Carroll Couty Schools & Families Day
MCKENZIE, Tenn. –The Bethel Wildcats return to the gridiron Saturday hosting the Faulkner Eagles in Walter Butler Stadium. Kick-off is slated for 1:30 p.m. CT.
It is Carroll Couty Schools & Families Day at WBS. All Carroll County students will be admitted free of charge.
The Catwalk begins at 11:45 a.m. in front of Crisp Arena.
The Wildcats are 1-3 while the Eagles are 3-2 on the year.
Series: 
It will be the 14^th meeting in the series with Bethel holding a 9-4 advantage. The Cats have won four in a row between the two.  Bethel won 30-7 last year in Montgomery.
Follow the Cats:
Watch:
TBA
Stats:
https://bethelathletics.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
Tickets:
https://fan.hudl.com/tickets/VGlja2V0ZWRFdmVudDZhNmI4MGYxZDU3NjM0ODBiODgyNTI1Yw==
Last Time Out:
(BU)
Bethel cut an early deficit in half with a first-quarter touchdown, but Pikeville pulled away for a 31-7 Mid-South Conference football victory two weeks ago at the Hambley Athletic Complex in Pikeville.
Pikeville built a 14-0 lead before Jaylan Brown connected with Stephon Sellers on a 42-yard touchdown pass with 40 seconds left in the first quarter. Zachary Clutch's extra point brought the Wildcats to within 14-7.
The Bears added a touchdown in the second quarter to lead 21-7 at halftime. Bethel moved to the Pikeville 22 late in the half, but a penalty pushed the Wildcats back, and Clutch's 54-yard field goal attempt fell short.
Durrell Miller gave Bethel an opportunity early in the third quarter when his second interception of the game set up the Wildcats at the Pikeville 38. Bethel came away without points, and the Bears added a field goal later in the quarter before closing the scoring with a fourth-quarter touchdown.
Brown completed 14 of 28 passes for 177 yards and a touchdown. Micah Jones led Bethel's receivers with seven catches for 74 yards, while Sellers had three receptions for 66 yards and the touchdown. Zion Bryan added five catches for 49 yards.
Miller and Jose Joiner recorded eight tackles apiece for the Wildcats. Miller also intercepted two passes, returning one 12 yards.
Pikeville outgained Bethel 373-223, including a 221-27 advantage on the ground. The Bears improved to 3-2, while the Wildcats fell to 1-3.

 (Faulkner)
Reinhardt established itself early two weeks ago and scarcely looked back en route to a 48-0 victory over Faulkner. The result snapped   Faulkner's three-game win streak.

Reinhardt wasted little time asserting itself during an opening half in which it outgained Faulkner 339 yards to 22. The host Eagles covered 76 yards in 10 plays and ate up 4:32 of the game clock on the first possession of the game. Harlem Diamond punched it in from a yard out to put his team up 7-0. Faulkner proved unable to move the chains on the ensuing possession and punted it away. Reinhardt proceeded to run 12 plays, cover 56 yards, and eat up 5:42 of clock. Alex Hanson knocked through a 28-yard field goal to make it 10-0.

Faulkner got its first positive momentum on the first play of the second quarter when Jordan Summage picked off a pass in the end zone for his first of two interceptions on the day. The Eagles managed to move the ball 12 yards before punting it away again. Reinhardt followed with a 10-play, 82-yard drive that chewed up 5:36 of the quarter and ended with a Diamond touchdown run from two yards out to move it to 17-0. Reinhardt kept Faulkner from getting a first down on the next possession and proceeded to siphon off the last 3:10 of the half. The drive lasted 13 plays and covered 63 yards, ending with a 26-yard field goal from Hanson. Reinhardt ran for 250 yards in the first half and passed for 89 more while moving the chains 20 times and possessing the ball for 21:24.

Faulkner made adjustments early in the first half that gave it an opportunity to get back in the game. It reeled off a 43-yard, nine-play drive on its first possession of the second half before the march stalled.

After forcing Reinhardt to punt on the next possession, Faulkner hits a 16-yard gain on a pass from Kamden Wellington to Gage Mims to get the ball to midfield. Faulkner was unable to gain another yard during the possession and ultimately punted the ball away.

Reinhardt broke the game open two plays later when Jayden Ponder broke a 65-yard touchdown run to move it to 27-0.

Faulkner's best drive of the game came on the next possession when it covered 56 yards on eight plays but missed a field goal. Reinhardt followed with a touchdown pass from Armar Gordon to Austin Davis. Ethan Spector added a touchdown run, and Robert Jones capped it with a scoring rush of his own. Reinhardt rushed for 500 yards in the game as part of an effort that saw it amass 667 yards of total offense on 76 plays. Faulkner answered with 145 yards on 46 plays.
Coaches:
Coach Chris Springer is in his second year as head coach of the Wildcats and is 5-8 with the Cats.
Coach Dayne Brown is in his second season after becoming the eighth head coach in Faulkner history in January 2025. He is 7-8 with the Eagles.
Next Week & Upcoming Action: 
Homecoming is October 17 as the Cats host the University of the Cumberlands Patriots at 1:30 p.m. 
www.bethelu.edu/homecoming
Did You Know?
Bethel averages 14.2 points per game and yield 27.5 per outing.
The Cats average 57.3 yards rushing and yield 208.0 per contest.
The Wildcats average 183.7 passing per game and the opponents go up top for 164.2 per game.
The Eagles average 26.8 points and yield 25.4 per game.
Faulkner rushes for 141.6 yards per outing and gives up 162.0 per game. 
The Eagles average 166.8 in the air and give up 205.8 per game. 
Make your plans:
(HOF)
Bethel University will honor four former athletic standouts and one distinguished contributor during the 2026 Bethel University Athletic Hall of Fame & Alumni Banquet on Friday, October 16.
The event will be held in the Boardroom of the Vera Low Center for Student Enrichment's Crisp Wing. The awards dinner will begin at 6 p.m., and reservations are required.
Tickets may be purchased at https://events.hometownticketing.com/boxoffice/bethelu/L2VtYmVkL2V2ZW50LzYxMQ==
 The deadline to make reservations is October 9.
The 2026 inductees will comprise the 45^th class to enter the Bethel University Athletic Hall of Fame. Following this year's ceremony, six teams and 124 individuals will have been enshrined since the Hall of Fame was established in 1980.
2026 Bethel University Athletic Hall of Fame Class

• Dr. Karlene Ellis – Women's Soccer (2007)
• Teena Carter Pitts, M.A.Ed. – Women's Basketball (2011; M.A.Ed. 2015)
• Larry Geraldi – Baseball (1973); Softball and Golf Coach (13 seasons)
• Deseray Washington Melton – Women's Track & Field (2014)
• Darrell Smith – Contributor (1964)

(Golf Scramble)
The Jerry Wilcoxson Memorial Golf Tournament honors the legacy of the late Dr. Jerry Wilcoxson during Bethel's homecoming week. Homecoming is a time for Wildcats from all over to come back home and celebrate years of students, faith, education, and community.
Several spots are still open for the event which will be held on Friday, October 16. You can still register online at:
www.bethelu.edu/homecoming