WISE – With last week's game at Newberry being cancelled due to the post-Helene conditions in Newberry, South Carolina, the UVA Wise team returns home this week to host Wingate in a key South Atlantic Conference matchup for both programs.

With two of the scheduled six games last week cancelled and two others moved to Sunday (and the Tusculum vs. Lenoir-Rhyne game played at Catawba), it is perhaps a testament to the ingenuity and determination of staffs and students at the various schools and the conference office in that, despite at least two schools being basically closed and the various athletic teams spread out over several states, all 12 SAC teams will be able to compete this coming weekend.
 
ABOUT THE CAVS
- UVA Wise is now 2-1 overall and 1-0 in the SAC following their win over Catawba in their last game played. In that game, the teams traded leads until a late field goal put UVA Wise ahead 31-28.
- Wingate leads the overall series with the Cavs 4-0. Their last meeting was in Wise on Nov. 11, 2023 with the Bulldogs winning 27-0.
- UVA Wise enters the contest with a 149-194 all-time record.
- The Cavs enter the game with 953 yards of total offense on the season, 626 from passing and 327 from rushing. They are averaging 9.8 yards per catch and 3.1 yards per carry. They have run 209 total plays this season, compared to 204 by their opponents.
- UVA Wise is converting 42 percent of their third downs (22-53), compared to opponents' 14-37 for 38 percent. On fourth downs, the Cavs are 3-4 (75%) and opponents are 5-9 (56%).
- Jake Corkren is 62-101 for 601 passing yards and five touchdowns with one interception. Opponents are very similar, going 64-102 for 838 yards with three interceptions and six touchdowns. Corkren also has 18 carries for 30 net yards rushing.
- Dejauvis Dozier has 32 carries for 117 yards, while Ian Scammell has 28 rushes for 100 yards and a key touchdown vs. Catawba.
- Dorien Goddard has 17 receptions for 162 yards, while Seth Fischbach has 16 catches for 194 yards and two touchdowns. He had a key 33 yard catch in the game-winning drive vs. Catawba that helped set up the field goal. DJ Powell also has 12 catches for 136 yards. Powell also leads the team in punt returns, averaging 33.5 yards per return.
- Jordan Crabtree is 1-2 on the season in field goals, but the one he hit was the 24-yard game winner vs. Catawba last Saturday.
- Defensively, Jalen Pickens has 19 tackles (15 solo) and a quarterback hurry. Brub Hines III has 16 tackles (11 solo) an interception he returned for 29 yards. Emmanuel Scott and A.J. Stewart have 13 tackles apiece, with Stewart adding in two sacks for a loss of 13 yards.
- Four players have sacks this season, led by Stewart's two. Others are Nasir Spruill, Raaphell Mayes II, and Kenneth Long. Mayes and Braxton McPherson join Hines in having interceptions, while Da'Jon Barnes and Jaylen Jones have both recovered fumbles.
 
ABOUT THE BULLDOGS
- Like UVA Wise, Wingate also had their game last week cancelled. In WU's case it was their SAC home opener vs. Mars Hill.  
- Head Coach Rashaan Jordan is in his first season at the helm of the Wingate program, but he is no stranger to the WU sidelines as he was an assistant coach there for 18 seasons. He replaces Jo Reich, who changed offices and is now the school's director of athletics.
- Wingate comes into the game having one victory over a top 25 team this season, a 21-7 win over then-17^th ranked Delta State. The Bulldogs were ranked themselves after that win but dropped out of the top 25 after a 31-28 overtime loss at Carson-Newman.
- The Bulldogs are outscoring their opponents by a 22.00-16.67 margin and have 1036 yards of total offense compared to 798 by their opponents. They are out-rushing the competition by 484-410 yards and have 638 receiving yards to 505 by their opponents.
- Brooks Bentley is 53-83 for 636 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions.
- Ethan Wallace (33 carries for 162 yards – 2 TD) and Corey Siemer (32-149 for 149 yds and a TD) are the lead rushers for the team. O'Brien Barnett (33 yards/game) and Braylon Ratcliff (22 yds/gm) are other key rushers.
- Evan McCray leads the team in receptions with 14 catches for 199 yards and a TD. Carlos Estronza has 13 catches for 174 yards and a touchdown, while Xavier Jackson has nine carries for 91 yards and a TD.
- Dontorion Best has 24 tackles (10 solo) to lead the Bulldogs, with Marquise Fleming adding in 17 (11 solo), seven for loss, and four sacks. Daniel Morrison has 14 tackles, four for loss, and two and a half sacks.

UP NEXT
The Cavs will host first-year program Anderson University as a part of UVA Wise's Homecoming next Saturday. The theme for this year's Homecoming is "Celebrate Your Cavalier Era." Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.