2023 Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs football team

The 2023 Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs football team represented Gardner–Webb University as a member of the Big South–OVC Football Association during the 2023 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Tre Lamb, the Runnin' Bulldogs played their home games at the Ernest W. Spangler Stadium in Boiling Springs, North Carolina.

2023 Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs football
Big South–OVC co-champion
ConferenceBig South–OVC football
Record7–5 (5–1 Big South–OVC)
Head coach
Defensive coordinatorJosh Reardon (4th season)
Home stadiumErnest W. Spangler Stadium
Seasons
← 2022
2024 →
2023 Big South–OVC football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Gardner–Webb +^   5 1     7 5  
No. 25 UT Martin +   5 1     8 3  
Eastern Illinois   4 2     8 3  
Bryant   4 2     6 5  
Southeast Missouri State   3 3     4 7  
Tennessee Tech   2 4     4 7  
Robert Morris   2 4     4 7  
Charleston Southern   2 4     4 7  
Tennessee State   2 4     6 5  
Lindenwood *   1 5     3 7  
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
  • Note: Lindenwood ineligible for Big South–OVC title and FCS postseason play due to transition from NCAA Division II.
Rankings from STATS Poll

Schedule

edit
DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 23:30 p.m.at Appalachian State*No. 25ESPN+L 24–4536,075
September 96:00 p.m.Elon*ESPN+W 34–275,078
September 166:00 p.m.at Tennessee StateESPN+L 25–273,869
September 236:00 p.m.at East Carolina*ESPN+L 0–4440,589
October 76:00 p.m.Robert Morris
  • Ernest W. Spangler Stadium
  • Boiling Springs, NC
ESPN+W 31–163,891
October 142:00 p.m.at Austin Peay*ESPN+L 14–417,503
October 216:00 p.m.Eastern Kentucky*
  • Ernest W. Spangler Stadium
  • Boiling Springs, NC
ESPN+W 35–324,339
October 281:30 p.m.No. 14 UT Martin 
  • Ernest W. Spangler Stadium
  • Boiling Springs, NC
ESPN+W 38–345,017
November 41:00 p.m.at BryantESPN+W 45–44 OT3,357
November 112:30 p.m.at Tennessee TechESPN+W 35–05,740
November 181:00 p.m.Charleston Southern
  • Ernest W. Spangler Stadium
  • Boiling Springs, NC
ESPN+W 34–105,812
November 253:00 p.m.at No. 17 Mercer*ESPN+L 7–174,500
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

[1][2]

Game summaries

edit

At Appalachian State

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
No. 25 Runnin' Bulldogs 0 10 14 0 24
Mountaineers 7 7 17 14 45

Elon

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
Phoenix 3 0 7 17 27
Runnin' Bulldogs 3 10 7 14 34

At Tennessee State

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
Runnin' Bulldogs 7 10 2 6 25
Tigers 7 7 7 6 27

At East Carolina

edit
Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs (FCS) (1-2) vs East Carolina Pirates (0-3) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Runnin' Bulldogs (FCS) 0 0 000
Pirates 13 10 71444

at Dowdy-Ficklen StadiumGreenville, North Carolina

  • Date: September 23rd
  • Game time: 6:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Rain • Temperature: 63 °F (17 °C) • Wind: W at 15 miles per hour (24 km/h)
  • Game attendance: 40,589
  • Referee: Darryl DeBerry
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): James Westling (play-by-play), Reginald Walker Jr. (analyst)
Game information
First quarter
  • (9:18) ECU – Rahjai Harris 11 yard pass from Alex Flinn, kick failed (Drive: 6 plays, 72 yards, 2:37; East Carolina 6–0)
  • (2:28) ECU – Rahjai Harris 2 yard run, Andrew Conrad kick (Drive: 10 plays, 45 yards, 5:06; East Carolina 13–0)
Second quarter
  • (14:46) ECU – Andrew Conrad 44 yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, -8 yards, 0:58; East Carolina 16–0)
  • (13:03) ECU – Mason Garcia 2 yard run, Andrew Conrad kick (Drive: 4 plays, 14 yards, 1:39; East Carolina 23–0)
Third quarter
  • (1:55) ECU – Kamarro Edmonds 11 yard run, Andrew Conrad kick (Drive: 8 plays, 66 yards, 3:39; East Carolina 30–0)
Fourth quarter
  • (7:39) ECU – Javious Bond 5 yard run, Andrew Conrad kick (Drive: 11 plays, 61 yards, 5:10; East Carolina 37–0)
  • (3:05) ECU – Kamarro Edmonds 1 yard run, Andrew Conrad kick (Drive: 2 plays, 9 yards, 0:36; East Carolina 44–0)
Statistics Gardner-Webb (FCS) East Carolina
First downs 11 23
Plays–yards 61–107 76–366
Rushes–yards 40–77 43–182
Passing yards 30 184
Passing: compattint 8–21–0 18–32–0
Time of possession 27:16 32:44
Team Category Player Statistics
Gardner-Webb (FCS) Passing Matthew Caldwell 7/17, 30 yards
Rushing Narii Gaither 12 carries, 45 yards
Receiving Narii Gaither
Maleek Huggins
Karim Page
2 receptions, 9 yards
East Carolina Passing Alex Flinn 8/18, 94 yards, 1 TD
Rushing Javious Bond 9 carries, 65 yards, 1 TD
Receiving Jaylen Johnson 6 receptions, 70 yards

Robert Morris

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
Colonials 0 3 7 6 16
Runnin' Bulldogs 21 7 0 3 31

At Austin Peay

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
Runnin' Bulldogs 7 0 7 0 14
Governors 7 6 14 14 41

Eastern Kentucky

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
Colonels 0
Runnin' Bulldogs 0

No. 14 UT Martin

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
No. 14 Skyhawks 0
Runnin' Bulldogs 0

At Bryant

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
Runnin' Bulldogs 0
Bulldogs 0

At Tennessee Tech

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
Runnin' Bulldogs 0
Golden Eagles 0

Charleston Southern

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
Buccaneers 0
Runnin' Bulldogs 0

References

edit
  1. ^ "Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs Schedule 2023". ESPN. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  2. ^ "2023 Football Schedule". Gardner–Webb University. Retrieved October 18, 2023.