Know Your Foe: Western Carolina Catamounts
Record: 0-3 (0-0 SoCon)
2024 record: 8-4
Last week: L vs Elon, 37-31
Head Coach: Kerwin Bell (5th season)
Last meeting: Samford L, 47-42 (2024)
Betting: Western Carolina -6.5, O/U 60.5
TV: ESPN+
Kick off time: 1:30pm CT
Fun Fact: Samford leads the all-time series vs Western Carolina 13-4
Samford is back to playing FCS competition following the 42-7 loss at Baylor last week. The Samford athletic department got a nice check to help fund the athletic programs for 2025 and the team got the chance to play against a Power Four team. Samford did run for 95 yards against the Bears and scored a touchdown (albeit in an interesting fashion).
The Samford defense was able to force two interceptions from Baylor QB Sawyer Robertson meanwhile the Samford offense was not able to get clear of their turnover bug diagnosis with four turnovers of their own. Samford’s one offensive touchdown came off a double pass from RB CJ Evans to WR Torrey Ward.
Yes that means that Samford running backs have more touchdown passes than their quarterbacks for those of you scoring at home.
With Baylor in the rearview, the attention now turns for Samford’s first Southern Conference road game of 2025 against the Western Carolina Catamounts. The Catamounts have had a tough start to their season also with a record of 0-3. Although Western Carolina is also on a three-game losing streak, those losses include two one score FCS games and losing to Wake Forest.
Western did squander a 35-7 lead over Gardner-Webb in week one losing 52-45. Then lost to Elon 37-31 with both games happening in Cullowhee.
They have, however, been without the preseason SoCon Player of the Year in QB Taron Dickens. He has been suspended to an academic eligibility issue and we believe that Dickens will be able to play against Samford. In the 2024 regular season finale, Dickens threw for 408 yards and 3 TDs in the Western win at Samford.
The Catamounts have been playing two quarterbacks in place of Dickens in Bennett Judy and Isaac Lee. Both have completed 60% of their passes combining for 683 passing yards, five TDs, and four INTs.
RB Patrick Boyd leads Western in rushing yards with 203 yards. 142 of those came in the week one loss to Gardner-Webb. RB Branson Adams was on the preseason All-SoCon first team but only has 16 carries on the season with 12 in week one.
Even with only appearing in two games prior to 2025, WR James Tyre leads Western in receiving yards with 182 yards and two touchdowns. Tyre did it all for the Catamounts last week being the team’s leading rusher and leading receiver. He has 62 rushing yards, 87 receiving yards, one rushing TD and one receiving TD.
WR Malik Knight is the other Catamount wide receiver with over 100 receiving yards as he has 153 on the season with one touchdown. WR Malik Dutton has also found the end zone once in 2025.
Moving over to the Western Carolina defense which has given up 44 points per game in the two FCS contests. They are allowing 5.6 yards per carry while also allowing 9.8 yards per pass attempt. Samford’s struggling offense has a chance to find success against this Catamount defense.
LB Jordan Thompson leads the Catamount in total tackles with 20 and a sack. LB Hayward McQueen, Jr. (a great name by the way) is right behind Thompson in total tackles with 19. The six-foot, one-inch LB was also on the preseason All-SoCon first team.
S Samaurie Dukes was named to the preseason All-SoCon second team and he has also played well with 15 total tackles. S Bo Simpson-Nealy is one to watch as well in the back end who leads the team in tackles for loss with 4.5
On the defensive line, DT Sean Morris is the leading tackler in the front four with seven and leads the team in sacks with two. DE Caleb Fisher also earned preseason All-SoCon first team honors but just has four tackles on the season.
Will Samford get themselves in the win column in 2025 for the first time? Samford should be able to attack this Western Carolina defense as the Samford offense has shown improvement from the West Georgia game. Samford’s turnovers have been their Achilles’ heel so far this season with 12 turnovers in just four games.
How long of a leash does Samford head coach Chris Hatcher give Quincy Crittendon on the road? Backup freshman QB Brady Stober played the entire second half against Baylor with two interceptions of his own.
Samford’s defense should be able to limit Dickens in the first half due to him not playing so far in 2025 but how long can they hold up is the question.
Will the Samford offense continue to put them in bad spots with those turnovers?
Samford is one loss away from their first 0-4 start since 1985 and only Samford’s second four-game losing streak in the 21st century.
