LEXINGTON, Va. - The Washington and Lee University football team returns to the gridiron following their bye week as they open Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) play on Saturday evening with a 4 p.m. kick off against Averett University.
Game Information:
When: Saturday, October 3, 2026
Where: Lexington, Va.
Stadium: Wilson Field
Kickoff: 4 p.m.
Gameday Links: Watch | Live Stats | Flip Card
How to Watch on FloCollege: The Old Dominion Athletic Conference is in year two of a five-year media rights agreement with FloSports ensures that all ODAC and W&L home contests will stream live on FloCollege with a subscription. Games will also be available on demand immediately for all subscription holders and new for the 2026-27 year, for free, on FloCollege, 24 hours after their conclusion on FloCollege.com.
FloSports/FloCollege can be accessed through the FloSports app or on major streaming platforms, including Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, and Google Chromecast which provides access to FloSports' full library of more than 40,000 events across 25 sports. Subscriptions can be purchased here.
Admission to regular-season home games is free, while ODAC semifinal and championship games and any NCAA postseason contests will require paid admission regardless of host institution. Fans planning to attend should review W&L's tailgating and parking operations HERE.
Series History: Saturday marks the 11th match up between the Generals and Cougars, with the Blue and White holding a 7-3 record since their first meeting in 2007. W&L has won the last five meetings, including the first four conference match ups since Averett joined the league in 2022. In their two conference meetings at Wilson Field, the Generals have held the Cougars scoreless, posting shutouts in 2022 (31-0) and 2024 (35-0).
Last season, the Generals scored the second-most points in the series as they reached double figures in all four quarters en route to a 61-21 win in Danville. The Blue and White's multifaceted rushing attack paved the way for 671 yards of total offense on just 54 plays, averaging an impressive 12.4 yards per play. W&L rushed 53 times for 589 yards and eight touchdowns, its most rushing yards in a single game since rushing for 553 against Guilford in 2021. The Generals gained 82 yards through the air on their lone passing attempt as Ian Gallimore connected with Joey Smargissi for a touchdown.
Brandon Saunders led the Cougars' passing and rushing attacks, completing 20-of-35 passes (57%) for 201 yards and two touchdowns while adding a team-high 94 yards and a score on 20 carries. Ryan Clemens and Dominic Hahn both eclipsed the 150-yard mark for the Generals, with Clemens leading the way with 164 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries. Hahn rushed 10 times for 152 yards and two touchdowns. Ty Collins, Fidel Small and Joseph Pizzo each added a rushing score for W&L. Smargissi led the receiving corps with one catch for 82 yards and a touchdown, while Jamahrie Owens hauled in four passes for 75 yards for the Cougars. Jamarrie Lumpkins and Andre Francois each caught a touchdown pass for Averett.
Brennan Stout led the defensive effort with 11 total tackles, including four solo stops, while Randolph Smith and Israel Rivers each recorded a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss. Chase Wilson led the Generals with a pair of pass breakups, while Mac Palmer, Nolan Wirick, Gabe Joyner and Gavie Kiley each added one. Seth Wiley recorded 10 tackles for the Cougars, including four solo stops, while Jonethan Guess recovered the lone fumble of the game.
Scouting the Cougars: The Cougars head into Week 5 fresh off a bye with a 2-1 record. After falling to North Carolina Wesleyan University, 27-13, in their season opener, the Cougars won back-to-back games against Southern Virginia, 41-34, and Gallaudet, 55-19.
In their last time out, Averett eclipsed the 50-point mark for the first time since the 2019 season, when the Cougars defeated LaGrange College, 55-7. They totaled 544 yards of offense on 48 plays, averaging 11.3 yards per play. The Cougars used a balanced attack, rushing for 296 yards and four touchdowns while throwing for 248 yards and four scores. The defense forced five turnovers in the dominant win over the Bison, recovering one fumble and intercepting four passes.
On the season, the Averett offense is averaging 36.3 points per game while generating a league-best 439.7 yards of total offense per contest. The Cougars have used a balanced attack, averaging 204.0 yards per game on the ground while throwing for 235.7 yards per contest. Despite their high-powered offense, the Cougars are allowing the second-most yards in the ODAC this season, with opposing offenses averaging 453.7 yards per game. Opponents have found success through the air, averaging 286.3 passing yards per game, while Averett has limited rushing attacks to 167.3 yards per contest.
Brandon Saunders has started all three games at quarterback this season, completing 46-of-76 passes (60.5%) for 612 yards and seven touchdowns with two interceptions. He has also been a threat on the ground, ranking third on the team with 126 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. Tyrek Samuel leads the Cougars' rushing attack with 177 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries, while Debvrin Smith has also eclipsed the 150-yard mark this season, rushing for 154 yards and a touchdown on 19 attempts. Tre'Sean Suber has been the most productive receiver for AU, hauling in 10 passes for 208 yards and four touchdowns, while Zymarcus Stover has caught 18 passes for 186 yards.
Charles Hatcher III leads the team with 22 total tackles, including a team-high 12 solo stops, while Daniel Gee and Desmond Hunter have each recorded 18 tackles. Chavis Martin leads the Cougars' defense with 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack. Jermaine Capel Jr. and Tykeem Ross have each recorded a sack for AU this season. In the secondary, Jeremiah Marks has been a threat to opposing passing attacks, recording three interceptions, the second-most in Division III this season, while also breaking up three passes.
Scouting the Generals: The Generals are also coming off a bye week with a 2-1 overall record. After kicking off the season with wins over Wittenberg (13-7 OT) and Gettysburg (27-23), the Generals fell to 14th-ranked Salisbury University, 43-13, in Week 3 in Maryland. The Blue and White trailed 16-13 heading into halftime but were shut out in the second half to drop their first game of the season.
W&L recorded 341 yards of total offense in the loss, rushing for 251 yards and two touchdowns while throwing for 90 yards on nine completions. The Generals' defense allowed 473 yards of total offense, while the Salisbury rushing attack recorded 345 yards and five touchdowns on 44 carries.
On the season, the Blue and White are averaging 17.7 points per game while generating 344.7 yards of total offense per contest. Their multifaceted rushing attack has produced 250.3 yards per game, the 16th-most in the nation, while the passing attack is averaging 94.3 yards per contest. The W&L offense has scored eight touchdowns this season, with all eight coming on the ground. Defensively, the Generals are allowing 387.3 yards and 24.3 points per game. Opposing offenses are rushing for an average of 205.0 yards per game with six touchdowns while averaging 182.3 yards through the air with three scores.
Ty Collins has completed 23-of-47 passes (48.9%) this season for 269 yards with one interception while adding 140 rushing yards, the second-most on the team, on 27 carries. Ryan Clemens has been the Blue and White's primary back, carrying the ball 59 times for 260 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 4.4 yards per carry. Carter Shallcross has also reached triple digits on the ground, carrying the ball 16 times for 110 yards. Teddy Sparrow has been W&L's top option in the passing game, hauling in eight passes for 118 yards, while Shallcross has caught seven passes for 87 yards.
Brennan Stout has led the defense so far this season, registering 42 tackles, the fourth-most in Division III, while adding 2.0 tackles for loss. Marcus Canton follows with 24 stops, including a team-high 11 solo tackles, two pass breakups and a forced fumble. Randolph Smith has posted a team-high 3.0 tackles for loss while registering 1.5 sacks and 12 tackles. Nolan Wirick has recorded the Generals' lone interception this season, while Zach Cruet and Parker Maynard have each recovered a fumble.
National Rankings: The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and D3football.com national polls feature identical top fives, with North Central College (Ill.) remaining atop both rankings. UW-River Falls, the defending national champion, checked in at No. 2. Wheaton College (Ill.) was ranked third in both polls, while UW-Platteville (No. 4) and St. John's (No. 5) rounded out the top five.
ODAC foe Randolph-Macon remained at No. 25 in the D3football.com poll following its bye week while receiving 60 votes in the AFCA national rankings.
National Statistical Rankings: Through four weeks of the Division III football season, the Blue and White rank in the top 25 in multiple statistical categories. The Generals' rushing attack ranks 16th in the nation, averaging 250.3 yards per game, while the team ranks sixth in turnovers lost, having turned the ball over just once this season. The offensive line has done an excellent job protecting quarterback Ty Collins, ranking ninth in Division III in sacks allowed after surrendering just one through the first four weeks.
Brennan Stout leads the nation in tackles per game, averaging 14.0 stops per contest, while his 42 total tackles rank fourth in Division III.
Around the ODAC:
Saturday, Oct. 3
Hampden-Sydney at Shenandoah | 1 p.m. | Winchester, Va.
Roanoke at Guilford | 1 p.m. | Greensboro, N.C.
Bridgewater at No. 25 Randolph-Macon | 1 p.m. | Ashland, Va.
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.
