NEWS

 

GAME 2 | SEPT. 7, 2024 | 7:00 PM | DAVIDSON COLLEGE STADIUM (5,000) | DAVIDSON, N.C. | ESPN+

DAVIDSON WILDCATS
2024 Record: 0-1 (0-0 PFL)
2023 Record: 7-4 (6-2 PFL)
Head Coach: Scott Abell
Davidson Record (Yrs): 41-24 (7)
Career Record (Yrs): 80-48 (13)

CATAWBA INDIANS
2024 Record: 0-0 (0-0 SAC)
2023 Record: 5-6 (2-6 SAC)
Head Coach: Tyler Haines
Catawba Record (Yrs): 5-6 (2)
Career Record (Yrs): 22-33 (7)

INSIDE THE SERIES
Meetings: 23
Series Record: Davidson leads, 16-7
First Meeting: Davidson Won, 18-0 (9/24/1910)
Last Meeting: Catawba Won, 35-21 (9/12/2015)
Streak: Lost 5
In Davidson, N.C.: 7-4
In Charlotte, N.C.: 7-2
In Salisbury, N.C.: 2-1
Abell vs. Catawba: First Meeting

1ST AND 10

• After calling Richardson Stadium home for the last 100 years, the Wildcats will play the first-ever football game in Davidson College Stadium when Catawba College visits for a 7 p.m. kick off Saturday evening.
• Davidson enters 0-1 on the young season following a setback at Georgetown week one.
• Picked third in the Pioneer Football League Preseason Poll, the Wildcats finished 7-4 overall and 6-2 in conference play last season.
• Now in his seventh season at the helm, head coach Scott Abell has guided the Wildcats to a 41-24 overall record and 31-14 conference mark, while capturing two PFL regular season crowns and leading the ‘Cats to three FCS Playoff appearances.
• The Wildcats are 5-1 in home openers under Coach Abell.
• Abell ranks third on Davidson’s career wins’ list with 41 victories. He is just four wins shy of becoming the program’s all-time winningest coach.
• The Wildcats have put together six straight winning seasons, the longest stretch in program history.
• Davidson finished 2023 with the nation’s top-rushing attack for the fourth consecutive year. In addition, the ‘Cats also led all of FCS in scoring offense (40.0), while ranking among national leaders in total offense (463.2 ypg / 5th), passing efficiency (158.37 / 8th), 3rd down conversion defense (13th), red zone offense (7th) and time of possession (33:25 / 4th).
• A series that dates back to 1910, Saturday’s meeting will be the 24th all-time between the two schools separated by just 30 miles.
• Davidson’s Mari Adams (RB), Malik McDaniel (OL), Julian Rawlins (DE) and Daniel Carter (S) were named to the PFL’s preseason all-conference team.

INSIDE THE SERIES

• The series between Davidson and Catawba dates back to Sept. 24, 1910.
• Saturday’s meeting will be the 24th all-time between the two schools separated by just 30 miles.
• Despite Catawba winning the last five, the Wildcats lead the series 16-7, which includes a 7-4 record in Davidson.
• The Indians won the last meeting, 35-21, Sept. 12, 2015.

LAST TIME OUT | GEORGETOWN 46, DAVIDSON 24 — AUG. 31, 2024 |WASHINGTON, D.C.

• Davidson dropped its 2024 season opener at Georgetown, 46-24, last Saturday afternoon on Cooper Field.
• After falling behind 5-0 early following a safety and a Georgetown field goal, Davidson settled in with a 48 yarder from sophomore kicker Adam Zouagui, the second longest of his career.
• The ‘Cats would cut the deficit to 19-17 midway through the second quarter with rushing touchdowns from its all-conference duo of Mason Sheron and Mari Adams. Adam’s first score of the season was set up by a 42-yard pass from Coulter Cleland to Kellyn West.
• Georgetown carried a 22-17 lead into the half following a late field goal. The Wildcats had a chance to put points on the board or take the lead just before the break, but Cleland was intercepted deep in Hoyas’ territory with seven seconds remaining.
• The Hoyas, who rushed for 263 yards on 27 carries, scored 21 unanswered to begin the third and all but put the game out of reach.
• Davidson added a late touchdown from sophomore Andrew Frazier, who carried it in from seven yards out for the first of his career.
• Despite controlling the time of possession 36:17 to 21:04, the ‘Cats were penalized eight times for 80 yards and turned it over twice.
• John Tessmann led the Wildcats on defense with seven tackles.

LAST MEETING | CATAWBA 35, DAVIDSON 21 — SEPT. 12, 2015 |DAVIDSON, N.C.

• Despite a 121-yard, two-touchdown performance from Jeffrey Keil, the Davidson football team fell to the Catawba Indians, 35-21, in their home opener Saturday night at Richardson Stadium.
• Cary Littlejohn led the Indians with 192 yards rushing and one touchdown on 27 carries.
• In addition to Keil’s impressive effort, William Morris led the ‘Cats in receiving with 76 yards and one touchdown, while John Cook completed 13-of-34 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown.
• Davidson started the game off with an interception by William Curran, but Catawba was the first to find the end zone when Littlejohn scored on a 64-yard run.
• The Wildcats tied the score at the 2:03 mark in the opening quarter when Keil found a hole for 21 yards that capped off an eight-play, 58-yard scoring drive.
• The Indians grabbed momentum at the start of the second quarter, scoring two touchdowns, converting a two-point conversion and drilling a 30-yard field goal to go up, 25-7 with 3:46 left in the half.
• Following an interception from Myles Atkins, Cook found Morris on a 42-yard reception before Keil ran it in from three yards out to make it 25-14 at the half.
• A 25-yard field goal and a 49-yard touchdown pass in the third secured the game for Catawba.
• Davidson scored its final touchdown with 5:08 left in the contest when Cook found Morris open in the corner of the end zone from 12 yards out.
• Defensively, Atkins and Ryan Felice led the Wildcats with a career-high 10 tackles each, while LB Ben Rowell picked up his first-career sack for a loss of 11 yards in the fourth quarter.

UP NEXT

• Davidson will conclude its brief homestand next weekend when Point University comes to town for a 7 p.m. kick off Sept. 14.

HOME “SWEET” HOME

• After calling Richardson Stadium home for 100 years, the Wildcats will play the first football game inside their brand new state-of-the-art facility, Davidson College Stadium, this weekend when Catawba College comes to town.
• With spectator seating for 5,000, the new stadium is home to the Wildcat football and lacrosse teams. The stadium features a continuous seating concourse and the state-of-the-art Armfield Foundation Scoreboard.
• The accompanying 12,000 square-foot Game Changers Field House features the Jan and John Bazos ’82 Sports Performance Center, the Sheridan Brothers Locker Room, the Davidson Coaches Suite, and Gallery 18, a multi-purpose space.
• The field house also features facilities for strength and conditioning, sports performance, and football staff offices. Multi-use rooms are available for hospitality, classrooms, media, and meeting spaces.