BRIDGEWATER, Va. - The Bridgewater College football team is set for an ODAC clash against Washignton & Lee for the senior day game Saturday afternoon.

When: Saturday, November 9, 2024
Where: Bridgewater, Va.
Stadium: The Stadium at Jopson
Kickoff: 2:00 pm
Gameday Forecast: Sunny, 62F
Series Record: 7-8 (Since 2008)

SCOUTING THE GENERALS: The seventh year head coach, Garrett LeRose, has coached his team to a steady 5-3 overall record and a 4-1 ODAC record this season. The General's lone loss in conference play came at the hands of the red-hot nationally recognized Randolph-Macon, as Wash. & Lee fell 20-7 on home turf on Nov. 2. 

WASHINGTON & LEE HEAD COACH:  Garrett LeRose carries quite the resume as a 2007 Wash. & Lee alum. With his strong record of 37-22 through almost his entire seventh season, LeRose has brought the Generals to an ODAC Championship in 2021 including a NCAA Championship appearance. He has also been awarded ODAC Coach of the Year and VaSID Coach of the Year.  W&L ranked fifth nationally in rushing offense (315.7 ypg)  while scoring 30 points in seven of the ten games in his first season. This season, the rushing offense is back again at an alarming rate. W&L leads the conference in average rushing yards per game this season (300.1 yards) and defensively, bolsters a conference-leading total forced fumbles (0.25).

SPECIAL TEAMS MATTER: The Bridgewater special teams unit has been a strength all season long with multiple ODAC Player of the Week honors and momentum swinging plays. The BC return units still rank among the national leaders with the kick return group ranking ninth nationally and the punt return unit sitting 13th in Div. III. Additionally, there have only been three kick returns for a touchdown in the ODAC this season and two of those have been from the Eagles with Brendan Robinson and Cedric Drumgoole each registering a kick-six. Tate Leach ranks fifth in DIv. III in punt returns and also has a special teams score to his credit this season. The big plays have not been limited to the speedy guys, Andrew Brown blocked a potential game-winning field goal attempt by Shenandoah three weeks ago and Jack Hendren nailed a 45-yard field goal two weeks ago for his fourth-straight season with a make from 40 + yards.

QB BATTLE: The Eagles passing offense has quickly become one of the ODAC's best this season. Starting QB Jaicere Bateman ranks 38th nationally in completion percentage along with 16th nationally in completions per game. Bateman is second in the conference in passing yards, but has been a massive threat on the ground with eight rushing scores to rank fourth in the ODAC. W&L's Ty Collins is supported with a strong backfield as the rushing offense leads the conference and is fifth-best in the nation.

EAGLE NATION: Bridgewater is 3-1 at the Stadium at the Jopson Athletic Complex this season dropping its first home game of the season last weekend to Hampden-Sydney, 28-21. The Eagles still possess a potent offense as they are outscoring their opponents 278-175 this season.

TIME TO MAKE IT COUNT:  Bridgewater takes on Washington & Lee for the final regular season home game. The Eagles will have to come out with full-guns- blazing energy to keep good standing for the postseason.The Eagles now have fallen in the last two games against (RV) Randolph-Macon and Hampden-Sydney. Bridgewater's offense will look to come ready; getting the play running early and fast with a stingy W&L defense at the line of scrimmage, as it holds the conference's best in team sacks per game (2.13).  

ALL-TIME SERIES: The Eagles and the Generals will meet for the 15th time since 2008 on Saturday, as Washington & Lee has the edge in the matchup with an 8-7 head-to-head record. Bridgewater's last win against the Generals came at home in 2022 in a tight game, with the Eagles pulling ahead to take a 13-6 victory. The passing game was the key to success last time with 159 passing yards and two TD's to W&L's 38 and zero TD's. This time around, the Eagles will have to form a walled up rushing defense as the Generals thrive in the rushing game with running back Jacob Romero leading the way for W&L with a conference leading rushing yards per carry (5.99) and total rushing yards this season (821).

Tailgating opens on Saturday at 11 a.m. in Mapp Field.