2026 schedule
Western Carolina Catamounts
2026 season so far
Western Carolina is 3-5 against the 27th-toughest schedule so far, scoring 29.9 and allowing 32.6 points per game (-2.7 per game).
Western Carolina plays below the FBS level, so its projections against FBS opponents include the measured gap between divisions.
Next up: at Furman in Week 9. We project Western Carolina 29, Furman 24 — Western Carolina wins 62% of the time.
Projections are statistical estimates for entertainment and analysis only. They are not betting advice and nothing here guarantees any result.
Regular season
13 games- vs
Eastern Kentucky Colonels
0-1 · SOS #43
Win 45-21
Week 1
Our number· pregame
Western Carolina by 5
Total 58.4
Book line
Not posted
Final Western Carolina by 24. 66 points. No book line was saved for this game.
ESPN+ E.J. Whitmire Stadium - at
Campbell Fighting Camels
7-1 · SOS #86
Sat, Sep 5, 10:20 PM
Week 1
Proj 35.2-30.6 · 62%
Our number· pregame
Western Carolina by 4.6
Total 65.8
Book line
Not posted
No book line posted yet.
Barker-Lane Stadium - at
Campbell Fighting Camels
2-0 · SOS #86
Loss 19-28
Week 1
Our number· pregame
Western Carolina by 3.5
Total 67.5
Book line
Not posted
Final Campbell by 9. 47 points. No book line was saved for this game.
Barker-Lane Stadium - at
Cincinnati Bearcats
2-0 · SOS #50
Loss 10-62
Week 2
Our number· pregame
Cincinnati by 32.3
Total 58.9
Book line
Not posted
Final Cincinnati by 52. 72 points. No book line was saved for this game.
ESPN+ Nippert Stadium - vs
Presbyterian Blue Hose
1-2 · SOS #164
Win 58-14
Week 3
Our number· pregame
Western Carolina by 14.3
Total 60.9
Book line
Not posted
Final Western Carolina by 44. 72 points. No book line was saved for this game.
ESPN+ E.J. Whitmire Stadium - at
East Tennessee State Buccaneers
3-2 · SOS #74
Loss 31-58
Week 4
Our number· pregame
Western Carolina by 1
Total 68
Book line
Not posted
Final East Tennessee State by 27. 89 points. No book line was saved for this game.
ESPN+ William B. Greene Jr. Stadium - vs
Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles
4-1 · SOS #96
Win 44-20
Week 5
Our number· pregame
Tennessee Tech by 10.3
Total 68.1
Book line
Not posted
Final Western Carolina by 24. 64 points. No book line was saved for this game.
ESPN+ E.J. Whitmire Stadium - at
Mercer Bears
5-2 · SOS #125
Loss 14-17
Week 6
Our number· pregame
Mercer by 8.7
Total 64.5
Book line
Not posted
Final Mercer by 3. 31 points. No book line was saved for this game.
ESPN+ Five Star Stadium - vs
Chattanooga Mocs
5-3 · SOS #101
Loss 18-41
Week 8
Our number· pregame
Western Carolina by 4.2
Total 52
Book line
Not posted
Final Chattanooga by 23. 59 points. No book line was saved for this game.
ESPN+ E.J. Whitmire Stadium - at
Furman Paladins
2-6 · SOS #28
Sat, Oct 31, 6:00 PM
Week 9
Proj 29-24 · 62%
Our number
Western Carolina by 5
Total 53
Book line
Not posted
No book line posted yet.
ESPN+ Paladin Stadium - vs
Wofford Terriers
5-3 · SOS #83
Sat, Nov 7, 6:00 PM
Week 10
Proj 32-26 · 66%
Our number
Western Carolina by 6
Total 58
Book line
Not posted
No book line posted yet.
ESPN+ E.J. Whitmire Stadium - at
Samford Bulldogs
2-6 · SOS #52
Sat, Nov 14, 8:30 PM
Week 11
Proj 31-25 · 66%
Our number
Western Carolina by 6
Total 56
Book line
Not posted
No book line posted yet.
ESPN+ Seibert Stadium - vs
The Citadel Bulldogs
2-6 · SOS #3
Sat, Nov 21, 6:00 PM
Week 12
Proj 35-24 · 76%
Our number
Western Carolina by 11
Total 59
Book line
Not posted
No book line posted yet.
ESPN+ E.J. Whitmire Stadium
Times shown in your local time
Western Carolina Catamounts stats: basic, advanced and situational
Power rating
-17.7
Adj. offense
21.4
pts vs avg defense
Adj. defense
39.1
pts allowed vs avg offense
Basic stats
Box-score numbers per game.
| Stat | 2026 | FBS rank |
|---|---|---|
| Points per gameEvery point scored, every game. | 29.9 | — |
| Points allowed per gameEvery point conceded, every game. | 32.6 | — |
| Yards per playScrimmage yards divided by scrimmage plays (sacks count as pass plays). | 5.75 | — |
| Yards per play allowedThe same measure for opponents. | 6.77 | — |
| Rushing yards per gameDesigned runs and scrambles. | 167.1 | — |
| Net passing yards per gamePassing yards minus sack yardage. | 253.5 | — |
| Rushing yards allowed per gameOpponents' rushing yards. | 209.1 | — |
| Net passing yards allowed per gameOpponents' net passing yards. | 253.8 | — |
| Turnovers per gameInterceptions thrown and fumbles lost. | 0.50 | — |
| Takeaways per gameInterceptions and fumble recoveries. | 1.50 | — |
| Sacks per gameSacks by this defense. | 2.38 | — |
| Sacks allowed per gameSacks taken by this offense. | 1.75 | — |
Advanced stats
Efficiency from play-by-play, garbage time removed: expected points added (EPA), success rate, explosiveness, havoc, finishing drives, field position and pace.
| Stat | 2026 | FBS rank |
|---|---|---|
| EPA per playExpected points added per snap, garbage time removed. Zero is average; +0.10 is very good. | +0.06 | — |
| EPA per play allowedExpected points the defense gives up per snap. Lower is better. | +0.07 | — |
| Success rateShare of plays that stay on schedule: 50% of the distance on 1st down, 70% on 2nd, all of it on 3rd and 4th. | 41.4% | — |
| Success rate allowedOpponents' success rate. | 45.1% | — |
| Explosive play rateRuns of 12+ yards and passes of 16+ yards, as a share of plays. | 11.3% | — |
| Explosive plays allowedThe same rate for opponents. | 14.8% | — |
| Havoc rateShare of snaps with a tackle for loss, sack, forced fumble, interception or pass break-up. | 15.2% | — |
| Havoc allowedHow often this offense suffers a havoc play. | 12.9% | — |
| Points per scoring opportunityFinishing drives: points per possession that reaches the opponent's 40. | 3.32 | — |
| Points per opportunity allowedHow well the defense holds once opponents cross its 40. | 4.07 | — |
| Average starting field positionWhere this offense's drives begin, on average. | opp 10 | — |
| Opponents' starting field positionWhere opponents' drives begin. | opp 7 | — |
| Offensive plays per game (pace)Scrimmage snaps per game; a tempo measure. | 73.1 | — |
Situational stats
Run vs pass splits, passing downs, third downs and the red zone.
| Stat | 2026 | FBS rank |
|---|---|---|
| Rushing EPA per playExpected points added on runs. | -0.01 | — |
| Passing EPA per playExpected points added on dropbacks, sacks included. | +0.12 | — |
| Rushing EPA allowedRun defense, per play. | +0.11 | — |
| Passing EPA allowedPass defense, per dropback. | +0.02 | — |
| Rushing success rateShare of runs that stay on schedule. | 39.4% | — |
| Passing success rateShare of dropbacks that stay on schedule. | 42.9% | — |
| Run stuff rateRuns stopped at or behind the line. | 16.8% | — |
| Passing-down success rateSuccess on 2nd-and-8+ and 3rd/4th-and-5+. | 32.5% | — |
| Passing-down success allowedHow often opponents escape long-yardage downs. | 33.3% | — |
| Third-down conversion rateThird downs converted by the play itself. | 42.0% | — |
| Third-down rate allowedOpponents' third-down conversions. | 44.6% | — |
| Red-zone touchdown rateDrives reaching the 20 that end in a touchdown. | 52.4% | — |
| Red-zone TD rate allowedOpponents' red-zone touchdown rate. | 55.5% | — |
Power rating = projected margin against an average FBS team on a neutral field, from our opponent-adjusted efficiency model. How it works and how accurate it has been.
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