GAME DAY CENTRAL
Catawba at Wingate
Saturday, October 8, 2022
Irwin Belk Stadium
6:00 p.m.

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WINGATE, N.C. – Catawba College football will be on the road once again this week when the team travels down Highways 85 and 485 to take on the Wingate Bulldogs in a South Atlantic Conference matchup on Saturday night. The two teams are slated to play at Irwin Belk Stadium at 6 p.m.

Week 6 at a Glance

The Catawba Indians enter Week 6 with a 1-4 overall record and an 0-3 mark in SAC play. Wingate enters Saturday at 4-1 and 2-1 in conference action. These two teams have not met since the COVID-shortened spring season of 2020 where Wingate defeated Catawba 33-6. Catawba's last win over Wingate came in 2016 when the Indians took down the Bulldogs, 48-26.

Entering Week 6, Catawba football has dropped their last four games, marking their longest losing skid since 2019. Wingate is coming off a 31-7 win over Erskine last week to avenge a 17-10 overtime loss against Emory and Henry in Week 4.

Catawba Offense

Turnovers have been the Achilles heel for the Catawba offense so far this season. The Indians have turned the ball over 10 times in five games including three interceptions returned for touchdowns in their last two contests. Eliminating turnovers and protecting quarterback Ridge Jacobs will be key against an aggressive Wingate front-seven that leads all of NCAA Division II in total sacks with 24 through four games and tackles for loss with 58.

Catawba's top offensive playmaker heading into Week 6 is freshman Kujuan Pryor. Pryor is averaging 129 all-purpose yards per game between his return duties, receiving, and rushing touches. Pryor ranks second in the conference and inside the top-40 in NCAA Division II football in all-purpose yards per game. The Lawndale product is also one of the nation's most dangerous return men as he ranks third nationwide in combined return yards with 488 and two scores. Pryor also leads the team in receptions with 14 and is second on the team in receiving yards with 141.

Leroy Bracey Jr. leads the team in rushing with 242 total yards on 45 attempts for an average of 5.4 yards per tote. Bracey had just nine carries and two catches against Emory and Henry in a come-from-behind effort. Bracey and freshman Marquece Williams will likely split backfield duties again this week for the Catawba Indians.

Catawba Defense

On defense, Catawba has struggled to limit their opponents' ground attack and trips to the end zone during their four-game skid. The Catawba Indians rank 152nd in DII in rushing defense and 145th in scoring defense after allowing 237 rushing yards per game and 35.8 points per game in the first five games.

Wingate enters this week with the most rushing attempts in the SAC with 207 and average just over 40 rushing attempts per game. The Bulldogs also average 150.2 rushing yards per game and are led by running back Alexander Wilson who has 300 rushing yards and three scores in five games.

The Catawba defense has been without some of its key contributors in linebacker Christian Campbell, defensive lineman Mike Jones, and safety Calvin Stephens due to injury, but other players have seen increased roles to help step up during their absence.

Defensive players like Jordan Gregg, Quincy Jefferson, David Neal, Izaiah Taylor, and Noble Zuschlag contributed in bigger roles last week. Gregg, a defensive back from Sumter, South Carolina, led the team with nine tackles, a forced fumble, and a pass break up from the safety position. Jefferson, Neal, and Zuschlag each had six tackles while Neal broke up two passes, and Zuschlag recorded a tackle for loss. Taylor was third on the team with five stops and recovered the fumble forced by Gregg.

So far this season, linebackers MeKayle Burris and Christian Bennett have been Catawba's top tacklers with a combined 52 stops. Te'Veon Glover leads the Catawba defense in tackles for loss with 4.5, and Jarius Johnson paces the pass rushers with a pair of sacks on the season.

Ticket and Game Day Information

Information regarding ticketing, parking, and other game day items for this week's game can be found on Wingate's athletic website or here.