Cougars travel to face conference foe N.C. Wesleyan College
The Averett University Cougars, under the guidance of seventh-year head coach Mike Dunlevy, take on conference foe N.C. Wesleyan College on Saturday. The two schools have split the series 2-2, but the Cougars won the last meeting 24-20 in Rocky Mount, N.C., in 2006.

N.C. Wesleyan (2-3, 1-1 USA South) is coming off a 37-24 conference loss to Maryville last weekend. Averett (2-3, 1-1 USA South), meanwhile, is fresh off a 31-17 conference win on the road at Methodist.

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Last time they met
After a scoreless first quarter, N.C. Wesleyan piled on the points en route to a 49-7 victory over the Cougars in Danville. N.C. Wesleyan quarterback Cedric Townsend threw for three touchdowns in the second quarter, including two to Laqwan Brodie. The second came 12 seconds before halftime.

The Bishops added four rushing touchdowns in the second half, including two by Townsend. Averett's lone score came on a 28-yard interception return by William Bonilla. Despite throwing three interceptions and losing two fumbles, the Bishops put up 575 yards of total offense compared to Averett's 174 yards.


How the teams stack up offensively this season
Averett and N.C. Wesleyan enter Saturday's contest with identical records. Both teams have balanced offensive attacks, with the Bishops averaging 12 more yards of total offense than Averett this season (342.2-330.2).

N.C. Wesleyan quarterback Bo Jordan has completed 60 percent (90-for-150) of his passes this season for 1,006 yards and six touchdowns. Jordan, however, has nine interceptions on the season. If he is careless against Averett's defense, the Cougars could make him pay. Averett's defense has seven interceptions this season, including four last week at Methodist.

Orlando Webb and Avery Butler have been Jordan's two favorite targets, with Webb catching 26 passes for 392 yards and four scores and Butler hauling in 23 passes for 222 yards and two scores. On the ground, Antonio Harris and Stedman Mathis have packed the punch for the Bishops. Harris has 64 carries for 350 yards and two touchdowns, while Mathis has 44 carries for 280 yards and four touchdowns in one less game.
 
Averett's rushing trio of Dontavious Watson, John Ellison  and Mark Williams have run for a combined 743 of the Cougars' 745 net rushing yards, with Watson scoring five touchdowns.

Philip Kwiatkowski, who missed two games with a leg injury, returned to the starting lineup and threw for 165 yards and a touchdown without an interception to help Averett beat Methodist last weekend. Anthony Squillini has been the main target for Averett quarterbacks with 28 receptions for 307 yards and five touchdowns.

Averett and N.C. Wesleyan have a history of close encounters
Despite a brief history of only four meetings, games between Averett and N.C. Wesleyan have had exciting finishes. Excluding last season, the first three meetings in the series were decided by a touchdown or less. In their first matchup during the 2004 season, N.C. Wesleyan shocked Averett 17-16 in Rocky Mount, N.C. The Bishops led 10-7 at halftime, but Averett tied the game at 10-10. N.C. Wesleyan took a 17-10 lead midway through the third quarter. Averett scored a touchdown to pull within one point, but the Cougars missed the extra point and fell short.

In 2005, Averett won 38-32, but it wasn't easy. N.C. Wesleyan jumped ahead 17-6 early, but Averett rallied to tale an 18-17 lead. The Bishops scored a touchdown to regain the lead, but Averett rattled off three straight touchdowns to go ahead 38-25. N.C. Wesleyan added a late touchdown with under five minutes to play, but the Cougars held on.

Averett beat N.C. Wesleyan 24-20 in 2006 thanks to two fourth quarter touchdowns in five-miunte span, and the Cougars' defense held the Bishops scoreless the rest of the way.

For a complete version of the Averett/N.C. Wesleyan game notes, click here.