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Western Carolina Catamounts football

The Western Carolina Catamounts football program represents Western Carolina University. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and are members of the Southern Conference. Since the school's first football team was fielded in 1931, the Catamounts have a record of 364–540–23, have made two postseason appearances, and have played in one national championship game.

Western Carolina plays its home games at the 13,742 seat Bob Waters Field at E. J. Whitmire Stadium located on the campus in Cullowhee, North Carolina.

History

Head coaching history

Western Carolina has had 14 head coaches since the first team was organized in 1931. Kerwin Bell, the current head coach, was hired on April 27, 2021. Bob Waters (1969–1988) holds the record for most wins (116), longest tenure (20 seasons), and highest winning percentage (.550) among all former Western Carolina coaches.

C.C. Poindexter, often called the "Father of Western Carolina Athletics", was instrumental in organizing the first football team in 1931. Then the Western Carolina Teacher's College, Poindexter was the first person hired by the college to work exclusively in athletics and became the first athletic director and football coach. He would later lead the baseball and basketball programs as well.

Postseason

  • 1949 - The 1949 Western Carolina Catamounts, coached by Tom Young, completed their regular season 8–2, winning the North State Conference championship. Western Carolina was then invited to play West Liberty State in the Smokey Mountain Bowl in Bristol, Tennessee. The Catamounts fell short 20–0.
  • 1974 - The 1974 Western Carolina Catamounts, coached by Bob Waters, completed their regular season 9–1, earning a berth to the 1974 NCAA Division II playoff. The Catamounts had wins over ranked opponents Indiana State and Western Kentucky during the season. They then traveled to No.1 ranked Louisiana Tech where they were defeated 10–7.
  • 1983 - The 1983 Western Carolina Catamounts, coached by Bob Waters, completed their regular season 8-2-1, earning a berth to the 1983 NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. The Catamounts then hosted their first ever playoff game against Colgate, winning 24–23. Western Carolina then traveled to No.2 seed Holy Cross, where they upset the Crusaders 28–21. In the semifinals, they beat No.3 seed, and Southern Conference rival, Furman 14–7. In the 1983 Division I-AA National Championship Game at Hagood Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina, the Catamounts fell to No.1 seed Southern Illinois 43–7.

Classifications

  • 1973–1976: NCAA Division II
  • 1977: NCAA Division I
  • 1978–1981: NCAA Division I–A
  • 1982–present: NCAA Division I–AA

Conference memberships

Also members of the Smoky Mountain Conference starting in 1934.

Playoff appearances

NCAA Division I-AA/FCS

The Catamounts have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs one time, making it to the national championship game, with an overall record of 3–1.

NCAA Division II

The Catamounts made one appearance in the Division II playoffs, with a combined record of 0–1.

Yearly results

<nowiki>*</nowiki>2020 fall season was played in the spring of 2021 due to Covid-19

Rivalries

Appalachian State - Battle for the Old Mountain Jug

The main rivalry of the Catamounts was against their in-state rival Appalachian State. Western Carolina and Appalachian State played annually for the Old Mountain Jug. The two rivals first faced off in 1932, with Appalachian State winning 20–0. The Old Mountain Jug trophy was first introduced in 1976. After Appalachian State moved to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2014, the two have not met since. Appalachian State leads the series 58–19–1. Appalachian State's biggest win is 54–7 in 1939 and Western Carolina's biggest win is 44–14 in 1977.

East Tennessee State - Blue Ridge Border Battle

While Western Carolina and ETSU have played each other since 1932, the Blue Ridge Border Battle was started in 2018, which introduced a traveling trophy known as 'the Rock' which features a rock from the Appalachian Trail. The first Blue Ridge Border Battle game was in 2018, with ETSU winning in triple overtime 45–43. The two schools played annually from 1975–2003 as members of the Southern Conference until ETSU discontinued its football program after the 2003 season. The series resumed in 2016 when ETSU restarted its program and rejoined the Southern Conference with the game being played at Bristol Motor Speedway, which was won by ETSU 34–31. Western Carolina leads the series 26–25–1. Western Carolina's biggest win is 58–7 in 2023 and ETSU's biggest win is 49–10 in 1996.

Catamounts in the NFL

Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of January 6, 2026.

See also

References

External links