2019 Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs football team

2019 Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs football
Conference	Big South Conference
Record	3–9 (1–5 Big South)
Head coach	Carroll McCray (7th season)
Offensive coordinator	Brett Nichols (5th season)
Co-defensive coordinator	Chris Grimes (1st season)
Co-defensive coordinator	Dennis Thomas (1st season)
Home stadium	Ernest W. Spangler Stadium

2019 Big South Conference football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 12 Monmouth $^		6	–	0					11	–	3
No. 13 Kennesaw State ^		5	–	1					11	–	3
Charleston Southern		4	–	2					6	–	6
Campbell		3	–	3					6	–	5
Hampton		1	–	5					5	–	7
Gardner–Webb		1	–	5					3	–	9
Presbyterian		1	–	5					2	–	10
North Alabama *		0	–	0					4	–	7
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant * North Alabama ineligible for FCS postseason play due to transition to NCAA Division I Rankings from STATS Poll

The 2019 Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs football team represented Gardner–Webb University as a member of the Big South Conference during the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by Carroll McCray in his seventh and final season as head coach, the Runnin' Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 3–9 with a mark of 1–5 in conference play, placing in three-way tie for fifth place in the Big South. Gardner–Webb played home games at Ernest W. Spangler Stadium in Boiling Springs, North Carolina.

On November 24, McCray was fired. He finished his seven-season tenure at Gardner–Webb with a record of 27–53.

Preseason

Big South poll

In the Big South preseason poll released on July 21, 2019, the Runnin' Bulldogs were predicted to finish in fifth place.

Predicted finish	Team	Votes (1st place)
1	Kennesaw State	134 (14)
2	Monmouth	122 (5)
3	Charleston Southern	79 (1)
4	Campbell	73
5	Gardner–Webb	67
6	Hampton	64
7	Presbyterian	21
—	North Alabama	n/a

Preseason All–Big South team

The Runnin' Bulldogs had three players selected to the preseason all-Big South team.

Offense

Brandon Leahey – OL

Defense

John Singleton – DL

Darien Reynolds – LB

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 29	7:30 p.m.	at Charlotte*	Jerry Richardson Stadium Charlotte, NC	ESPN+	L 28–49	16,119
September 7	6:00 p.m.	at East Carolina*	Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Greenville, NC	ESPN3	L 9–48	34,118
September 14	6:00 p.m.	North Carolina Central*	Spangler Stadium Boiling Springs, NC	ESPN+	W 21–12	5,012
September 21	6:00 p.m.	at Wofford*	Gibbs Stadium Spartanburg, SC	ESPN+	L 10–49	3,777
October 5	3:00 p.m.	at Western Carolina*	E.J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC	ESPN+	W 24–21	11,865
October 12	1:30 p.m.	Hampton	Spangler Stadium Boiling Springs, NC	ESPN+	W 35–27	6,300
October 19	1:00 p.m.	at Monmouth	Kessler Stadium West Long Branch, NJ	ESPN3	L 28–49	3,466
October 26	1:30 p.m.	Campbell	Spangler Stadium Boiling Springs, NC	ESPN+	L 47–49 3OT	1,980
November 2	1:30 p.m.	Charleston Southern	Spangler Stadium Boiling Springs, NC	ESPN+	L 27–30	1,538
November 9	1:00 p.m.	at Presbyterian	Bailey Memorial Stadium Clinton, SC	ESPN+	L 14–24	1,509
November 16	1:30 p.m.	North Alabama	Spangler Stadium Boiling Springs, NC	ESPN+	L 30–34	1,486
November 23	2:00 p.m.	at No. 16 Kennesaw State	Fifth Third Bank Stadium Kennesaw, GA	ESPN3/ESPN+	L 14–42	4,383
*Non-conference game Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

Game summaries

At Charlotte

	1	2	3	4	Total
Runnin' Bulldogs	0	14	7	7	28
49ers	7	28	7	7	49

See also: 2019 Charlotte 49ers football team

At East Carolina

	1	2	3	4	Total
Runnin' Bulldogs	0	7	2	0	9
Pirates	17	14	7	10	48

See also: 2019 East Carolina Pirates football team

North Carolina Central

	1	2	3	4	Total
Eagles	3	6	0	3	12
Runnin' Bulldogs	0	7	7	7	21

See also: 2019 North Carolina Central Eagles football team

At Wofford

	1	2	3	4	Total
Runnin' Bulldogs	0	3	0	7	10
Terriers	14	14	0	21	49

See also: 2019 Wofford Terriers football team

At Western Carolina

	1	2	3	4	Total
Runnin' Bulldogs	7	7	7	3	24
Catamounts	14	0	0	7	21

See also: 2019 Western Carolina Catamounts football team

Hampton

	1	2	3	4	Total
Pirates	3	21	0	3	27
Runnin' Bulldogs	14	7	7	7	35

See also: 2019 Hampton Pirates football team

At Monmouth

	1	2	3	4	Total
Runnin' Bulldogs	7	0	14	7	28
Hawks	7	14	21	7	49

See also: 2019 Monmouth Hawks football team

Campbell

	1	2	3	4	OT	2OT	3OT	Total
Fighting Camels	0	13	0	14	7	7	8	49
Runnin' Bulldogs	10	14	3	0	7	7	6	47

See also: 2019 Campbell Fighting Camels football team

Charleston Southern

	1	2	3	4	Total
Buccaneers	10	14	6	0	30
Runnin' Bulldogs	0	0	7	20	27

See also: 2019 Charleston Southern Buccaneers football team

At Presbyterian

	1	2	3	4	Total
Runnin' Bulldogs	0	14	0	0	14
Blue Hose	3	7	7	7	24

See also: 2019 Presbyterian Blue Hose football team

North Alabama

	1	2	3	4	Total
Lions	0	14	7	13	34
Runnin' Bulldogs	7	13	3	7	30

See also: 2019 North Alabama Lions football team

At Kennesaw State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Runnin' Bulldogs	7	0	0	7	14
No. 16 Owls	7	7	14	14	42

See also: 2019 Kennesaw State Owls football team