West Georgia Wolves football
| West Georgia Wolves football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1946 | ||
| Athletic director | Jason Carmichael | ||
| Head coach | Joel Taylor 1st season, 0–0 (–) | ||
| Stadium | University Stadium (capacity: 10,000) | ||
| Year built | 2009 | ||
| Field surface | Grass | ||
| Location | Carrollton, Georgia | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FCS | ||
| Conference | United Athletic Conference | ||
| Past conferences |
| ||
| Playoff appearances | 11 | ||
| Claimed national titles | 1 (NCAA Division III: 1982) | ||
| Conference titles | 4 | ||
| Rivalries | Valdosta State | ||
| Colors | Blue and red[1] | ||
| Website | Official website | ||
The West Georgia Wolves football program represents the University of West Georgia (UWG) in college football. Previously an NCAA Division II team, they will become a Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) program as a member of the United Athletic Conference (UAC), effective July 1, 2024.
History
The West Georgia football team, originally known as the Braves (which was the nickname until 2006), was founded in 1946, when the school, then known as West Georgia College, was a two-year institution.[2] They had their first practice on September 30, 1946, with 54 players reporting, and ended their first season with a record of 2–5–1.[2] The following year they played in and won the 1948 Tobacco Bowl.[2] Prior to the 1958 season, the school became a four-year institution, and the football team played one year with only freshmen and sophomores before being discontinued.[3][4] In total, from 1946 to 1958, West Georgia won only 13 games.[5]
On May 14, 1980, it was announced that West Georgia was reviving its football team, with intentions to play in 1981 as an NCAA Division III independent.[6] Bobby Pate was hired as head coach and the team had around 385 players try out, with 115 making the squad.[7] Despite them being in their first season in 23 years, West Georgia compiled a perfect 9–0 regular season record and reached the Division III playoffs, where they lost in the first round to the ultimate national champions Widener, by one score.[8][9] In their second season back, West Georgia compiled a perfect 12–0 record and won the national championship with a shutout win over Augustana (IL).[8][10]
The team moved up to the NCAA Division II level after two years in Division III, joining the Gulf South Conference (GSC), where they remained through 2023.[11][12] In their GSC tenure, the Braves / Wolves won four conference championships (1997, 1998, 2000, 2015), two NCAA regional championships (2014, 2015) and reached the Division II playoffs nine times.[13][14]
In 2023, it was announced that the team was moving to the NCAA Division I FCS level as a member of the United Athletic Conference (UAC), an alliance of the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) and Western Athletic Conference (WAC), effective July 1, 2024.[15]
Classifications
- 1946–1958: Community college
- 1959–1980: No team
- 1981–1982: NCAA Division III
- 1983–2023: NCAA Division II
- 2024–present: NCAA Division I FCS
Conference affiliations
- 1946–1958: Unknown
- 1959–1980: No team
- 1981–1982: NCAA Division III independent
- 1983–2023: Gulf South Conference
- 2024–present: United Athletic Conference
Program achievements
| Gulf South Conference Champions | 1997, 1998, 2000, 2015 |
| NCAA Division II Team Playoff Participants | 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021 |
| NCAA Division II Regional Championships | 2014, 2015 |
| NCAA Division III Team Playoff Participants | 1981, 1982 |
| NCAA Division III Regional Championships | 1982 |
| NCAA Division III National Championships | 1982 |
References
- ^ University of West Georgia Visual Brand Identity Guide (PDF). Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ^ a b c Marlar, Sheryl. "The History of Homecoming". UWG Perspective.
- Newspapers.com.
- Newspapers.com.
- Newspapers.com.
- Newspapers.com.
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "West Georgia to Honor 1982 National Championship Team". West Georgia Wolves. August 6, 2019.
- Newspapers.com.
- Newspapers.com.
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Division II West Georgia moving up to Div. I Atlantic Sun, United Athletic Conference". Associated Press. September 8, 2023.
- ^ "2023 Game Notes" (PDF). West Georgia Wolves. September 5, 2023. p. 1.
- ^ "UWG Championship History". West Georgia Wolves.
- ^ Chavkin, Daniel (September 8, 2023). "University of West Georgia Announces Move to NCAA Division I". Sports Illustrated.
