CHARLESTON, S.C. - Charleston Southern football makes their 2021 spring debut at Buccaneer Field this weekend as the Buccaneers welcome Big South newcomer Robert Morris to Buccaneer Field for a mid-day kickoff. Game time between the Bucs and the Colonials is set for 12:05 p.m. and will be carried on ESPN+.

Charleston Southern vs. Gardner-Webb
Date/Time: Saturday, April 17 at 12:05 p.m. ET

Tickets: Home Team Pass List and Student Raffle
Location: Charleston, S.C. | Weather | Radar
Stadium: Buccaneer Field (1000 Capacity)
Gates: Open at 11 a.m. (60 minutes prior to kickoff)
Parking: Free Parking available
TV: ESPN+
Live Stats: CSUSports.com
History: 20th Meeting All-Time (GWU leads 10-7)
More Information: Follow us on Twitter @CSUSports and @CSUGameDay for up-to-date information on Game Day

Charleston Southern (1-2, 1-2 Big South): Head Coach Autry Denson | Roster | Schedule | Statistics | Game Notes
Gardner-Webb (2-1, 0-1 Big South): Head Coach Tre Lamb | Roster | Schedule | Statistics

Game Day Activities
Game Attendance/Fan Capacity: Due to Charleston Southern's existing COVID-related policies, attendance at all home CSU football games will be limited to the home team pass list, select student tickets received through the student raffle, and special guest passes. General admission tickets will not be sold and people not on the pass list will not be allowed within the facility. In working with CSU's on-campus Pandemic Task Force and in conjunction with the CDC's guidelines, the fan capacity for Saturday's game against Gardner-Webb is limited to 1000 fans.

Student Tickets: The CSU Athletic Department has allotted 100 tickets to the Charleston Southern student-body for this weekend's game. Students are able to sign up to the raffle, which began on Monday, April 12, and will carry through the end of the week until the available allotment runs out. Social distancing will be enforced and masks are required to be worn at all times.

Clear Bag Policy: Charleston Southern changed its stadium security regulations in 2017 and will limit fans to one clear plastic bag no larger than 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches or a one-gallon, clear, resealable plastic storage bag per person. Fans are also allowed a small clutch purse not to exceed 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches. Wallets must also conform to this size requirement. No other bags will be allowed inside. All items, including clear bags and clutch purses, are subject to search at the gates. No items can be left or stored at the gates. Permitted-Non-Permitted Bags Graphic

Free Parking: Charleston Southern Athletics has suspended its regular parking fees for the entirety of the 2021 spring football season. Parking will be on a first-come, first-serve basis in the paved lot in front of the stadium, as well as the grass lot across Buc Club Blvd.

Gates Open: Gates to the Whitfield Stadium Center and Buccaneer Field will open 60 minutes prior to kickoff (11 a.m.) throughout the entirety of the 2021 spring football season. The emphasis will be to limit crowding at the gates in accordance to COVID policies and CDC guidelines.

Seating in the Stadium: All seating within Buccaneer Field will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. All seating is clearly marked by parties of four and social distancing will be enforced throughout the stadium. Masks will also be required to be worn at all times.

Game Preview
Coming Off the Win
Similar to how Charleston Southern ended the 2019 season, the Buccaneers are making a push to end the spring on a high note and build momentum for the upcoming fall. CSU made a similar late-season surge last season ending the year on a four-game winning streak and rode the momentum into the 2020 and 2021 signing class. The Bucs' winning stretch at the end of the season started with a 30-27 win at Gardner-Webb on November 2 and carried through victories over Hampton, Presbyterian, and Campbell.

Last Time Against GWU
Charleston Southern jumped out to a 24-0 halftime lead against Gardner-Webb thanks to a strong first-half performance from Jack Chambers (253 yards, 2 TD) and the defensive line (five sacks, 6.0 TFL). GWU steadily chipped away at the Bucs' lead throughout the second half behind the strong right arm of quarterback Kalen Whitlow as the Runnin' Bulldogs narrowed the gap down to three points inside the final minute of the contest. GWU made one final push, but the Bucs' defense forced a late turnover-on-downs in securing the conference win.

Fighting for .500
CSU is looking to finish .500 or better for the fourth time in the last five seasons when the Buccaneers take the field this weekend against the Runnin' Bulldogs. The Bucs enter the weekend with a 1-2 mark on the year and are coming off the 27-14 win over Robert Morris. CSU has finished .500 or better in three of the last four years, including last season's 6-6 mark in Denson's first year on the sidelines. The shortened 2021 spring season limits the Bucs' opportunities, but CSU will look to keep the streak alive against the Runnin' Bulldogs who enter the weekend with wins against Elon and Presbyterian this spring.

About the Runnin' Bulldogs
Gardner-Webb was picked to finish tied for fourth overall in the Big South Conference's 2021 preseason football poll as voted on by the conference's head coaches and media members. The Runnin' Bulldogs received 16 points to finish tied with newcomer Robert Morris in the preseason poll.

Gardner-Webb has posted a 2-1 overall record in the 2021 spring heading into the final weekend of the early season. The Runnin' Bulldogs topped then-ranked No. 24 Elon in the season-opener, 42-20, and followed up the ensuing weekend with a 31-24 victory over Presbyterian. After a three-week COVID-pause within the program, the Runnin' Bulldogs took the field on April 3 and fell at home to Monmouth, 48-19.

Gardner-Webb wide receiver Izaiah Gathings finished second overall in the Big South's preseason Offensive Player of the Year voting, finishing behind Kennesaw State's Isaac Foster in the voting. Gathings paces the Runnin' Bulldogs with 21 catches for 219 yards and two touchdowns on the spring, including a season-high 126 yards on 10 catches in GWU's upset win over Elon.

GWU's Devron Harper paces the Runnin' Bulldogs and the Big South Conference in all-purpose yardage in the 2021 spring season. The sophomore wide receiver is the conference's top return specialist and leads the Big South with 20.3 yards per punt return, while adding two return touchdowns on the year. Harper has added 16 catches for 171 yards on the season.

Running back Narii Gaither has been the Runnin' Bulldogs' top ground threat over the spring with the sophomore posting a pair of 100-yard rushing efforts on the year. Gaither earned back-to-back Big South Player of the Week honors over the first two weeks of the spring after posting 111 yards and two touchdowns against Elon and 151 yards and a score against Presbyterian.

Quarterback Carlton Aiken has been the Runnin' Bulldogs top passing threat on the year as GWU sits fourth in the Big South in passing offense on the season with 202.3 yards per game. Carlton posted a season-high 296 yards and two touchdowns in GWU's win over Presbyterian, but has been tripped up with turnover issues with five interceptions over the three games.

Defensively, Ty French leads the GWU defense with 9.8 tackles per game, while adding a team-high 7.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks. Honus Wagner is second on the team with 20 overall tackles, while adding 3.5 TFL and 2.0 sacks on the year.

Chambers Getting It Done
Charleston Southern's Jack Chambers has been arguably the most efficient quarterback in the Big South this season as the redshirt junior leads the conference in total offense with 292.7 yards per game. Chambers has been the conference's top passing threat with a league-high 252.0 yards per game through the air, while adding 40.7 yards per game on the ground. Chambers is coming off of two of his most productive games in his collegiate career, including a personal-best 341 yards on 31-of-48 passing through the air with two touchdowns against Monmouth. He followed up with 255 passing yards through the air and 79 yards on the ground against Robert Morris this past weekend.

Ross Can
Sophomore wide receiver Isaac Ross turned in arguably Charleston Southern's offensive play of the spring season against Robert Morris this past weekend as the Rock Hill, S.C. native hauled in a 22-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter against the Colonials. Ross led the defensive back to the sideline before cutting to the back of the end zone and hauling in the lofted pass in front of the back line to put the Bucs ahead of the Colonials, 14-7. It marked Ross' first touchdown reception of the season and highlighted his first collegiate 100-yard receiving effort. Ross hauled in a career-high seven passes for 102 yards and a score, while continuing to double as the Bucs' primary return specialist throughout all three games of the 2021 spring season.

Wilson is a Workhorse
Charleston Southern's primary ball-carrier in the 2021 spring season was the focal point of the Buccaneers' offense this past weekend against Robert Morris as Terrence Wilson touched the ball a career-high 31 times in CSU's 27-14 win over the Colonials. Wilson recorded a career-high 26 carries and added five receptions for a combined 101 yards and two touchdowns. Wilson's afternoon was highlighted by three-yard touchdown carry in the first quarter and added a two-yard plunge in the third quarter for his third multi-touchdown game of his collegiate career. The Leesburg, S.C. native continues to be one of the Bucs' top playmakers heading into the final week of the season trailing just Chambers in rushing yards, while adding six catches on the year.

Caballero, Stephens, Jordan Putting It Together
The Buccaneers were down several key playmakers on the outside this past weekend against Robert Morris, but CSU's passing game did not skip a beat as Chambers connected with five different receivers for 255 yards against the Colonials. Missing Garris Schwarting and Demetrius Jones, the Bucs instead turned to the proven quartet of Isaac Ross, Quinn Caballero, Isaiah Stephens, and Cayden Jordan to move the chains and keep the Bucs' offense on the field. Three different receivers posted 20-yard receptions on the day, while each receiver had at least one catch go for a first down against RMU. Caballero's three-reception day marked a season-high for the sophomore, while Stephens posted both of his catches on the season against the Colonials. Jordan was held out of the end zone for the first time in the spring, but he added three catches for 21 yards in the Bucs' win.

Moving the Ball
Charleston Southern held onto the ball for a season-high 34:12 against Robert Morris as the Buccaneers won the time of possession battle for the first time in the 2021 spring season. The Buccaneers converted 10-of-19 third-down conversions and posted a season-high 27 first downs on their way to the 27-14 win over the Colonials. CSU eclipsed their previous averages on the season in all categories on the year following their dominant performance against RMU. The Bucs enter the weekend against Gardner-Webb sitting seventh in the Big South in time of possession (26:44) and sixth in total first downs (60), but CSU does sit third overall in third-down conversions on the season at 44.7%.

Offensive Line Paving the Way
Gone are veteran All-Conference guards in Zack Evans and Stephen Haralambis, but Assistant Head Coach Aaron Coeling has to feel pretty confident in his group this season as he returns a trio of players that earned preseason recognition from various groups. Preston Nichols, Daviyon McDaniel, and JT Melton all return to headline the group that will lead the Bucs' battle in the trenches. All three Bucs are shifting positions this season as Nichols moves from right to left tackle, McDaniel from left tackle to left guard, and Melton from center to right guard. All three provide veteran experience with over 60 starts combined among the trio across the line. Ben Moxley (center) and Bailey Ottaway (right tackle) are expected to draw the starts with the trio, while freshmen Darius Meeks, Caleb Eichelberger, and Lee Mathews could also see time on the field early this season.

Cline Getting It Done
Sophomore Cody Cline continues to sit among the Big South's best on the season as the safety sits tied for fourth overall in the conference with 9.3 tackles per game following the Bucs' contest against Robert Morris. Cline led the Buccaneers with nine tackles this past weekend against the Colonials and added his first interception of the season to pace CSU in the 27-14 win over RMU. Cline posted a career-high 14 tackles and 1.0 tackles for loss in the Bucs' opener against Kennesaw State and has been among the team's leaders in the category every contest. He currently sits second among Big South defensive backs in tackles on the season trailing Campbell's Darion Slade (38, 9.5 tackles per game) on the year, while his interception put him tied for second in the conference in the category.

Mims Takes Him Down
Defensive tackle Shaundre Mims continues to wreak havoc in Big South backfields this season as the junior paces the Buccaneers in tackles for loss (4.5) and sits second overall in sacks (1.5) through three games in the 2021 spring season. The Vanceboro, N.C. native had lofty shoes to fill in the preseason after earning All-American recognition from several various organizations, but he lived up to the billing in the Bucs' opener against Kennesaw State with 3.0 tackles for loss. He added a half-sack and half-tackle for loss in the second game against Monmouth, before getting back on track this weekend against Robert Morris. Mims bulldozed his way to the quarterback in the fourth quarter for the sack and added a pass breakup in the contest.

Thumpa with the Hits
After battling through injuries over the last two seasons, redshirt senior Stefan Williams has made an impact on the Buccaneers' defensive line. The Arcadia, Fla. native made his season debut against Monmouth with a tackle for loss and built on it this past weekend against Robert Morris. The 6-1 athlete fought his way through the RMU offensive line and took down the Colonials' quarterback for his first sack of the 2021 season in the Bucs' win. The Bucs have five sacks overall on the season as a team with Anton Williams (2.0), Mims (1.5), and Nick Salley (0.5) also taking part in quarterback takedowns on the season. The Bucs have also added four quarterback hurries on the year.

Freshman Defensive Backs on Patrol
Charleston Southern freshmen defensive backs Matthew Williams and Richard Lawson combined to put together one of the top pass defensive performances of the season this past weekend against Robert Morris. The CSU duo combined to post six of CSU's 10 pass breakups in the contest against the Colonials as the Buccaneers limited Robert Morris to 47.4% passing on Saturday afternoon. Williams and Lawson both posted three pass breakups apiece against Robert Morris as the duo consistently found their way into the passing lanes against the Colonials. Williams already boasts a five-tackle game against Monmouth on the year, while Lawson's three pass break-up game came during his first extended action in the 2021 spring season. The Bucs' defensive backs will continue to see action this weekend as CSU faces one of the top wide receiver duos in the conference in Gardner-Webb's Izaiah Gathings and Devron Harper.

Limiting the Chances
Charleston Southern's defense is coming off one of the team's best performances in the 2021 spring season as the Buccaneers limited Robert Morris to just a 3-of-12 performance on third downs. The Bucs forced five Colonials' punt over the weekend and limited the RMU offense to just 14 first downs over the contest. The Bucs are allowing opponents to convert just 38.3% of their third downs on the season and face an offense that is middle of the pack in the Big South this season in the category. Gardner-Webb is converting just 38.1% of their attempts on the year, including three of their 16 attempts in their last contest against Monmouth. In their last matchup, GWU converted just four of their 14 attempts in CSU's 30-27 win over the Runnin' Bulldogs.

Red Means Stop
When opponents get inside the Bucs' 20-yard line this season, the CSU defense has turned it up a notch. Charleston Southern leads the Big South in red zone defense and sits in the top-20 in the FCS this season. The Buccaneers have surrendered just 10 trips into the red zone through the 2021 spring season and allowed just six touchdowns and one field goal. This past weekend, CSU limited RMU to just two scoring drives inside the red zone this past weekend with the Colonials scoring touchdowns on just two of their four drives. CSU will look to keep the momentum rolling this weekend against a Gardner-Webb offense that sits tied for fifth overall in the Big South in red zone offense with a 75.0% (9-of-12) conversion rate on the season.

Record-Setting Performance
Junior placekicker Nathaniel Toole is coming off arguably the best performance of his collegiate career as the Barnwell, S.C. native was named the Big South Special Teams Player of the Week. Toole connected on field goals of 53-yards and 38-yards, while adding two touchbacks on kickoff duties to highlight CSU's special teams in the Bucs' 27-14 win over Robert Morris this past weekend. His 38-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter marked his first collegiate field goal and put the Bucs ahead 24-7. His 53-yard conversion on the Bucs' ensuing drive capped a seven-play, 29-yard drive and set a new program record for the longest field goal in CSU history for the second consecutive season, surpassing the 52-yard conversion by Alex Usry last season at North Alabama (Oct. 19, 2019). It marked the sixth 50-plus yard field goal in CSU history and tied for the seventh-longest field goal in Big South history. Toole's 53-yard field goal also marked the longest field goal in the Big South since the 2015 season.

Braddock Boomin'
Charleston Southern senior punter Miller Braddock drilled three punts of at least 46 yards in a career performance this past weekend against Robert Morris. The Hartsville, S.C. native posted a career-high 56-yard punt on his way to raising his season average to 40.93 yards per punt on the season. Braddock added punts of 46 and 48 yards in the Bucs' win over Robert Morris as he averaged 50.0 yards per attempt in the game. Braddock is one of four punters in the Big South to average 40-plus yards per punt on the season, while his 56-yard punt is tied for fourth-longest in the conference on the year. He also has doubled up as CSU's primary holder in the 2021 season and was on the field for all five of the Bucs' field goal attempts this past weekend against the Colonials.