Complete Game Notes
This week’s game
After winning the season opener against Presbyterian College 38-21, Wofford will play the first road game of the season this Saturday as the Terriers will face Charleston Southern. The Terriers open the season 1-0 for the fifth straight season. After one week of the season, Wofford has the nation’s top rushing offense at 367 yards and the second ranked total offense in the nation with 512 yards. The rushing defense is sixth in the nation, allowing only 31 yards. The Terriers are the 2008 defending Southern Conference Champions. The Terriers return 43 letterwinners from last season, including six offensive starters, four defensive starters and two specialists. In addition, six other players with at least two starts return for Wofford. Wofford finished the 2007 season 9-4 and were 5-2 in the Southern Conference. In the 2008 Sports Network Poll and the FCS Coaches Poll, the Terriers remain ranked #13. Wofford was picked to finish third in the conference by the SoCon coaches. Charleston Southern was 5-6 last season and were third in the Big South. It was the fourth-straight season in which Charleston Southern has won five or more games. This season they were picked to finish fifth in the conference in the coaches preseason poll. In the season opener at Miami (Fla.), they were defeated 52-7.
The Charleston Southern Series
Wofford and Charleston Southern have faced each other ten times, with the Terriers winning all ten meetings. The series began in 1993, with Wofford winning 21-9. In the most recent meeting last season, the Terriers recorded a 52-24 victory. This will be the fourth meeting between the teams in Charleston and the first since 2000.
Injury Update
Wofford opened the season without punter Chris Tommie (knee), offensive lineman Grant Duren (leg) and tight end Joseph Inman (knee). All three players will take a medical redshirt and return in 2009. Players that missed the PC game due to injury were wide receiver Devin Reed (shoulder), wide receiver Andrew Young (shoulder), cornerback Jordan Ingman (hamstring), and wide receiver Blake Beeler (hamstring). Players injured in the Presbyterian game and not expected to play against Charleston Southern include running back Sean Lees (knee), safety Tommy Irvin (arm) and safety Greg Gasparato (knee).
Last Meeting
Wofford and Charleston Southern played on September 8, 2007 at Gibbs Stadium, with Wofford taking a 52-24 win. The Terriers’ defense came up with five interceptions on the night and Kevious Johnson and Andy Strickland both had two touchdowns on the night. Mike Rucker added an 89-yard kickoff return for touchdown and a rushing touchdown. The Terriers wasted little time in scoring when Kevious Johnson capped a six play, 58-yard drive with a nine yard touchdown run at 11:06 in the first quarter. The Buccaneers responded when Kenny Harper scored on a three-yard run to tie the game. On the ensuing kickoff, Mike Rucker went 89-yard for a touchdown. Wofford took only two plays to go 30 yards as Andy Strickland went 23-yards on a reverse for the touchdown at 14:44 in the second quarter. A nine-play drive was capped by a 27-yard reception by Kevious Johnson from Ben Widmyer to take a 28-7 lead.
Ben Widmyer scored from seven yards out on a quarterback keeper to take a 35-14 lead. With just 25 seconds left in the first half, Vernon Huger caught his second touchdown pass of the day from Eli Byrd from two-yards out. The half ended with the Terriers having a 35-21 lead.Widmyer connected with Andy Strickland for a 47-yard touchdown reception for a 45-24 lead in the fourth quarter. With under a minute remaining in the game, Gary Blount intercepted his second pass of the game. Michael Rucker wrapped up the scoring with a 15-yard run and a 52-24 final score.
CSU Last Week vs. Miami
The Charleston Southern offense had a rough go of it in the season-opener against Miami, Thursday night, as they fell 52-7 in the Hurricanes’ first home game in Dolphin Stadium. CSU had just seven first downs, and 126 total yards in the loss. Tribble Reese, who got the first start of his college career, finished the game 21-10 for 81 yards and one touchdown. On the ground, T.J. Latimore and DeMarcus Moon each had six carries with Latimore gathering in 29 of the teams’ 49 rushing yards. Dee Brown was the favorite target of Reese, catching four passes for 24 yards. Running back Antwan Ivey had two receptions for 44 yards, including a 39-yarder down the sideline to setup the lone CSU touchdown. Defensively for CSU, Darius Gaither led the way with nine stops, while Okeba Rollinson had six. Zachery Hillery had the lone CSU sack of the day. Matt Bach and Jake Killeen each added tackles for loss.
Wofford in the national rankings
After the first week of the season, the Terriers are looking good in the national rankings. The rushing offense leads the nation at 367.0 yards per game and the total offense of 512.0 yards per game is second. The rushing defense is sixth and the passing efficiency is seventh in the nation. Ben Widmyer is seventh in the nation in rushing (107.0 ypg) and Dane Romer is 22nd in the nation with 100 yards per game. Dane Romero is tied for fourth in the nation in scoring with 18.0 points per game.
