The 2025 Western Carolina Catamounts football team represented Western Carolina University as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon) during the 2025 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Catamounts were led by fifth-year head coach Kerwin Bell and played at the Bob Waters Field at E. J. Whitmire Stadium in Cullowhee, North Carolina.
The Western Carolina Catamounts drew an average home attendance of 10,986, the 20th-highest of all NCAA Division I FCS football teams.https://herosports.com/fcs-football-2025-attendance-leaders-bzbz/
Schedule
Game summaries
Gardner–Webb
Statistics GWEB WCU First downs 25 21 Total yards 627 454 Rushes–yards 57–335 42–221 Passing yards 292 233 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 13–33–1 18–36–1 Turnovers 2 3 Time of possession 35:38 24:22 Team Category Player StatisticsGardner–Webb Passing Nate Hampton 12/30, 263 yards, 2 TD Rushing Nate Hampton 28 carries, 132 yards, 4 TD Receiving Chris Lofton 3 receptions, 102 yardsWestern Carolina Passing Bennett Judy 15/27, 151 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Patrick Boyd Jr. 15 carries, 142 yards, TD Receiving Malik Knight 1 reception, 69 yards, TD
at Wake Forest (FBS)
Statistics WCUWAKE First downs 17 21 Plays–yards 76–238 57–542 Rushes–yards 33–34 31–273 Passing yards 204 269 Passing: comp–att–int 26–43–1 16–26–1 Turnovers 2 3 Time of possession 35:58 24:02 Team Category Player Statistics Western Carolina Passing Bennett Judy 18/32, 155 yards, INT Rushing Isaac Lee 5 carries, 40 yards Receiving Malik Knight 5 receptions, 56 yards Wake Forest Passing Robby Ashford 13/22, 227 yards, TD, INT Rushing Demond Claiborne 10 carries, 193 yards, 3 TD Receiving Chris Barnes 6 receptions, 149 yards
Elon
Statistics ELON WCU First downs 24 25 Total yards 456 425 Rushing yards 151 179 Passing yards 305 246 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11–29–2 36–55–2 Time of possession 30:23 29:27 Team Category Player StatisticsElon Passing Landen Clark 11/28, 305 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Landen Clark 25 carries, 72 yards Receiving Isaiah Fuhrmann 5 receptions, 105 yardsWestern Carolina Passing Isaac Lee 19/31, 132 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Patrick Boyd Jr. 10 carries, 58 yards Receiving James Tyre 9 receptions, 122 yards, TD
Samford
Statistics SAM WCU First downs 34 31 Total yards 576 733 Rushing yards 120 151 Passing yards 456 582 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 35–53–1 35–46–0 Time of possession 30:13 29:47 Team Category Player StatisticsSamford Passing Quincy Crittendon 35/53, 456 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing C.J. Evans 15 carries, 56 yards, TD Receiving Jaden Gibson 9 receptions, 122 yardsWestern Carolina Passing Taron Dickens 35/46, 582 yards, 6 TD Rushing Markel Townsend 13 carries, 56 yards Receiving Camury Reid 4 receptions, 107 yards, 3 TD
at Campbell
Statistics WCU CAM First downs 27 24 Total yards 564 437 Rushing yards 76 153 Passing yards 488 284 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 27–41–0 20–48–1 Time of possession 23:20 36:40 Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Carolina Passing Taron Dickens 26/40, 427 yards, 4 TD Rushing Camury Reid 11 carries, 43 yards, TD Receiving James Tyre 6 receptions, 101 yardsCampbell Passing Kamden Sixkiller 18/45, 205 yards, TD, INT Rushing Kamden Sixkiller 10 carries, 55 yards, 2 TD Receiving Trayjen Llanas-Wilcox 5 receptions, 124 yards
at Wofford
Statistics WCU WOF First downs 31 8 Total yards 471 241 Rushing yards 93 42 Passing yards 378 209 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 53–56–0 10–18–0 Time of possession 38:46 21:14 Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Carolina Passing Taron Dickens 53/56, 378 yards, 3 TD Rushing Taron Dickens 19 carries, 44 yards Receiving James Tyre 13 receptions, 102 yards, 3 TDWofford Passing Jayden Whitaker 10/18, 209 yards, 2 TD Rushing Ihson Jackson-Anderson 10 carries, 29 yards Receiving Ivory Aikens 3 receptions, 97 yards, TD
Furman
Statistics FUR WCU First downs 23 23 Total yards 356 522 Rushing yards 137 302 Passing yards 219 220 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 19–38–3 17–24–0 Time of possession 30:16 29:44 Team Category Player StatisticsFurman Passing Trey Hedden 18/35, 208 yards, TD, 3 INT Rushing Ben Croasdale 6 carries, 72 yards Receiving Ethan Harris 6 receptions, 95 yardsWestern Carolina Passing Taron Dickens 17/24, 220 yards, 4 TD Rushing Patrick Boyd Jr. 11 carries, 68 yards Receiving Michael Rossin 2 receptions, 59 yards, TD
at The Citadel
Statistics WCU CIT First downs 29 15 Total yards 515 410 Rushing yards 146 278 Passing yards 369 132 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 28–33–1 5–9–0 Time of possession 29:44 30:16 Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Carolina Passing Taron Dickens 28/33, 369 yards, 5 TD, INT Rushing Markel Townsend 15 carries, 90 yards, TD Receiving James Tyre 7 receptions, 112 yards, TDThe Citadel Passing Cobey Thompkins 3/5, 111 yards, TD Rushing Quentin Hayes 15 carries, 90 yards, 2 TD Receiving Braylon Knauth 2 receptions, 69 yards, TD
at Chattanooga
Statistics WCU UTC First downs 22 25 Total yards 356 399 Rushing yards 131 158 Passing yards 225 241 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 18–29–0 15–27–2 Time of possession 22:40 37:20 Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Carolina Passing Taron Dickens 18/29, 225 yards, 4 TD Rushing Patrick Boyd Jr. 12 carries, 67 yards Receiving James Tyre 5 receptions, 45 yards, 3 TDChattanooga Passing Camden Orth 15/27, 241 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Ryan Ingram 15 carries, 60 yards, TD Receiving Markell Quick 3 receptions, 126 yards
No. 12 Mercer
Statistics MER WCU First downs 23 33 Total yards 568 599 Rushing yards 125 48 Passing yards 443 551 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 23–39–0 33–49–1 Time of possession 30:32 29:28 Team Category Player StatisticsMercer Passing Braden Atkinson 23/39, 443 yards, 3 TD Rushing CJ Miller 21 carries, 91 yards, 3 TD Receiving Adjatay Dabbs 4 receptions, 147 yards, TDWestern Carolina Passing Taron Dickens 33/49, 551 yards, 7 TD, INT Rushing Patrick Boyd Jr. 12 carries, 17 yards Receiving Malik Knight 5 receptions, 141 yards, 2 TD
East Tennessee State
Statistics ETSU WCU First downs 33 25 Total yards 638 529 Rushing yards 244 103 Passing yards 394 426 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 22–37–0 33–48–0 Time of possession 30:35 29:25 Team Category Player StatisticsEast Tennessee State Passing Jacolby Criswell 17/29, 271 yards, 3 TD Rushing Jason Albritton 20 carries, 125 yards, TD Receiving Jeremiah Harrison 5 receptions, 139 yards, 2 TDWestern Carolina Passing Taron Dickens 33/48, 426 yards, 2 TD Rushing Taron Dickens 11 carries, 48 yards Receiving Michael Rossin 4 receptions, 89 yards, TD
at VMI
Statistics WCU VMI First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Passing: Comp–Att–Int Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Carolina Passing Rushing Receiving VMI Passing Rushing Receiving
Roster
References