SPARTANBURG, S.C. (Oct. 25, 2024) – Fresh off its bye week, the ETSU football team will return to action this Saturday when it visits Wofford in SoCon action. Kickoff between the No. 23 Buccaneers and Terriers is set for 2 p.m. from Gibbs Stadium.

GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, October 26
Time: 2:02 p.m.
Location: Spartanburg, S.C. | Gibbs Stadium
Teams: #23/RV ETSU (4-3, 2-1 SoCon) at Wofford (3-4, 1-3 SoCon)
Weather:  81° | Sunny | Winds: 4 mph
Live Video: ESPN+
TV Crew: Jim Noble (pbp), Thom Henson (analyst), Van Hipp (sideline)
Live Audio: WXSM-AM 640 | HD radio can listen on 101.5 WQUT HD-2
Radio Crew: Jay "Voice of the Bucs" Sandos (pbp), Mark Hutsell (analyst), Robert Harper (sideline), Don Helman (stats)
Live Stats: ETSUBucs.com (Sidearm Stats)
X: @ETSUFootball
 
THINGS TO KNOW – Please click HERE for all the "Things to Know" for Saturday's matchup with Wofford, presented by Citizens Bank.
 
LAST TIME OUT - In their last game the Buccaneers came away with a 31-28 over Samford in Johnson City. That victory over the Bulldogs improved ETSU's record to 4-3 overall and 2-1 in SoCon play.
 
AHEAD OF SCHEDULE - With five games remaining in the 2024 regular season, the Buccaneers have already surpassed their win total from each of the past two seasons (three).
 
COMEBACK BUCS - To defeat the Bulldogs, the Buccaneers overcame a two-touchdown deficit with 10 minutes to go in the third quarter and still trailed entering the fourth. It marks the first time that the Bucs have been behind in the fourth quarter and rallied to win since December 4, 2021, vs. Kennesaw State in the FCS playoffs.
 
GREAT GAME BY AJ - One of the highlights in ETSU's victory was the play of wide receiver AJ Johnson. Johnson, who has led the Bucs in receiving in each of the last three games, hauled in a career-high seven passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns. The 146 receiving yards by Johnson are the most by a Buccaneer pass catcher since the program returned in 2015. For his efforts, Johnson was named the SoCon Offensive Player of the Week on October 14.
 
BIG DAY BY BUC DEFENDERS - The Blue & Gold defense also had some standout outings against Samford as they totaled a season-high seven sacks. It is the most by the program since they totaled eight against the Bulldogs during the spring season in 2021. Zach West and Nick Hunter both had a pair of sacks to lead the charge.
 
HUNTING BIG PLAYS - Hunter continues to be a spark for ETSU's defense with four sacks and two interceptions on the season. The Atlanta native is the lone SoCon player with multiple sacks and multiple interceptions in 2024.
 
HARD TO RUN ON THE BUCS - Thanks in large part to the seven sacks, the Buccaneers held Samford to just 13 rushing yards. For the season, the Buc defense is allowing just 3.0 yards per rush and 104.0 rushing yards per game. The last full season (not including the spring season in 2021) ETSU's rushing defense had numbers like that was in 1984 - 2.7 YPC & 104.4 yards per game.
 
BUC AMONG THE BEST AT BREAKING UP PASSES - Cornerback Cam Sims has also been a big part of ETSU's stellar play defensively. Sims, who ranks fifth on the team with 28 tackles, is fourth nationally with 10 pass breakups (1.4 per game).
 
RUN GAME IN RARE COMPANY ESPECIALLY WITH THE QB - After being held to a season-low 117 rushing yards vs. Chattanooga on October 5, the Bucs bounced back with a 151-yard outing vs. Samford. ETSU has topped 150 yards rushing in six of the seven games this season and surpassed 250 yards on the ground four times. A key part in ETSU's rushing game has been quarterback Jaylen King. King, who ran for 80 yards to go with a career-high 268 passing yards in the win over Samford, now ranks fifth all-time on ETSU's single-season rushing list for a quarterback with 320 yards. With five games to go in the regular season, King only trails former Buccaneer signal callers Jeff Morgan (1987 – 564 yards, 1986 – 475 yards) and Todd Wells (1997 – 359 yards, 2000 – 333 yards) on that list.
 
MORE ON THE BUCCANEER RUNNING GAME - Overall, the Bucs are the SoCon's top rushing team averaging 219.9 yards per game, which ranks tenth nationally. The Bucs have outgained the second SoCon's second rushing team (The Citadel) by 316 yards this season. Furthermore, they have outrushed their opponents 1,539 to 728 this season (811 yards - 116 yards per game through seven games).
 
30 POINT CLUB - With 31 points against Samford, the Bucs have scored 30 or more points in five of their seven games this season. For the season, the Bucs are averaging 30.71 points per game. If the Buccaneer offense can maintain or boost this current pace, they'll join the 2021 (32.7 PPG) and 1997 (30.9 PPG) teams as the only ones to average 30 or more points per game in a season. Furthermore, the 2024 Buccaneer squad has already passed the point total of the 2023 team (215 to 200).
 
PRODUCTION PLAY IN, PLAY OUT - Speaking the 2021 team, the current Bucs are on pace to break that team's school record for yards per play. The 2021 squad averaged 6.1 yard per play, while the 2024 team is averaging 6.3.
 
PROUD OF OUR PUNT TEAM - Entering Saturday's game with the Terriers, the Bucs lead the SoCon in punt return defense. ETSU is allowing just 4.50 yards per return in 2024. The Blue & Gold also ranks among the top 20 teams in the nation in returning punts averaging 13.63 yards a return. Punter Nate Brackett ranks 21st nationally averaging 43.2 yards a punt. He has eight punts 50 yards or more and has pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line nine times.
 
COACH LAMB OFF A BYE WEEK - The Bucs are coming off their bye week last Saturday. ETSU hopes that Head Coach Tre Lamb's success from Gardner-Webb after bye weeks translates to this ETSU squad. During his time in Boiling Springs, Coach Lamb was a perfect 3-0 coming out of bye weeks during his three full campaigns.
 
STRONG SECOND QUARTERS - The Bucs have outscored their opponents in all four quarters this season. However, ETSU has been especially good in the second. The Bucs are outscoring their foes 61-27 in second quarters this season (34 points).
 
BACK HOME IN THE PALMETTO STATE - Saturday's game vs. the Terriers will be a homecoming of sorts for eight Buccaneers as they return to their home state of South Carolina. Mike Jenkins (Summerville), Jonathan Burns (Aiken), Jeremiah Curry (Bluffton), Neal Farris (Clover), Kendall Williams (Columbia), Hakeem Meggett (Monck's Corner) and Brandon Wilson (Beaufort) will all be playing in their home state. Additionally, Gabe Thompson will be playing in his hometown of Spartanburg on Saturday.
 
ABOUT WOFFORD - Wofford is coming off a 37-5 loss at No. 19 Chattanooga on Saturday. With the loss to the Mocs, the Terriers are 3-4 overall and 1-3 in SoCon play. The three wins this season by Wofford are already tied for the most by the program since the 2019 campaign when the Terriers racked up eight victories and appeared in the FCS playoffs. The Terriers have faced a tough schedule this season as four of their seven games have been against nationally ranked teams.  A definite strength for the Terriers this season has been their ability to create turnovers. Through seven games, Wofford has caused the third-most turnovers in the FCS with 16 (six fumbles, 10 interceptions). Only Mercer (22), Alcorn (20), Grambling (20) and Nicholls (20) have caused more turnovers this season than Wofford. The Terrier defense ranks second in the SoCon allowing an average of 329.9 yards per game in 2024. Wofford is only behind Mercer's 250.0 yards per game.
 
For more information on Buccaneer football, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the football tab.