Wofford Terriers football
| Wofford Terriers football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1889 | ||
| Athletic director | Richard Johnson | ||
| Head coach |
Mike Ayers 29th year, 196–135–1 (.592) | ||
| Stadium | Gibbs Stadium | ||
| Seating capacity | 13,000 | ||
| Field surface | Grass | ||
| Location | Spartanburg, South Carolina | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FCS | ||
| Conference | Southern Conference | ||
| Past conferences | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association | ||
| All-time record | 478–467–35 (.506) | ||
| Bowl record | 0–1 (.000) | ||
| Conference titles | 4 (2003, 2007, 2010, 2012) | ||
| Colors |
Black and Old Gold[1] | ||
| Rivals | Furman University | ||
| Website | WoffordTerriers.com | ||
- For information on all Wofford College sports, see Wofford Terriers
The Wofford Terriers football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Wofford College located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and are members of the Southern Conference. Wofford's first football team was fielded in 1889. The team plays its home games at the 13,000 seat Gibbs Stadium in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The Terriers are coached by Mike Ayers, who is entering his 28th season with the team in 2015.
History
Wofford moved from Division 2 to join the Division 1-AA Southern Conference in the 96-97 season. Since then, Wofford has won 4 Southern Conference Championships, and received bids to the FCS Playoffs 6 times with the most recent bid coming in 2012. Wofford is typically one of the strongest teams in the Southern Conference every year. Wofford's best finish since moving from Division 2 was a trip to the National Semi-finals at Delaware in 2003, where they fell 24-9.
Classifications
- 1957–1969: NAIA
- 1970–1987: NAIA Division I
- 1988–1994: NCAA Division II
- 1995–present: NCAA Division I–AA/FCS
Conference memberships
- 1889–1900: Independent
- 1901–1941: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
- 1942–1945: Independent
- 1946–1964: South Carolina Little Three
- 1965–1987: NAIA Independent
- 1988–1994: NCAA Division II Independent
- 1995–1996: NCAA Division I–AA Independent
- 1997–present: Southern Conference
Wofford vs. In-State NCAA Division I schools
| School | Record | Percentage | Streak | First Meeting | Last Meeting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston Southern | 14-0 | 1.000 | Won 14 | 1993 | 2016 |
| Clemson | 3-12 | .200 | Lost 5 | 1896 | 2015 |
| Coastal Carolina | 0-1 | .000 | Lost 1 | 2006 | 2006 |
| Furman | 30-53-7 | .372 | Won 2 | 1889 | 2016 |
| Presbyterian | 40-40-3 | .500 | Won 5 | 1914 | 2013 |
| South Carolina | 4-19 | .174 | Lost 16 | 1895 | 2012 |
| South Carolina State | 6-2 | .750 | Won 5 | 1974 | 2006 |
| The Citadel | 27-42-1 | .393 | Lost 2 | 1916 | 2016 |
| Wofford 123 - In-State NCAA Division I Schools 169 - Draws 11 | |||||
Notable former players
- Jerry Richardson - wide receiver for the Baltimore Colts, owner of the Carolina Panthers.[2]
- Brenton Bersin - wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers
Football Championship Sub-Division Playoffs
Wofford has gone to the FCS Playoffs a total of 6 times (2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012). In 2003, Wofford appeared in the FCS Playoffs for the first time in school history, and won its first two games advancing to the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, they lost to the would-be FCS Champions Delaware, and finished the season ranked #3 in the nation. The Terriers moved on to the quarterfinals in 2007 before losing to Richmond. They lost in the opening round to James Madison in 2008. In 2010, they advanced to the National Quarterfinals to face Southern Conference rival Georgia Southern. They were defeated in that game 20-23. Georgia Southern Fans taunted Wofford players, throwing beer bottles and trash at them, infamously cementing them even further as rivals. In 2011, they made it to the playoffs, losing to Northern Iowa 21-28 in the second round. In 2012, Wofford dominated visiting New Hampshire, to move on to the Quarterfinals to face would-be champions North Dakota St. Although they had many chances to win, they fell 14-7.
Conference championships
Wofford's Football team has won 4 Southern Conference Championships. The first came in 2003, when Wofford finished 12-2, with a trip to face Delaware in the Division 1-AA Playoff Semifinals. The next championship came in 2007, sharing the championship with Appalachian State, who would go on to win the Football Championship Sub-division (1-AA) Championship. Wofford would also win Conference titles in 2010 and 2012.
Bowl game appearances
| Season | Date | Bowl | W/L | Opponent | PF | PA | Coach | Notes |
| 1949 | January 2, 1950 | Cigar Bowl | L | Florida State | 6 | 19 | Phil Dickens | notes |
| Total | 1 bowl game | 0–1 | 6 | 19 |
Division I-AA/FCS Playoffs results
The Terriers have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs five times with an overall record of 6–5.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | North Carolina A&T WKU Delaware | W 31–0 W 34–17 L 9–24 |
| 2007 | First Round Quarterfinals | Montana Richmond | W 23–22 L 10–21 |
| 2010 | Second Round Quarterfinals | Jacksonville State Georgia Southern | W 17–14 L 20–23 |
| 2011 | Second Round | Northern Iowa | L 21–28 |
| 2012 | Second Round Quarterfinals | New Hampshire North Dakota State | W 23–7 L 7–14 |
| 2016 | First Round Second Round | Charleston Southern The Citadel | W 15–14 12/3/16 |
Division II Playoffs results
The Terriers have appeared in the Division II playoffs two times with an overall record of 0–2.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | First Round | Mississippi College | L 19–70 |
| 1991 | First Round | Mississippi College | L 15–28 |
References
- ↑ Wofford College Logo Sheet (PDF). 2014-11-01. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
- ↑ Hoffer, Richard. "The Franchise". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 22 June 2014.