CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2025 Gardner-Webb

7–⁠5 (5–⁠3 Big South–OVC Football Association).

Schedule and results

Gardner-Webb in 2025, game by game: won at Western Carolina 52–45; lost at Georgia Tech 12–59; won vs. The Citadel 23–13; lost at Ohio 35–52; won vs. Charleston Southern 30–27; won at Eastern Illinois 21–10; lost vs. UT Martin 7–37; won at Lindenwood 48–20; lost at Tennessee Tech 21–27; won vs. Southeast Missouri State 27–24; won at Tennessee State 30–14; lost vs. Western Illinois 24–29+28−47Won 52–45 at Western Carolina+7Western CarolinaLost 12–59 at Georgia Tech-47Georgia TechWon 23–13 vs. The Citadel+10The CitadelLost 35–52 at Ohio-17OhioWon 30–27 vs. Charleston Southern+3Charleston Sout…Won 21–10 at Eastern Illinois+11Eastern IllinoisLost 7–37 vs. UT Martin-30UT MartinWon 48–20 at Lindenwood+28LindenwoodLost 21–27 at Tennessee Tech-6Tennessee TechWon 27–24 vs. Southeast Missouri State+3Southeast Misso…Won 30–14 at Tennessee State+16Tennessee StateLost 24–29 vs. Western Illinois-5Western Illinois
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Aug 30atWestern CarolinaW 52–⁠4530%
Sep 6atGeorgia TechL 12–⁠5914%
Sep 13vsThe CitadelW 23–⁠1361%
Sep 20atOhioL 35–⁠5212%
Oct 4vsCharleston SouthernW 30–⁠2776%
Oct 11atEastern IllinoisW 21–⁠1048%
Oct 18vsUT MartinL 7–⁠3764%
Oct 25atLindenwoodW 48–⁠2045%
Nov 1atTennessee TechL 21–⁠2723%
Nov 8vsSoutheast Missouri StateW 27–⁠2464%
Nov 15atTennessee StateW 30–⁠1462%
Nov 22vsWestern IllinoisL 24–⁠2981%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Western Illinois 29–⁠24; unranked in the final AP poll; tied for 3rd in the Big South–OVC Football Association.

In program history: The 4th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 24 on file).

Record
7–⁠5
Conference
5–⁠3 tied for 3rd in Big South–OVC Football Association
AP final
Unranked
Points
330–⁠357
Coach
—
Elo
1312 +46 this season
SP+ rating
—
SRS
−27.3 No. 51 of 129 in FCS
Recruiting class
No. 183
Offensive coordinator
Tyler Johns
Defensive coordinator
Tim Cooper

Leaders

Passing yardsCole Pennington QB1,601 yds
Passing touchdownsNate Hampton QB10 TD
Rushing yardsQuaSean Holmes RB969 yds
Rushing touchdownsCarson Gresock RB14 TD
Receiving yardsChris Lofton WR917 yds
Receiving touchdownsAnthony Lowe WR5 TD
TacklesCahari Haynes LB15 tkl
SacksAntonio O’Berry LB1 sacks
InterceptionsJosiah Harris DB5 INT

Top recruits in the 2025 class

Finley Polk QB★★★No. 2468
Branden Broadwater ATH

247Sports composite rankings via CollegeFootballData.com; national rank in the class.

The 2025 class by position

SignedStarsRating
Quarterbacks13.00.830

High-school signees by position group, with their average stars and 247Sports composite rating (out of 1), via CollegeFootballData.com. Athletes are signees with no set position.

Roster 128

The 2025 roster

128 players, with numbers, heights, hometowns and each player’s 2025 line; 48 have a stat line. See the roster

Transfers in 10

The 2025 portal
Chris Lofton WR★★★from James Madison
Cahari Haynes LB★★★from App State
Jalen Harris WR★★★from Coastal Carolina
Jordan Jackson CB★★★from West Virginia
Markel Fortenberry WR★★★from Liberty
Jack Reynolds WR★★from Charlotte
Beau Blankenship TEfrom Ohio
Blake Bradford OTfrom App State
Jose Gonzalez OTfrom Fort Valley State
Josiah Harris CBfrom Campbellsville

Transfers out 8

Camden Overton TE★★★to Georgia State
Evan Ferguson OL★★★to Marshall
Diondre Glover CB★★★to UConn
Marquis Black DL★★★to UConn
Trevor Moffitt LB★★★to East Tennessee State
Adam Hickerson OLto Arkansas State
Pius Njenge DEto Tarleton State
Tyler Riddell QBto Duquesne

2025 Big South–OVC Football Association standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
Tennessee Tech8–⁠011–⁠2
UT Martin6–⁠26–⁠6
Gardner-Webb5–⁠37–⁠5
Lindenwood5–⁠36–⁠6
Charleston Southern4–⁠45–⁠7
Southeast Missouri State3–⁠54–⁠8
Western Illinois3–⁠54–⁠8
Eastern Illinois2–⁠63–⁠9
Tennessee State0–⁠82–⁠10

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.