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[edit]
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] 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[edit]
- 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[edit]
- 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[edit]
| 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[edit]
- ^ University of West Georgia Visual Brand Identity Guide (PDF). Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ^ a b Marlar, Sheryl. "The History of Homecoming". UWG Perspective.
- ^ "West Georgia College Braves Open Season Here". Talladega Daily Home and Our Mountain Home. September 11, 1958. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Reese, Earnest (May 15, 1980). "W. Georgia To Play in '81". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 72 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "West Georgia football enjoys rebirth". Asbury Park Press. Associated Press. October 22, 1981. p. 75 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "WGC Football Coach Tells Rotarians About New Team". Newnan Times-Herald. August 13, 1981. p. 48 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Heys, Sam (September 18, 1981). "West Georgia Worry: Reality's On Horizon". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 55 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "West Georgia to Honor 1982 National Championship Team". West Georgia Wolves. August 6, 2019.
- ^ "West Georgia loses in playoffs". The Anniston Star. Associated Press. November 22, 1981. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Outlar, Jesse (December 6, 1982). "Pate gets last laugh after unique success at West Ga". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 33 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "West Georgia Is Playing Wait and See". The Pensacola News. Associated Press. June 20, 1983 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Division II West Georgia moving up to Div. I Atlantic Sun, United Athletic Conference". Associated Press News. 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.
