Who is Western Carolina?

Who are they, where are they from and can they compete with Georgia on Saturday?

The Western Carolina Catamounts are located in Cullowhee, N.C., which isn’t near much except the Great Smokey Mountains National Park.

The Catamounts are mired in an 11-game losing streak dating back to last year’s Sept. 23 loss to Furman.

While this looks like a game Georgia should roll through, head coach Mark Richt doesn’t want his team to overlook this game.

“Western Carolina has struggled to this point, but they are still a team we respect,” Richt said. “We respect everyone we play, we have to.”

Western Carolina has two quarterbacks that will likely play Saturday – Todd Spitzer and Adam Hearns.

While Richt said he wouldn’t be surprised if Hearns starts, Western Carolina coach Kent Briggs indicated Spitzer will get the nod.

“We will not make a change at this point,” Briggs said. “When Adam (Hearns) gets more game experience, he will help this football team.”

The Catamounts’ rushing attack is led by Mike Malone, a senior from Gainesville, who has rushed for 100 yards this season.

Last week, Malone, who also is a kick return specialist, ran for 63 yards against Eastern Kentucky in a 45-21 loss.

“Mike (Malone) had a tremendous game last week,” Briggs said. “He really stepped up at tailback position, and that is one area where he hadn’t really done it yet.”

However, Western Carolina’s defense has allowed an average of 48.5 points per contest this season.

Part of that defensive statistic has to do with the teams the Catamounts have scheduled. In week one, Western Carolina lost to Alabama 52-6, and to close out its 2006 campaign, the Catamounts lost to Florida 62-0.

Briggs said he thinks playing those teams ultimately will help his players in Athens.

“I think (playing Alabama in week one) helps a lot,” Briggs said. “Just about every player that is going to play at Georgia played at Alabama. And many of our players that played in Tuscaloosa played last year at Florida. The environment at those places will help us this weekend.”