# 2018 Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs football team

The 2018 Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs football team represented Gardner–Webb University as a member of the Big South Conference during the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by sixth-year head coach Carroll McCray, the Runnin' Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 3–8 with a mark of 2–3 in conference play, placing fourth in the Big South. Gardner–Webb played home games at Ernest W. Spangler Stadium in Boiling Springs, North Carolina.

## Preseason
### Big South poll

In the Big South preseason poll released on July 23, 2018, the Runnin' Bulldogs were predicted to finish in fourth place.
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Kennesaw State | 107 (17) |
| 2 | Monmouth | 82 (1) |
| 3 | Charleston Southern | 75 |
| 4 | Gardner–Webb | 52 |
| 5 | Campbell | 36 |
| 6 | Presbyterian | 26 |

### Preseason All-Big South team

The Big South released their preseason all-Big South team on July 23, 2018, with the Runnin' Bulldogs having two players on the honorable mention list.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 1 | 6:00 p.m. | Limestone* | Ernest W. Spangler StadiumBoiling Springs, NC | ESPN+ | W 52–17 | 4,418 |
| September 8 | 6:00 p.m. | at No. 5 North Carolina A&T* | BB&T StadiumGreensboro, NC | | L 6–45 | 13,111 |
| September 14 | 6:00 p.m. | Western Carolina* | Ernest W. Spangler StadiumBoiling Springs, NC | ESPN+ | L 10–28 | 2,257 |
| September 22 | 3:30 p.m. | at Appalachian State* | Kidd Brewer StadiumBoone, NC | ESPN+ | L 7–72 | 21,084 |
| September 29 | 6:00 p.m. | No. 7 Wofford* | Ernest W. Spangler StadiumBoiling Springs, NC | ESPN+ | L 14–45 | 2,850 |
| October 6 | 3:30 p.m. | at East Tennessee State* | William B. Greene Jr. StadiumJohnson City, TN | ESPN3 | L 0–45 | 8,501 |
| October 13 | 1:30 p.m. | No. 3 Kennesaw State | Ernest W. Spangler StadiumBoiling Springs, NC | ESPN3 | L 17–56 | 4,150 |
| October 27 | 4:00 p.m. | at Campbell | Barker–Lane StadiumBuies Creek, NC | ESPN3 | W 35–7 | 6,712 |
| November 3 | 1:30 p.m. | Presbyterian | Ernest W. Spangler StadiumBoiling Springs, NC | ESPN+ | W 38–20 | 2,817 |
| November 10 | 3:00 p.m. | at Charleston Southern | Buccaneer FieldNorth Charleston, SC | ESPN+ | L 0–16 | 1,640 |
| November 17 | 1:30 p.m. | Monmouth | Ernest W. Spangler StadiumBoiling Springs, NC | ESPN+ | L 42–56 | 2,350 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time |||||||
* ↑ This game was originally scheduled for September 15. It was moved up one day in anticipation of Hurricane Florence.

## Game summaries
### Limestone

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints | 10 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| Runnin' Bulldogs | 7 | 28 | 10 | 7 | 52 |

### At North Carolina A&T

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Runnin' Bulldogs | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| No. 5 Aggies | 7 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 45 |

### Western Carolina

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Catamounts | 7 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 28 |
| Runnin' Bulldogs | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |

### At Appalachian State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Runnin' Bulldogs | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Mountaineers | 28 | 24 | 14 | 6 | 72 |

### Wofford

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 7 Terriers | 14 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 45 |
| Runnin' Bulldogs | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |

### At East Tennessee State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Runnin' Bulldogs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Buccaneers | 7 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 45 |

### Kennesaw State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 3 Owls | 7 | 21 | 14 | 14 | 56 |
| Runnin' Bulldogs | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 17 |

### At Campbell

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Runnin' Bulldogs | 13 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 35 |
| Fighting Camels | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |

### Presbyterian

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Blue Hose | 0 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 20 |
| Runnin' Bulldogs | 14 | 7 | 17 | 0 | 38 |

### At Charleston Southern

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Runnin' Bulldogs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Buccaneers | 3 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 16 |

### Monmouth

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hawks | 21 | 7 | 21 | 7 | 56 |
| Runnin' Bulldogs | 7 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 42 |