2018 Western Carolina Catamounts football team

The 2018 Western Carolina Catamounts football team represented Western Carolina University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon). They were led by seventh-year head coach Mark Speir and played their home games at Bob Waters Field at E. J. Whitmire Stadium. They finished the season 3–8, 1–7 in SoCon play to finish in eighth place.

2018 Western Carolina Catamounts football
Conference	Southern Conference
2018 record	3–8 (1–7 SoCon)
Head coach	Mark Speir (7th season)
Offensive coordinator	Brad Glenn (7th season)
Offensive scheme	Spread
Defensive coordinator	John Wiley (2nd season)
Base defense	3-4
Home stadium	E.J. Whitmire Stadium (Capacity: 13,742)

2018 Southern Conference football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 13 Wofford +^		6	–	2					9	–	4
No. 22 East Tennessee State +^		6	–	2					8	–	4
Furman +		6	–	2					6	–	4
Samford		5	–	3					6	–	5
Chattanooga		4	–	4					6	–	5
The Citadel		4	–	4					5	–	6
Mercer		4	–	4					5	–	6
Western Carolina		1	–	7					3	–	8
VMI		0	–	8					1	–	10
+ – Conference co-champions ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from STATS FCS Poll

Previous season

The Catamounts finished the 2017 season 7–5, 5–3 in SoCon play to finish in fourth place.

Preseason

Award watch lists

Award	Player	Position	Year
Walter Payton Award[1]	Tyrie Adams	QB	JR
Buck Buchanan Award[2]	Marvin Tillman	S	SR

Preseason media poll

The SoCon released their preseason media poll on July 25, 2018, with the Catamounts predicted to finish in fifth place.[3] The same day the coaches released their preseason poll with the Catamounts predicted to finish in fourth place.[4]

Media poll

Predicted finish	Team	Votes (1st place)
1	Samford	204 (20)
2	Furman	174 (2)
3	Wofford	163 (1)
4	Mercer	133
5	Western Carolina	114
6	Chattanooga	88
7	The Citadel	83
8	East Tennessee State	53
9	VMI	23

Coaches poll

Predicted finish	Team	Votes (1st place)
1	Samford	63 (7)
2	Wofford	53 (1)
3	Furman	52 (1)
4	Western Carolina	39
5	Chattanooga	34
6	Mercer	32
7	The Citadel	28
8	East Tennessee State	15
9	VMI	8

Preseason All-SoCon Teams

The Catamounts placed six players on the preseason all-SoCon teams.

Offense 1st team Zach Weeks – OL 2nd team Tyrie Adams – QB Nathan Dalton – OL Andrew Miles – OL

Defense 1st team Marvin Tillman – DB

Specialists 1st team Ian Berryman – P

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 1	6:00 p.m.	Newberry*	E.J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC	ESPN+	W 33–26	12,111
September 14[lower-alpha 1]	6:00 p.m.	at Gardner–Webb*	Ernest W. Spangler Stadium Boiling Springs, NC	ESPN+	W 28–10	2,257
September 22	3:30 p.m.	VMI	E.J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC	ESPN+	W 52–50	12,759
September 29	2:00 p.m.	at Furman	Paladin Stadium Greenville, SC	ESPN+	L 38–44	7,201
October 6	1:30 p.m.	at Samford	Seibert Stadium Homewood, AL	ESPN3	L 28–66	3,178
October 13	3:30 p.m.	Chattanooga	E.J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC	ESPN+	L 6–26	7,362
October 20	4:00 p.m.	at Mercer	Five Star Stadium Macon, GA	ESPN+	L 46–59	8,230
October 27	3:30 p.m.	at No. 25 East Tennessee State	William B. Greene Jr. Stadium Johnson City, TN	ESPN+	L 43–45 ^3OT	7,121
November 3	3:30 p.m.	The Citadel	E.J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC	ESPN+	L 24–38	10,499
November 10	3:30 p.m.	No. 15 Wofford	E.J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC	ESPN3	L 23–38	10,169
November 17	12:20 p.m.	at North Carolina*	Kenan Memorial Stadium Chapel Hill, NC	ACCN Extra	L 26–49	41,151
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

• Source: Schedule

1. This game was originally scheduled for September 15. It was moved up one day in anticipation of Hurricane Florence.

Game summaries

Newberry

	1	2	3	4	Total
Wolves	7	10	3	6	26
Catamounts	3	16	0	14	33

at Gardner–Webb

	1	2	3	4	Total
Catamounts	7	14	0	7	28
Runnin' Bulldogs	7	3	0	0	10

VMI

	1	2	3	4	Total
Keydets	14	10	13	13	50
Catamounts	14	7	21	10	52

at Furman

	1	2	3	4	Total
Catamounts	7	3	14	14	38
Paladins	14	17	7	6	44

at Samford

	1	2	3	4	Total
Catamounts	0	21	0	7	28
Bulldogs	35	7	14	10	66

Chattanooga

	1	2	3	4	Total
Mocs	9	10	7	0	26
Catamounts	0	3	0	3	6

at Mercer

	1	2	3	4	Total
Catamounts	7	20	6	13	46
Bears	0	28	17	14	59

at East Tennessee State

	1	2	3	4	OT	2OT	3OT	Total
Catamounts	0	13	10	7	0	7	6	43
No. 25 Buccaneers	6	6	3	15	0	7	8	45

The Citadel

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	7	3	14	14	38
Catamounts	10	14	0	0	24

Wofford

	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 15 Terriers	7	7	14	10	38
Catamounts	10	10	0	3	23

at North Carolina

	1	2	3	4	Total
Catamounts	7	9	3	7	26
Tar Heels	14	21	14	0	49

References

1. "FCS football: 2018 Walter Payton Award watch list". August 1, 2018. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
2. "FCS football: 2018 Buck Buchanan Award watch list announced". August 2, 2018. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
3. http://www.soconsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=21895&SPID=1781&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211735859&DB_OEM_ID=4000
4. http://www.soconsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=21895&SPID=1781&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211735863&DB_OEM_ID=4000