Western Carolina Wins a Shootout Over Chattanooga
October 9, 2023
Chattanooga probably thought they had their game won against Western Carolina when the Mocs took a 50-49 lead with 53 seconds left to go in the game, but Catamount quarterback Cole Gonzales had other ideas. Gonzales marched WCU into field goal range and kicker Richard McCollum split the uprights as time expired to give Western Carolina a 52-50 victory. The win broke a 47-game road losing streak to ranked opponents for the Catamounts. The last time WCU beat a ranked opponent on the road was October 27, 1984, to Furman. The win moved Western Carolina to No. 14 in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll while Chattanooga remained in the same spot despite the loss.
The Top 4 remained unchanged this week with South Dakota State solidifying the top spot after their 40-21 win over then-No. 22 Illinois State. The fifth spot is now in the hands of Sacramento State because of Southern Illinois’ 31-3 loss to Youngstown State. The loss dropped the Salukis to No. 13 while the Penguins re-entered the poll at No. 20t. Youngstown State doesn’t get long to enjoy their new ranking as they must travel to No. 17 South Dakota this coming Saturday. The Coyotes will be looking for revenge after last year’s 45-24 loss to YSU.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 6 Next Game
1 South Dakota St. (26) 5-0 650 1 D. No. 22 Illinois St., 40-21 Oct. 14 vs. Northern Iowa
2 Montana St. 4-1 621 2 Idle Oct. 14 vs. Cal Poly
3 Idaho 5-1 600 3 D. Cal Poly, 42-14 Oct. 14 vs. No. 10 Montana
4 Furman 4-1 554 4 D. The Citadel, 28-14 Oct. 14 at Samford
5 Sacramento St. 4-1 519 7 Idle Oct. 14 at Northern Colorado
6 UIW 4-1 488 6 D. Southeastern Louisiana, 33-26 Oct. 14 vs. Texas A&M-Commerce
7 North Dakota St. 4-1 486 8 D. Missouri St., 38-10 Oct. 14 at No. 15 North Dakota
8 Delaware 4-1 435 10 D. Duquesne, 43-17 Oct. 14 vs. North Carolina A&T
9 North Carolina Central 5-1 394 11 D. Elon, 34-23 Oct. 19 at Morgan St.
10 Montana 5-1 375 13 D. No. 18 UC Davis, 31-23 Oct. 14 at No. 3 Idaho
11 Holy Cross 4-2 358 12 D. Bucknell, 55-27 Oct. 21 vs. Lafayette
12 William & Mary 4-2 352 9 Lost to Virginia, 27-13 Oct. 21 vs. Towson
13 Southern Illinois 4-1 325 5 Lost to Youngstown St., 31-3 Oct. 14 at Murray St.
14 Western Carolina 5-1 317 17 D. No. 20 Chattanooga, 52-50 Oct. 21 vs. No. 4 Furman
15 North Dakota 3-2 312 15 D. Western Illinois, 49-10 Oct. 14 vs. No. 7 North Dakota St.
16 Florida A&M 5-1 248 16 D. Southern, 26-19 Oct. 21 at Texas Southern
17 South Dakota 4-1 246 21 D. Murray St., 38-7 Oct. 14 vs. No. 20t Youngstown St.
18 Harvard 4-0 208 19 D. Cornell, 41-23 Oct. 14 vs. Howard
19 UT Martin 5-1 177 23 D. No. 25t Eastern Illinois, 28-27 OT Oct. 21 vs. Charleston Southern
20t. Chattanooga 4-2 90 20 Lost to No. 17 Western Carolina, 52-50 Oct. 14 at Mercer
20t. Youngstown St. 3-2 90 NR D. No. 5 Southern Illinois, 31-3 Oct. 14 at No. 17 South Dakota
22 Rhode Island 4-2 83 25t D. Brown, 34-30 Oct. 14 vs. Richmond
23 Weber St. 3-3 67 14 Lost to Northern Arizona, 27-10 Oct. 14 vs. UC Davis
24 New Hampshire 2-3 54 24 Idle Oct. 14 vs. Albany
25 Central Arkansas 4-2 52 NR D. Southeast Missouri St., 38-33 Oct. 14 vs. Stephen F. Austin
Dropped Out: UC Davis (18), Illinois St. (22), Eastern Illinois (25t)
Others Receiving Votes: Northern Iowa, 51; UC Davis, 49; Illinois St., 43; Fordham, 37; Austin Peay, 34; Mercer, 31; Albany, 25; Eastern Washington, 19; Lafayette, 19; Villanova, 12; Eastern Illinois, 10; Northern Arizona, 8; Eastern Kentucky, 6; Hampton, 4; Jackson St., 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
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Chattanooga probably thought they had their game won against Western Carolina when the Mocs took a 50-49 lead with 53 seconds left to go in the game, but Catamount quarterback Cole Gonzales had other ideas. Gonzales marched WCU into field goal range and kicker Richard McCollum split the uprights as time expired to give Western Carolina a 52-50 victory. The win broke a 47-game road losing streak to ranked opponents for the Catamounts. The last time WCU beat a ranked opponent on the road was October 27, 1984, to Furman. The win moved Western Carolina to No. 14 in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll while Chattanooga remained in the same spot despite the loss.
The Top 4 remained unchanged this week with South Dakota State solidifying the top spot after their 40-21 win over then-No. 22 Illinois State. The fifth spot is now in the hands of Sacramento State because of Southern Illinois’ 31-3 loss to Youngstown State. The loss dropped the Salukis to No. 13 while the Penguins re-entered the poll at No. 20t. Youngstown State doesn’t get long to enjoy their new ranking as they must travel to No. 17 South Dakota this coming Saturday. The Coyotes will be looking for revenge after last year’s 45-24 loss to YSU.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 6 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota St. (26) | 5-0 | 650 | 1 | D. No. 22 Illinois St., 40-21 | Oct. 14 vs. Northern Iowa | |
| 2 | Montana St. | 4-1 | 621 | 2 | Idle | Oct. 14 vs. Cal Poly | |
| 3 | Idaho | 5-1 | 600 | 3 | D. Cal Poly, 42-14 | Oct. 14 vs. No. 10 Montana | |
| 4 | Furman | 4-1 | 554 | 4 | D. The Citadel, 28-14 | Oct. 14 at Samford | |
| 5 | Sacramento St. | 4-1 | 519 | 7 | Idle | Oct. 14 at Northern Colorado | |
| 6 | UIW | 4-1 | 488 | 6 | D. Southeastern Louisiana, 33-26 | Oct. 14 vs. Texas A&M-Commerce | |
| 7 | North Dakota St. | 4-1 | 486 | 8 | D. Missouri St., 38-10 | Oct. 14 at No. 15 North Dakota | |
| 8 | Delaware | 4-1 | 435 | 10 | D. Duquesne, 43-17 | Oct. 14 vs. North Carolina A&T | |
| 9 | North Carolina Central | 5-1 | 394 | 11 | D. Elon, 34-23 | Oct. 19 at Morgan St. | |
| 10 | Montana | 5-1 | 375 | 13 | D. No. 18 UC Davis, 31-23 | Oct. 14 at No. 3 Idaho | |
| 11 | Holy Cross | 4-2 | 358 | 12 | D. Bucknell, 55-27 | Oct. 21 vs. Lafayette | |
| 12 | William & Mary | 4-2 | 352 | 9 | Lost to Virginia, 27-13 | Oct. 21 vs. Towson | |
| 13 | Southern Illinois | 4-1 | 325 | 5 | Lost to Youngstown St., 31-3 | Oct. 14 at Murray St. | |
| 14 | Western Carolina | 5-1 | 317 | 17 | D. No. 20 Chattanooga, 52-50 | Oct. 21 vs. No. 4 Furman | |
| 15 | North Dakota | 3-2 | 312 | 15 | D. Western Illinois, 49-10 | Oct. 14 vs. No. 7 North Dakota St. | |
| 16 | Florida A&M | 5-1 | 248 | 16 | D. Southern, 26-19 | Oct. 21 at Texas Southern | |
| 17 | South Dakota | 4-1 | 246 | 21 | D. Murray St., 38-7 | Oct. 14 vs. No. 20t Youngstown St. | |
| 18 | Harvard | 4-0 | 208 | 19 | D. Cornell, 41-23 | Oct. 14 vs. Howard | |
| 19 | UT Martin | 5-1 | 177 | 23 | D. No. 25t Eastern Illinois, 28-27 OT | Oct. 21 vs. Charleston Southern | |
| 20t. | Chattanooga | 4-2 | 90 | 20 | Lost to No. 17 Western Carolina, 52-50 | Oct. 14 at Mercer | |
| 20t. | Youngstown St. | 3-2 | 90 | NR | D. No. 5 Southern Illinois, 31-3 | Oct. 14 at No. 17 South Dakota | |
| 22 | Rhode Island | 4-2 | 83 | 25t | D. Brown, 34-30 | Oct. 14 vs. Richmond | |
| 23 | Weber St. | 3-3 | 67 | 14 | Lost to Northern Arizona, 27-10 | Oct. 14 vs. UC Davis | |
| 24 | New Hampshire | 2-3 | 54 | 24 | Idle | Oct. 14 vs. Albany | |
| 25 | Central Arkansas | 4-2 | 52 | NR | D. Southeast Missouri St., 38-33 | Oct. 14 vs. Stephen F. Austin |
Dropped Out: UC Davis (18), Illinois St. (22), Eastern Illinois (25t)
Others Receiving Votes: Northern Iowa, 51; UC Davis, 49; Illinois St., 43; Fordham, 37; Austin Peay, 34; Mercer, 31; Albany, 25; Eastern Washington, 19; Lafayette, 19; Villanova, 12; Eastern Illinois, 10; Northern Arizona, 8; Eastern Kentucky, 6; Hampton, 4; Jackson St., 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
