Catawba Blanked By Wingate, 28-0

WINGATE, N.C. – The Catawba College football team was held scoreless by the Wingate Bulldogs in a 28-0 defeat during South Atlantic Conference action on Saturday night. Catawba had just eight first downs and 140 yards of total offense in the loss. 

The Catawba Indians were shut out for the first time in six years on Saturday. The last time they were held without a score was in a 6-0 defeat to Limestone back in 2016.

It was a defensive battle for both teams in the first half. The Bulldogs forced the Indians to go three-and-out on their first drive before their offense went on an 11-play scoring drive on their first possession. Gains of 12, 13, and 27 yards set up Wingate inside Catawba territory before the drive was capped off with a short two-yard rush to make it 7-0 with 8:34 left in the first.

That score stood going into the second quarter, but with seven minutes left before halftime, Wingate struck again. After a sack of quarterback Ridge Jacobs left Catawba pinned against their own endzone, the Bulldogs received a punt and started their drive at Catawba's 39-yard line. Wingate needed just six plays to go up 14-0 with another goal line rush. 

The home team went to the break ahead by two scores and limited the Indians to just 26 yards of offense in the first two quarters. 

Wingate's defense kept tight grips on Catawba in the second half as they did not allow the Indians to get inside their own 42-yard line. The Catawba Indians were unable to get inside the redzone in all four quarters of the game.

The Bulldogs added two more scores in the fourth quarter to put things out of reach, 28-0.

Catawba's top three tacklers came from the secondary as Izaiah Taylor, Jordan Gregg, and Jordan Mitchell combined for 30 stops. Taylor led the way with 12 total tackles and added two pass break ups. While Jordan Gregg had ten tackles with two quarterback hurries, and Mitchell recorded eight stops with three break ups.

The football team will return home next Saturday to take on Newberry at 6:00 p.m.