed points on all eight red zone trips against them, with five TDs
- The Saints are being outscored 31-0 in the second quarter this year and 55-10 in the first half
- Jaiden Clayton leads Limestone with 20 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and two sacks
- Kris Williams has 17 tackles, four break-ups and an interception
- Dylan Reeves has 14 tackles with 1.5 TFLs, a sack and two QB hurries
- Zane Boozer has 12 tackles, a TFL and a forced fumble
 
LIMESTONE SPECIAL TEAMS
 
- Nathan Baker has connected on his lone field goal attempt of the year from 49 yards
- JB Potts has hit all four extra point attempts
- Austin Kemp has three touchbacks on 11 kickoffs
- Kemp averages 41.1 yards per punt with seven inside the 20 and three of at least 50 yards
- A. Dinkis-McCall averages 30.3 yards per return on three kick returns
- Caden Peeler has 27 yards on three punt returns
 
UP NEXT
 
- Wingate is back on the road the next two weeks
- The Bulldogs are at Barton and UVA Wise before returning home Oct. 30
- WU hosts Lenoir-Rhyne Oct. 30 at 6 p.m.
- Wingate then travels to Newberry before closing the regular season at home against Mars Hill
- Limestone is back home next week, hosting Mars Hill at 4 p.m.
- The Saints then hit the road to take on Lenoir-Rhyne in Hickory Oct. 23