The 2019 Western Carolina Catamounts team represented Western Carolina University as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon) during the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by eighth-year head coach Mark Speir, the Catamounts compiled an overall record of 3–9 with a mark of 2–6 in conference play, placing eighth in the SoCon. Western Carolina played their home games at Bob Waters Field at E. J. Whitmire Stadium in Cullowhee, North Carolina.
Preseason
Preseason polls
The SoCon released their preseason media poll and coaches poll on July 22, 2019. The Catamounts were picked to finish in eighth place in both polls.
Media poll
Predicted finish
|
Team
|
Votes (1st place)
|
1 |
Wofford |
253 (21)
|
2 |
Furman |
229 (6)
|
3 |
East Tennessee State |
187 (2)
|
4 |
Mercer |
146
|
5 |
Chattanooga |
134
|
6 |
Samford |
125
|
7 |
The Citadel |
111
|
8 |
Western Carolina |
88
|
9 |
VMI |
32
|
Coaches poll
Predicted finish
|
Team
|
Votes (1st place)
|
1 |
Wofford |
63 (7)
|
2 |
Furman |
55 (1)
|
3 |
East Tennessee State |
44 (1)
|
4 |
Chattanooga |
40
|
5 |
Mercer |
34
|
6 |
Samford |
33
|
7 |
The Citadel |
22
|
8 |
Western Carolina |
21
|
9 |
VMI |
12
|
Preseason All-SoCon Teams
The Catamounts placed three players on the preseason all-SoCon teams.
Offense
1st team
Tyrie Adams – QB
Owen Cosenke – TE
|
Defense
1st team
Ronald Kent – DB
|
Schedule
Date |
Time |
Opponent |
Site |
TV |
Result |
Attendance |
August 31 |
6:00 p.m. |
Mercer |
|
Nexstar/ESPN+ |
L 27–49 |
10,542
|
September 7 |
12:30 p.m. |
at NC State* |
|
FSS |
L 0–41 |
55,681
|
September 14 |
3:30 p.m. |
North Greenville* |
- E. J. Whitmire Stadium
- Cullowhee, NC
|
ESPN+ |
W 20–17 |
7,216
|
September 28 |
4:00 p.m. |
at Chattanooga |
|
ESPN+ |
L 36–60 |
7,636
|
October 5 |
3:30 p.m. |
Gardner–Webb* |
- E. J. Whitmire Stadium
- Cullowhee, NC
|
ESPN+ |
L 21–24 |
11,865
|
October 12 |
2:00 p.m. |
at The Citadel |
|
ESPN3 |
L 17–35 |
8,023
|
October 19 |
1:30 p.m. |
at Wofford |
|
Nexstar/ESPN+ |
L 7–59 |
5,733
|
October 26 |
3:30 p.m. |
No. 14 Furman |
- E. J. Whitmire Stadium
- Cullowhee, NC
|
ESPN3 |
L 7–28 |
8,174
|
November 2 |
1:30 p.m. |
at VMI |
|
ESPN+ |
W 43–35 |
4,568
|
November 9 |
3:30 p.m. |
East Tennessee State |
- E. J. Whitmire Stadium
- Cullowhee, NC
|
Nexstar/ESPN+ |
W 23–20 OT
|
7,681
|
November 16 |
2:00 p.m. |
Samford |
- E. J. Whitmire Stadium
- Cullowhee, NC
|
ESPN+ |
L 13–31 |
7,336
|
November 23 |
12:00 pm |
at No. 5 FBS Alabama* |
|
ESPN |
L 3–66 |
101,821
|
- *Non-conference game
-
Homecoming
- Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game
- All times are in Eastern time
|
Game summaries
Mercer
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Bears
|
14
|
28
|
7
|
0 |
49 |
Catamounts
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
6 |
27 |
At NC State
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Catamounts
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0 |
0 |
Wolfpack
|
3
|
21
|
10
|
7 |
41 |
North Greenville
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Crusaders
|
0
|
7
|
10
|
0 |
17 |
Catamounts
|
3
|
3
|
7
|
7 |
20 |
At Chattanooga
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Catamounts
|
7
|
14
|
15
|
0 |
36 |
Mocs
|
6
|
31
|
7
|
16 |
60 |
Gardner–Webb
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Runnin' Bulldogs
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
3 |
24 |
Catamounts
|
14
|
0
|
0
|
7 |
21 |
At The Citadel
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Catamounts
|
3
|
7
|
7
|
0 |
17 |
Bulldogs
|
14
|
14
|
0
|
7 |
35 |
At Wofford
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Catamounts
|
7
|
0
|
0
|
0 |
7 |
Terriers
|
7
|
28
|
14
|
10 |
59 |
Furman
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
No. 14 Paladins
|
3
|
10
|
15
|
0 |
28 |
Catamounts
|
7
|
0
|
0
|
0 |
7 |
At VMI
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Catamounts
|
14
|
6
|
7
|
16 |
43 |
Keydets
|
13
|
6
|
3
|
13 |
35 |
East Tennessee State
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
OT |
Total |
Buccaneers
|
3
|
0
|
7
|
7 |
3 |
20 |
Catamounts
|
3
|
7
|
0
|
7 |
6 |
23 |
Samford
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Bulldogs
|
7
|
10
|
7
|
7 |
31 |
Catamounts
|
10
|
3
|
0
|
0 |
13 |
At Alabama
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Catamounts
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3 |
3 |
No. 5 (FBS) Crimson Tide
|
17
|
21
|
21
|
7 |
66 |