Saturday, September 6
Pembroke, N.C.
Davidson College Athletics
at
UNC Pembroke
'Cats Open Season at UNC Pembroke Saturday
9/4/2008 12:18:29 PM | Football
Game Notes
Davidson Wildcats (0-0) vs. UNC?Pembroke Braves (1-0)
Sept. 6, 2008, Pembroke, N.C.
Grace P. Johnson Stadium (3,300) - 6 p.m. - Natural Grass
Sept. 6, 2008, Pembroke, N.C.
Grace P. Johnson Stadium (3,300) - 6 p.m. - Natural Grass
Today's Game
• Davidson opens the 2008 campaign by traveling to UNC?Pembroke. It's the first trip to Pembroke in school history for the Wildcats.
• Only standing room tickets are available, and they go on sale 90 minutes prior to kickoff.
• The 'Cats are 11-5 in their last 16 contests, dating back to 2007.
• Davidson is coming off consecutive 6-4 seasons. It's the first time the 'Cats have compiled back-to-back winning records since posting five straight winning seasons from 1998-2002.
• The Wildcats return 46 lettermen and 17 starters (8 offense, 8 defense) to the 2008 squad.
• Davidson was picked third in the Pioneer Football League Preseason Coaches Poll and tied Dayton for the lead in first-place votes with three.
• The Davidson football program is coming of its the 400th victory, which the 'Cats logged in the 2007 season finale against Valparaiso.
• UNC?Pembroke opened the 2008 campaign by posting a 28-0 victory at Brevard last week for the first shutout since the Braves returned varsity football last season.
• Brevard managed just 172 total yards of offense, including 65 through the air. The Braves caused three turnovers in the game.
Season Openers
• Davidson has a winning record in 109 season openers with a mark of 54-50-5 (.518), including last year's 31-21 home victory over UNC?Pembroke.
• The first season-opening victory came on Oct. 7, 1900, when the 'Cats defeated Guilford, 16-0. That victory began a five-game winning streak on opening day.
• The longest opening-day winning streak for the Wildcats was 10 straight (1922-31). Davidson shut out Elon in each of the first five season openers during that streak, plus beat the Fightin' Christians (now Phoenix) in eight of those 10 games. All in all, the 'Cats outscored their opponent in those 10 opening-day games, 221-8.
• Coach Monk Younger owns the best opening-day record of any Wildcat coach, going 9-0 from 1923-31.
• The longest losing streak in Davidson season openers was eight from 1981-88.
• In 1946, Davidson recorded its biggest victory on opening day, squashing Erskine, 74-0. That game is also the fourth-largest margin of victory in Davidson history.
• VMI has the distinction of handing Davidson its worst defeat on opening day — 55-0 in 1975.
• Here is a breakdown of Wildcat season openers by each decade:
1897-99: 0-3
1900-09: 7-1-2
1910-19: 5-4-1
1920-29: 8-2
1930-39: 6-4
1940-49: 4-2-2 (none in '44 or '45)
1950-59: 5-5
1960-69: 7-3
1970-79: 3-7
1980-89: 2-8
1990-99: 4-6
2000-07: 3-5
Series Record
• Davidson won the series opener last season 31-21 at Richardson Stadium.
• Chad Barnes rushed for 170 yards and a touchdown to lead Davidson, while Beaux Jones had six receptions for 89 yards and two TDs.
• The 'Cats led 24-6 in the second quarter, but the Braves trimmed the margin to 24-15 early in the fourth.
• Following a UNCP punt to the Davidson 4-yard line, Barnes keyed a 96-yard game-clinching drive with six carries for 57 yards.
• Rashan Kennedy led UNC Pembroke with 119 yards on the ground, and quarterback Matt Evans was 21-for-44 with 268 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
Scouting the Braves
• UNC?Pembroke showed an efficient passing attack in their first game as quarterbacks Cory Smith and Garrett Sutphen combined for 221 yards on 23-of-35 passing with a touchdown.
• Defensively, Caylon Hann picked off a school-best two interceptions, returning one 41 yards to set up UNCP's third score of the game. Ben Kurti registered 1-1/2 sacks on the night, with newcomer Joseph Groves adding a pair of tackles and a partial sack.
2026 Davidson Football Spring Zoom Call
Thursday, March 19
WEEK 12: Coaches Corner with Head Coach Saj Thakkar presented by Atrium Health.
Tuesday, November 18
WEEK 11: Coaches Corner with Head Coach Saj Thakkar presented by Atrium Health.
Tuesday, November 11
DC Football The Final Push, A Gridiron Club Check (11-04-25)
Friday, November 07
