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Wingate, N.C.----The 19th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs are back at home Saturday night, hosting Carson-Newman University at 6 p.m. at Irwin Belk Stadium and Founders Field. The contest is a rematch of the 2024 SAC title game, which the 'Dogs won 28-13. Wingate enters the contest 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the SAC, while the Eagles are 2-1 overall and 1-1 in league play. The contest will air on FloSports and will be free on the FloCollege Football YouTube Channel.  

#19 Wingate (3-0; 1-0 SAC) hosts Carson-Newman (2-1; 1-1 SAC)
Saturday, Sept. 27 | 6 p.m. | Irwin Belk Stadium
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ABOUT WINGATE

- The Bulldogs are off to a 3-0 start for the first time since the 2022 season
- The defending SAC champs are looking to start a season 4-0 for the first time since 2021
- The 'Dogs have appeared in the NCAA D2 play-offs in five of the last seven years
- Wingate has won at least eight games in each of the last eight seasons
- Wingate is 76-22 overall in the last eight fall seasons
- The Bulldogs are 50-13 in SAC play during that time
- Most overall wins & league wins in the SAC since 2016
- Wingate is 87-41 at Irwin Belk Stadium since 2001
- WU is 20-6 all-time under the lights at Irwin Belk Stadium
- The 'Dogs have won 50 of last 52 games when scoring 30 points
- WU has scored at least 30 points 40 times since beginning of '18
- The Bulldogs are outscoring opponents 130-35 through three games this year
- That includes a school-record 72-point outburst against Bluefield State
- That 72-7 win was a record for points and margin of victory for the Bulldogs
- The 'Dogs have allowed just 14 total points over the last two contests

ABOUT CARSON-NEWMAN

- The Eagles are receiving votes in the AFCA top 25 poll
- C-N started the year with a 41-10 win over West Virginia State
- Carson-Newman lost a 31-24 OT contest at Mars Hill
- The Eagles bounced back by defeating #19 Lenoir-Rhyne 24-7 last week

WINGATE VS. CARSON-NEWMAN SERIES HISTORY

- The Eagles lead the all-time series 26-9
- C-N is 12-5 all-time at Wingate
- The 'Dogs have won five of the last seven meetings
- The Bulldogs have won the last three meetings at Irwin Belk Stadium
- Carson-Newman's last victory at Wingate came during the 2015 season
- C-N's regular season win last season was its first win over WU since 2018
- The Eagles had their two lowest rushing yard totals and total yardage in the WU games last year
- Carson-Newman's 84 total yards in the SAC title game were their lowest since 2000

WINGATE OFFENSE

- WU ranks third nationally in passing efficiency, sacks allowed and TFLs allowed
- The 'Dogs are seventh in total offense and time of possession
- Wingate is second in the SAC in passing offense and third in rushing offense
- The Bulldogs lead the SAC and rank fifth in the nation in scoring offense
- Wingate is 14th nationally in rushing offense
- Elijah Holmes is second in the nation in completion percentage and passing efficiency
- He has completed 73 percent of his passes for 212 yards per game
- Holmes leads the SAC and ranks 12th nationally with his nine passing TDs
- Xavier Pugh is third in the SAC with 103.7 rush yards per game
- He has scored a league-high six rushing TDs, good for seventh in the country
- Jaylen Himes is second in the SAC with 76.3 receiving yards per contest
- He has 229 receiving yards and four touchdowns through his first three games

CARSON-NEWMAN OFFENSE

- C-N leads the SAC and ranks third in the nation, averaging 285.3 rushing yards per game
- Carson-Newman also ranks second nationally in passing efficiency
- Zane Whitson leads the Eagles and ranks seventh in the SAC with 83.3 rush yards per game
- Whitson is also averaging 47 passing yards per game
- Jayden Sullins has added 55 rush yards per contest
- The C-N offense had issues against the WU defense last season
- The Eagles had just 45 rushing yards in the home win during the regular season, adding 190 pass yards
- Carson-Newman had 54 rushing yards and just 84 total yards in the SAC title game
- The two WU games were the only times the Eagles had below 175 rushing yards all season
- The 84 yards of total offense in the title game were the lowest for the Eagles since the 2000 season

WINGATE DEFENSE

- The Bulldogs lead the nation with 10.5 tackles for loss per game
- Wingate is second in the SAC and 13th nationally, allowing 259 total yards per game
- The 'Dogs are second in the SAC and ninth nationally in scoring defense, allowing 11.7 points per game
- The Bulldogs allow just 54.7 rush yards per game, good for sixth nationally
- Ryan Green leads the way with 18 tackles
- Jonathen Cross has 16 tackles with a team-best 5.5 TFLs and 1.5 sacks
- Jaquan Edwards has 15 tackles with four TFLs
- Mandjou Berte has four tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble
- Elijah Barnes has added 4.5 tackles for loss and a sack
- Guy Taylor has 2.5 tackles for loss to go along with five QB hurries
- Tory Kelly has an interception, a pass break-up and 10 tackles
- Omar Ba has a pick, a break up and seven tackles
- CJ McGarity also has a pick, along with a TFL
- Brandon Perry has an interception and a pair of break-ups
- Noah Collins has a pick and two break-ups as well

CARSON-NEWMAN DEFENSE

- The Eagles are fourth in the SAC in scoring defense, allowing 16 points per game
- Carson-Newman is fifth in the conference in total defense
- C-N is third in the conference in rushing defense
- The Eagles rank third in the SAC with 2.33 sacks per contest
- Carson-Newman leads the SAC in turnover margin
- Cruz Temple leads the Eagles with 20 tackles
- Terry Lemon has 16 tackles with a pair of TFLs
- Champ Baker also has 16 tackles with a tackle for loss and pass break-up
- Mekhi Brown has 14 tackles and a pair of sacks
- Rich Mellien has two interceptions and a pair of pass break-ups
- Martavis Mason also has 2.5 sacks for the Eagles

WINGATE SPECIAL TEAMS

- The WU special teams unit has been elite this season
- The 'Dogs have had two of the four D2Football National Special Teams Players of the Week in 2025
- Caleb Bonesteel won in week one, while Christian Teeter won the award this past week
- Bonesteel has made all 14 PATs, while hitting four of five field goals on the season
- He was the MVP of the SAC title game against C-N, hitting all five field goal attempts
- This season, all five Bonesteel field goals have been from at least 40 yards
- He made a 47-yarder in the Bluefield State victory, while making three 40-plus yarders vs. UNCP
- Christian Teeter is averaging 41.4 yards per punt on seven punts
- Six of his seven punts have finished inside the 20
- In the UVA Wise win, Teeter had three of his four punts downed inside the five
- His first one was at the three, his second one at the two, with his third one downed at the one
- Jake Snapp is averaging 32.2 yards per kick return on six returns
- That includes a 52-yard return
- Laron Warner has 22 punt return yards with a long of 17
- Warner also has a 28-yard kick return
- Lawson Thorn has 16 touchbacks on his 21 kickoffs this year

CARSON-NEWMAN SPECIAL TEAMS

- Bennett Smith has made all 11 PATs and both field goals
- He has connected on field goals of 42 and 19 yards on the year
- Grayson Campbell averages 40.3 yards per punt, punting 11 times this season
- Three of his 11 have finished inside the 20
- Cam Ferguson averages 20.7 yards per return on three kickoff returns