2019 Western Carolina Catamounts football team

The 2019 Western Carolina Catamounts team represented Western Carolina University as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon) during the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by eighth-year head coach Mark Speir, the Catamounts compiled an overall record of 3–9 with a mark of 2–6 in conference play, placing eighth in the SoCon. Western Carolina played their home games at Bob Waters Field at E. J. Whitmire Stadium in Cullowhee, North Carolina.

2019 Western Carolina Catamounts football
Conference	Southern Conference
Record	3–9 (2–6 SoCon)
Head coach	Mark Speir (8th season)
Co-offensive coordinator	John Holt (1st season)
Co-offensive coordinator	Tyler Carlton (1st season)
Defensive coordinator	John Wiley (3rd season)
Home stadium	Bob Waters Field at E. J. Whitmire Stadium
Seasons ← 2018 2020 →

2019 Southern Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 16 Wofford $^		7	–	1					8	–	3
No. 21 Furman ^		6	–	2					8	–	4
Chattanooga		5	–	3					6	–	6
The Citadel		4	–	4					6	–	6
Samford		4	–	4					5	–	7
VMI		4	–	4					5	–	7
Mercer		3	–	5					4	–	8
Western Carolina		2	–	6					3	–	9
East Tennessee State		1	–	7					3	–	9
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from STATS Poll

Preseason

Preseason polls

The SoCon released their preseason media poll and coaches poll on July 22, 2019. The Catamounts were picked to finish in eighth place in both polls.^[1][2]

Media poll

Predicted finish	Team	Votes (1st place)
1	Wofford	253 (21)
2	Furman	229 (6)
3	East Tennessee State	187 (2)
4	Mercer	146
5	Chattanooga	134
6	Samford	125
7	The Citadel	111
8	Western Carolina	88
9	VMI	32

Coaches poll

Predicted finish	Team	Votes (1st place)
1	Wofford	63 (7)
2	Furman	55 (1)
3	East Tennessee State	44 (1)
4	Chattanooga	40
5	Mercer	34
6	Samford	33
7	The Citadel	22
8	Western Carolina	21
9	VMI	12

Preseason All-SoCon Teams

The Catamounts placed three players on the preseason all-SoCon teams.^[2]

Offense 1st team Tyrie Adams – QB Owen Cosenke – TE

Defense 1st team Ronald Kent – DB

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 31	6:00 p.m.	Mercer	E. J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC	Nexstar/ESPN+	L 27–49	10,542
September 7	12:30 p.m.	at NC State*	Carter–Finley Stadium Raleigh, NC	FSS	L 0–41	55,681
September 14	3:30 p.m.	North Greenville*	E. J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC	ESPN+	W 20–17	7,216
September 28	4:00 p.m.	at Chattanooga	Finley Stadium Chattanooga, TN	ESPN+	L 36–60	7,636
October 5	3:30 p.m.	Gardner–Webb*	E. J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC	ESPN+	L 21–24	11,865
October 12	2:00 p.m.	at The Citadel	Johnson Hagood Stadium Charleston, SC	ESPN3	L 17–35	8,023
October 19	1:30 p.m.	at Wofford	Gibbs Stadium Spartanburg, SC	Nexstar/ESPN+	L 7–59	5,733
October 26	3:30 p.m.	No. 14 Furman	E. J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC	ESPN3	L 7–28	8,174
November 2	1:30 p.m.	at VMI	Alumni Memorial Field Lexington, VA	ESPN+	W 43–35	4,568
November 9	3:30 p.m.	East Tennessee State	E. J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC	Nexstar/ESPN+	W 23–20 OT	7,681
November 16	2:00 p.m.	Samford	E. J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC	ESPN+	L 13–31	7,336
November 23	12:00 pm	at No. 5 FBS Alabama*	Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL	ESPN	L 3–66	101,821
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

^[3][4]

Game summaries

Mercer

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bears	14	28	7	0	49
Catamounts	7	7	7	6	27

See also: 2019 Mercer Bears football team

At NC State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Catamounts	0	0	0	0	0
Wolfpack	3	21	10	7	41

See also: 2019 NC State Wolfpack football team

North Greenville

	1	2	3	4	Total
Crusaders	0	7	10	0	17
Catamounts	3	3	7	7	20

See also: North Greenville Crusaders football

At Chattanooga

	1	2	3	4	Total
Catamounts	7	14	15	0	36
Mocs	6	31	7	16	60

See also: 2019 Chattanooga Mocs football team

Gardner–Webb

	1	2	3	4	Total
Runnin' Bulldogs	7	7	7	3	24
Catamounts	14	0	0	7	21

See also: 2019 Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs football team

At The Citadel

	1	2	3	4	Total
Catamounts	3	7	7	0	17
Bulldogs	14	14	0	7	35

See also: 2019 The Citadel Bulldogs football team

At Wofford

	1	2	3	4	Total
Catamounts	7	0	0	0	7
Terriers	7	28	14	10	59

See also: 2019 Wofford Terriers football team

Furman

	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 14 Paladins	3	10	15	0	28
Catamounts	7	0	0	0	7

See also: 2019 Furman Paladins football team

At VMI

	1	2	3	4	Total
Catamounts	14	6	7	16	43
Keydets	13	6	3	13	35

See also: 2019 VMI Keydets football team

East Tennessee State

	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Buccaneers	3	0	7	7	3	20
Catamounts	3	7	0	7	6	23

See also: 2019 East Tennessee State Buccaneers football team

Samford

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	7	10	7	7	31
Catamounts	10	3	0	0	13

See also: 2019 Samford Bulldogs football team

At Alabama

	1	2	3	4	Total
Catamounts	0	0	0	3	3
No. 5 (FBS) Crimson Tide	17	21	21	7	66

See also: 2019 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

References

1. "SoCon Media Tab Wofford Preseason Favorite". July 22, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
2. "Football Coaches Select Preseason Teams, Poll". July 22, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
3. "2019 Western Carolina Football Schedule". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
4. "2021 Western Carolina Catamount Football Media Guide" (PDF). Cullowhee, North Carolina: Western Carolina University Athletics. 2021. p. 124. Retrieved November 22, 2021.