2016 Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs football team

The 2016 Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs football team represented Gardner–Webb University as a member of the Big South Conference during the 2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Carroll McCray, the Runnin' Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 5–6 with a mark of 3–2 in conference play, tying for third place in the Big South. Gardner–Webb played home games at Ernest W. Spangler Stadium in Boiling Springs, North Carolina.

2016 Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs football
Conference	Big South Conference
Record	5–6 (3–2 Big South)
Head coach	Carroll McCray (4th season)
Offensive coordinator	Brett Nichols (2nd season)
Defensive coordinator	Travis Cunningham (1st season)
Home stadium	Ernest W. Spangler Stadium

2016 Big South Conference football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 15 Charleston Southern +^		4	–	1					7	–	4
Liberty +		4	–	1					6	–	5
Kennesaw State		3	–	2					8	–	3
Gardner–Webb		3	–	2					5	–	6
Presbyterian		1	–	4					2	–	9
Monmouth		0	–	5					4	–	7
+ – Conference co-champions ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from STATS Poll

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 3	3:30 pm	at Elon*	Rhodes Stadium Elon, NC	ASN	W 31–6	11,250
September 10	6:00 pm	at Western Carolina*	E. J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC	SDN	L 14–44	11,598
September 17	6:00 pm	No. 15 The Citadel*	Ernest W. Spangler Stadium Boiling Springs, NC	BSN	L 24–31	6,850
September 24	2:00 pm	at Ohio*	Peden Stadium Athens, OH	ESPN3	L 21–37	22,265
October 1	6:00 pm	Benedict*	Ernest W. Spangler Stadium Boiling Springs, NC	BSN	W 45–0	3,487
October 8	6:00 pm	Presbyterian	Ernest W. Spangler Stadium Boiling Springs, NC	ESPN3	W 24–3	2,750
October 15	1:30 pm	No. 16 Coastal Carolina*	Ernest W. Spangler Stadium Boiling Springs, NC	BSN	L 7–17	6,850
October 22	1:30 pm	Kennesaw State	Ernest W. Spangler Stadium Boiling Springs, NC	ASN	L 39–47	2,450
October 29	3:30 pm	at Liberty	Williams Stadium Lynchburg, VA	BSN	L 20–23 OT	16,608
November 5	11:45 am	at No. 8 Charleston Southern	Buccaneer Field Charleston, SC	ASN	W 17–10	1,603
November 19	1:30 pm	Monmouth	Ernest W. Spangler Stadium Boiling Springs, NC	ESPN3	W 34–33 OT	3,380
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

Game summaries

At Elon

	1	2	3	4	Total
Runnin' Bulldogs	0	3	14	14	31
Phoenix	0	3	3	0	6

See also: 2016 Elon Phoenix football team

At Western Carolina

	1	2	3	4	Total
Runnin' Bulldogs	7	7	0	0	14
Catamounts	14	3	13	14	44

See also: 2016 Western Carolina Catamounts football team

The Citadel

See also: 2016 The Citadel Bulldogs football team

	1	2	3	4	Total
#15 Bulldogs	7	7	7	10	31
Runnin' Bulldogs	7	3	7	7	24

At Ohio

	1	2	3	4	Total
Runnin' Bulldogs	7	0	7	7	21
Bobcats	14	16	7	0	37

See also: 2016 Ohio Bobcats football team

Benedict

	1	2	3	4	Total
Tigers	0	0	0	0	0
Runnin' Bulldogs	0	24	14	7	45

Presbyterian

	1	2	3	4	Total
Blue Hose	0	3	0	0	3
Runnin' Bulldogs	10	0	7	7	24

See also: 2016 Presbyterian Blue Hose football team

Coastal Carolina

	1	2	3	4	Total
#16 Chanticleers	0	3	0	14	17
Runnin' Bulldogs	0	7	0	0	7

See also: 2016 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers football team

Kennesaw State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Owls	20	20	7	0	47
Runnin' Bulldogs	7	14	10	8	39

See also: 2016 Kennesaw State Owls football team

At Liberty

	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Runnin' Bulldogs	0	6	7	7	0	20
Flames	7	0	3	10	3	23

See also: 2016 Liberty Flames football team

At Charleston Southern

	1	2	3	4	Total
Runnin' Bulldogs	0	0	7	10	17
#8 Buccaneers	7	0	0	3	10

See also: 2016 Charleston Southern Buccaneers football team

Monmouth

	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Hawks	0	7	6	14	6	33
Runnin' Bulldogs	3	7	10	7	7	34

See also: 2016 Monmouth Hawks football team