Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs football
Intercollegiate American football team
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The Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Gardner–Webb University in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The team competes in the Division I FCS and are an affiliate member of the Ohio Valley Conference for football.[2] Gardner–Webb's first football team was fielded in 1970. The team plays its home games at the 9,000-seat Ernest W. Spangler Stadium in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. The Runnin' Bulldogs are coached by interim head coach Pete Bennett.
1st season, 0–0 (–)
| Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| |||
| First season | 1970 | ||
| Athletic director | Andrew T. Goodrich | ||
| Head coach | Pete Bennett (Interim) 1st season, 0–0 (–) | ||
| Location | Boiling Springs, North Carolina | ||
| Stadium | Ernest W. Spangler Stadium (capacity: 9,000) | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FCS | ||
| Conference | Ohio Valley | ||
| Colors | Red and black[1] | ||
| All-time record | 281–322–2 (.466) | ||
| Conference championships | |||
| SAC: 1987, 1992 Big South: 2002, 2003, 2022 OVC–Big South: 2023 | |||
| Marching band | The Sounds of the Springs | ||
| Website | gwusports.com | ||
History
Classifications
- 1970–1992: NAIA Division I
- 1993–1999: NCAA Division II
- 2000–present: NCAA Division I-AA/FCS
Conference affiliations
- NAIA Independent (1970–1974)
- South Atlantic Conference (1975–1999)
- NCAA Division I-AA Independent (2000–2001)
- Big South Conference (2002–2022)
- OVC–Big South Football Association (2023–2025)
- Ohio Valley Conference (2026–present)
Conference championships
| Year | Coach | Conference | Overall record | Conference record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Woody Fish | South Atlantic Conference | 11–2 | 6–1 | |
| 1992 | 12–2 | 7–0 | |||
| 2002 | Steve Patton | Big South Conference | 9–1 | 3–0 | |
| 2003 | 8–4 | 4–0 | |||
| 2022 | Tre Lamb | 7–6 | 5–0 | ||
| 2023† | Big South–OVC Football Association | 7–5 | 5–1 | ||
| Conference Championships | 6 | ||||
† denotes co-championship
Playoff results
NAIA
The Runnin' Bulldogs appeared in the NAIA playoffs two times, with an overall record of 3–2.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | First Round Quarterfinals | Moorhead State Carson–Newman | W, 27–7 L, 24–27 |
| 1992 | Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship Game | Concord Shepherd Central State | W, 28–21 W, 22–7 L, 16–19 |
Division I FCS
The Runnin' Bulldogs have appeared in the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs two times, with an overall record of 1–2.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | First Round Second Round |
Eastern Kentucky William & Mary |
W, 52–41 L, 14–54 |
| 2023 | First Round | Mercer | L, 7–17 |
Notable former players
- Dobson Collins – NFL wide receiver
- Woody Fish – American football player and coach
- Terry Guess – NFL wide receiver for New Orleans Saints
- Bobby Hopkins – American football offensive guard and World champion arm-wrestler
- Brian Johnson – NFL linebacker for Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions
- Todd Knight – American football player and coach
- T. J. Luther – NFL wide receiver
- Jim Maxwell – NFL linebacker for the New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins, and Cincinnati Bengals
- Carroll McCray – American football player and coach
- Gabe Wilkins – NFL defensive tackle for Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers, Super Bowl XXXI champion[3]
Future non-conference opponents
Future non-conference opponents announced as of August 28, 2026.[4]
| 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| at Austin Peay | at Arkansas | at Virginia Tech | at Chattanooga | |
| at Wofford | at Georgia State | at The Citadel | ||
| at Liberty | ||||
| North Carolina Central | ||||
| at Marshall |
