Western Carolina Catamounts: By the Numbers

The Western Carolina Catamounts will meet the Oklahoma Sooners for the first time in any sport on Saturday.

Oklahoma’s season opener against Tulane was a soft opener for Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. But this week, the doors will open for real, hosting 100 percent capacity for the first time since 2019.

Awaiting the Sooners will be the Western Carolina Catamounts, an FCS foe hailing from the Southern Conference.

The Catamounts fell in their season opener 31-28 to Eastern Kentucky, missing a 56-yard field goal attempt as time expired to force overtime.

0-59

Former OU center Jon Cooper returns to Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium as the Catamounts offensive line coach :: Ashely Evans / Western Carolina Athletics

Saturday’s trip to Norman represents Western Carolina’s 60th contest all-time against FBS foes.

Though the Catamounts are winless in such contests, Western Carolina got close to pulling a major upset in both 2014 and 2005.

In 2014, Western Carolina battled South Florida down to the wire, ultimately falling 36-31. Then in 2005, the Catamounts were unable to pull the upset in a 7-3 defensive struggle against the Cincinnati Bearcats.

Last year, they hit the road twice, losing to both Liberty (58-14) and North Carolina (49-9) during their fall slate.

501

Running back T.J. Jones ran for 115 yards and one touchdown in the season opener :: Ashely Evans / Western Carolina Athletics

Kerwin Bell brought his explosive offense to Western Carolina this year, and they were impressive in their first game out.

The Catamounts gained 501 yards, putting 28 points on the board in Bell’s first game in charge.

A balanced attack, Western Carolina picked up 226 yards on the ground and threw for 275 yards through the air. Kerwin’s son, Kade Bell, is his offensive coordinator, and the duo has averaged 46.0 points per game over their 24-game run at the top of the offense at both Western Carolina and Valdosta State.

11,356

Head coach Kerwin Bell is in his second game in charge at Western Carolina :: Phil Polito / Western Carolina Athletics

Quarterback Rogan Wells is a fifth year transfer who is playing his first year for the Catamounts. Across his career, he’s amassed 11,356 all purpose yards and accounted for 113 total touchdowns.

Wells won a pair of Division II National Championships at Valdosta State under Bell, and he is now reunited with his former head coach.

Twice a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, awarded to the best offensive player in Division II, Wells will be central to the Catamounts game plan trying to attack the Oklahoma defense.

Kerwin Bell said that Western Carolina is going to rely on Wells’ experience in front of the crazy environment in Norman.

“That’s the big key for us is how we’re going to handle that environment,” Bell said during his pre-game press conference. “I’ll tell you one thing, I know one guy I won’t worry about and that’s Rogan Wells. Rogan, every time I’ve seen him have to be put on a big stage… He always rises to the occasion. He’s done it his whole career and he’ll do the same. He’s ver nonchalant guy who’s got a lot of poise about him.

He’ll go in there and give it his best shot.”

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