Game #8 - Wofford Terriers

For the eighth game of the season, the Cats travel to Spartanburg, SC to face the Wofford Terriers. This will be the second straight time facing the Terriers in Sparkle City, as Wofford, like Chattanooga, opted out of their final games in the Spring season. 

The ankle bitters opted of their remaining games the very week they were scheduled to travel to Cullowhee, thus earning them the moniker, Woffraud.  The Cats missed two scheduled home games in the spring due to both conference schools opting out just prior to their scheduled WCU game, I'm talking about you too, ChattaQuitta.

Western faces the Terriers for the forty-third time since 1952.

Game #8 - Wofford Terriers

When: Saturday, October 30, 2021

Time:  1:30 pm
Where:  Woffraud's Gibbs Stadium, Spartanburg, SC 

Radio: Catamount Sports Network

-announcers:  Gary Ayers,  (play-by-play); Daniel Hooker, (color); Greg McLamb, (sideline)

-stations:  105.7 FM / 540 AM WRGC (Sylva); 104.9 FM / 1050 AM WFSC (Franklin); 102.9 FM / 1310 AM WISE (Asheville); 970 AM WYSE (Canton); 95.3 FM WWCU (Cullowhee)
TV/video:  ESPN+

-announcers: Jim Noble (play-by-play) Thom Henson (color) Van Hipp (sideline)

Live Stats:  Wofford Live Stats

Message Boards:       Western Carolina    -    Wofford

Mascot:  Terrier

Colors: Old Gold & Black

Message Board:  Wofford Fans

The Series: The Cats are 14-25 overall against the Terriers in a series that started in 1952, The Cats & Terriers have played a total of 42 times, and Western has now lost four in a row to the Terriers, and are 4-16 in games played in Spartanburg.  The Cats last won in Spartanburg in 2015.  The last game played against the Terriers was a 7-59 spanking of the Cats by Conklin's Terriers in Spartanburg in 2019.  

Games that will be played by the Bulldogs this season prior to the WCU contest:  (7 games)  The Terriers opened the season at Elon with a win, followed by a home game loss to Kennesaw State, then visited VMI and ETSU (both losses) before returning home to face Furman and Samford (both losses as well).  The Terriers then traveled to Macon to face the Bears and a 14-45 beat-down by Mercer, before meeting the Catamounts in Gibbs Stadium.  

The last game played vs. Wofford:  October 19, 2019 - WCU Unable to Capitalize on Quick Strike in Loss at Wofford - Spartanburg, S.C. – Quarterback Tyrie Adams threw a career-long 69-yard touchdown pass on a toss-back reverse flea-flicker on the game's first play Saturday afternoon, connecting with freshman WR Jaylin Young for the early 7-0 lead for Western Carolina. However, Adams was lost to a game-ending foot injury on the second offensive series and Wofford took advantage, stymieing the Catamounts on offense in limiting WCU to just 172 total yards of offense and four first downs – only one of which came after halftime – in handing the Catamounts a 59-7 setback in Southern Conference action from Gibbs Stadium.  

Head Coach:  Josh Conklin - Josh Conklin is entering his third season as head coach of the Wofford College football team. In his first season at the helm, the Terriers won the Southern Conference Championship and reached the second round of the NCAA FCS Playoffs. Wofford announced on Tuesday, January 2, 2018, the hiring of Josh Conklin as the head football coach. Conklin, who spent the previous three seasons as the defensive coordinator at the University of Pittsburgh, was an assistant coach at Wofford from 2007-09 working with the secondary.

Josh Conklin's record vs. WCU:  0 - 2

Kerwin Bells' record vs. Wofford:  0 - 0

Last Season's Record (2020-21 Wofford):  1-4 overall, 1-2  home, 0-2 away, 1-4 SoCon.  

This Season's Record (2021 Wofford):  1-6 overall, 0-3 home, 1-3 away, 0-5 SoCon.

Offensive Formation:  Triple Option
Defensive Formation:   Multiple 50
Starters returning/lost:    19  /  6
Offensive starters - Returning/Lost:  7  /  4
Defensive starters - Returning/Lost:  9  /  2

Wofford returned 3 players receiving post-season awards from the spring. Wofford players honored include defensive lineman Micheal Mason (first-team coaches and media), defensive back Tahir Annoor (second-team coaches), and running back Irvin Mulligan (All-Freshman team). Mulligan, a second-year freshman, led the Terriers with 342 rushing yards on 51 carries. He had a pair of touchdowns and also had two receptions for 23 yards. Wofford fullback Nathan Walker was named a Stats Perform FCS Second Team All-American. All return for the fall season.  

During the offseason (between spring & fall), the Terriers added six additional student-athlete transfers – Okachi Emmanwori, Anthony Garcia, Romello Gray, Anthonie Lattany, Devin Mathews, Jason Swann – who join the Terriers as transfers for the fall of 2021. Wofford added nearly 20 walk-ons to the roster.  

Also in the offseason, Wofford football offensive coordinator Wade Lang has announced his retirement effective last June 30, 2021. A 1983 graduate of Wofford, he has spent 33 seasons as an assistant coach, including the last 31 as offensive coordinator at his alma mater.  Head coach Josh Conklin hired former WCU assistant (who was relieved of duties) Tyler Carlton as the quarterback coach and co-offensive coordinator. He will share offensive coordinator duties with running backs coach Dane Romero.

So far this fall season, the Terriers are 0-5 in the SoCon, having only beat Elon to kick off the season in out-of-conference play.  So far this season, Wofford is in last place in the conference in scoring, averaging just 19.4 points per game (PPG), and last in total offense (averaging only 332.1 yards per game). The Terriers are in 5th place in rushing yardage, putting up 198 yards per game, and in 8th place in passing offense with an average of 134 yards per contest. The Terriers are also in last place in 3rd down conversions (28 made of 84 attempts), as well as 4th down conversions (3 made of 8 attempts). 

The Terriers return 18 starters from the 2021 spring season, including six on offense, nine on defense, and three specialists.  Wofford is ranked 83rd in the nation in total offense and 103rd in total defense through the first seven games. The rushing offense was ranked fifth overall at 232.8 yards per game in the spring. The Terriers are being outscored in all four quarters. In the second half the Terriers are being outscored 102 to 49.  

At quarterback, while Peyton Derrick has started five games,  and Jimmy Weirick and Bryce Corriston have one start each,  Corriston has played in two games with 104 rushing yards and 16-of-31 passing for 165 yards and is expected to start at QB for the WCU game, with Derrick as the backup. Irvin Mulligan is the leading rusher with 613 yards on 89 carries and seven touchdowns, Jamari Broussard has 173 rushing yards on 45 carries with a touchdown, with Nathan Walker and Ryan Ingram adding rushing touchdowns.

The top receiver for the Terriers is Alec Holt with 15 catches for 286 yards and three touchdowns. Jim Welsh has added 14 receptions for 123 yards and R.J. Khayo has 14 catches for 158 yards. The offensive line has seen nine players start, with none starting the same position for all seven games. They rank 10th in the nation in fewest sacks allowed with seven. 

2021 Wofford Statistics (Fall 7 games)
Rushing Offense: 1394 yards
Yards per game: 199
Yards per rush: 5.1 yards
Rushing 1st downs: 57
TDs rushing: 12
Passing Offense: 947 yards or 135.3 yards per game
Avg. per pass: 7.0 yards
Passing 1st downs: 43
Passing Att-Comp-Int: 135-70-5

TDs Passing: 4
Total Offense: 2341 yards or 334.4 per game
3d Down Conversions: 28 of 85 (33%)
4th Down Conversions: 3 of 5  (38%)
Field Goal: 6 of  9
On-side kicks: 0-0
Red Zone Scores: 13 of 16 
Red Zone Touchdowns: 8 of 16
PAT: 16 of 16

Punts: 39, Avg per punt:  36.7 yards